12A - Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 1

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I decided to establish my market segment as the chain restaurants in Gainesville.'

Here are my 3 interviews:

Interview 1: Bento Manager

In this interview I learned that:

-Bento does not have an allergy menu
-Bento does have a method to accommodate individuals with food allergies
-To accommodate these guests, Bento mangers typically inform cooks of the allergy
-Bento does experience some difficulty with guests with food allergies as mangers always inform guests that the restaurant cannot guarantee no cross-contamination
-Bento likely would not outsource the creation of an allergy menu because they already have an established business

Interview 2: Pita Pit Manager

In this interview I learned that:

-Pita Pit does not have an allergy menu
-Pita Pit does have a method to accommodate individuals with food allergies
-To accommodate these guests, Pita Pit cashiers inform the visible kitchen staff of the food allergy
There is some difficulty accommodating these guests simply because, due to the assembly line nature of the kitchen, cross-contamination is possible
-Pita Pit is more likely to outsource because it is a Gainesville chain, but is not necessarily interested in outsourcing for the creation of an allergy menu

Interview 3: Tijuana Flats Manager

In this interview I learned that:

-Tijuana does not have an allergy menu
-Tijuana does have a method to accommodate individuals with food allergies
-To accommodate these guests, Tijuana cashiers typically inform cooks of the allergy
-Tijuana does experience some difficulty with guests with food allergies occasionally simply because customers with food allergies are unaware of what options they have, but they manage this by educating cashiers regarding the menu and the accommodations the kitchen can make
-Tijuana likely would not outsource the creation of an allergy menu because they already have an established business


Comments

  1. Nicholas A. LaheraOctober 3, 2019 at 10:56 PM

    Johnathan,
    I am glad you are out there conducting these interviews, but I question where you are going to find clients. All of the listed restaurants are chain restaurants like you mention. With that being said, they are sent a majority, if not all, recipes, promotional gear, menus, and procedures from corporate. Because of this reality, they do not have the power to change anything. If you want to be successful, and I think you could be, start doing research with local businesses who many want to pursue their own entrepreneurial expansion and try an allergy menu. At these places you will have greater access to the actual owners of the restaurant, greater opportunity to partner on developing the menu, and more customer interaction. Use small mom-and-pop shops to build your credibility and then consider expanding what you do to corporations. If you have a proven record they are more likely to be perceptive of what you have to say. Please consider this, great job!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Brooke DesantisOctober 4, 2019 at 3:52 PM

    Hey jonathan,
    I am surprised to hear that all these major food chains do not have an allergy menu. I would have thought it would've been a national requirement of all major chains to have a menu or some sort of explanation of what is in the food that people are eating. This is alarming especially because so many people nationwide go to these establishments and probably face the same struggles you have.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Remi TaylorOctober 6, 2019 at 2:16 PM

    Hi there Johnathan, very nice job with this post. Interviewing the manager's of Bento, Pita Pit and Tijuana Flats was a very smart business tactic. You really went straight to the source. It is surprising that none of these restaurants have an allergy menu. I think this just shows that your idea of this unmet need is definitely accurate and needed!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Daryl SutherlandOctober 6, 2019 at 4:17 PM

    This is really surprising because of the fact that these are popular places to eat at. I often eat at one of these places at least once a week. It is shocking that they do not have a menu to help out their customers. It makes me think if one of my friends or even if I did myself had a food allergen then what would i eat at these restaurants. Don't forget to summarize what you learned. Overall for what was submitted it was good.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Deasja PerrymanOctober 7, 2019 at 8:59 AM

    Hi Johnathan,
    These restaurants are larger chains, so you would think that they would’ve been more receptive in their beginning phases to meeting every customer’s needs. It’s one thing to not be an option for some people due to preference, but another thing to not be an option due to lack of safety measures. My only critique would be to make sure that your interviews are giving you depth and true insight. I know that it can be difficult especially as a young person trying to talk to managers of large businesses, so good job on that part. Great job!

    ReplyDelete

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