• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.278-286
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• 2009

Restaurants have two strategic levers for revenue management: duration control and demand-based pricing. Reducing dining times, especially during peak periods, can add considerable revenue for restaurants. Managing meal duration, however, can be far more complex than manipulating the price. This paper examines dining duration expectations for restaurants types(Family, Korean, Quick service restaurant), customers characteristics(gender, age, occupation, meal period, visiting frequency, dining occasion, dining companions) using an a adaptation of a price sensitivity measurement tool, naming it 'Time Sensitivity measurement tool' or TSM. The TSM is then used to derive the optimal time points, and the range of acceptable times. The results demonstrate that there is a relatively wide spread of acceptable dining duration times in family restaurant. Furthermore, the optimal time points was shorter than the mean expected dining times, which suggests that many restaurants may be able to shorten dining duration without compromising customer satisfaction. The paper explores whether demographic and dining variables have an impact on time preferences, and finds whether gender, age, meal periods, visiting frequency, and dining companion effects are significant. Specifically, women in their thirties tended to prefer a significantly longer dining times for dinner.