Chapter 4

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This chapter presents the findings, analysis and interpretation of data gathered through

surveys using a survey questionnaire of which the main objective is to find out, identify, and

measure the level of engagement of customers towards the 7Ps of Marketing restaurants in

Malabon and Navotas have manifested. In this study, the researcher seeks to know the profile

of the respondents in terms of sex, age, civil status, educational qualification, occupation,

average monthly income, and residence. Moreover, the researcher also aims to know the level

of engagement of the customers of Malabon and Navotas restaurants based on several

variables and most importantly, if there happens to have significant difference in the level of

engagement based on the types of profiles aforementioned.

1. Profile of the Respondents According to Sex, Age, Average Monthly Income,

Occupation, Civil Status, Highest Educational Attainment, and Residence

Table 1

Frequency and Percent Distribution of the

Respondents According to Sex

Sex Frequency Percent

Male 173 49.4
Female 177 50.6
TOTAL 350 100.0

Table 1 shows the frequency and distribution of the respondents by gender. From the

data, females are a margin bigger (50.6%) than the males (49.4%). It implies that almost

equally, both sexes frequent to restaurants, especially in Malabon and Navotas.

Gender refers to a social construct that is determined from the sex-based categories of

female or male (Kolyesnikova, Dodd and Wilcox, 2009). Male and female always behave

differently and have different consumptions pattern (Solomon, 2013). This may result to
differences on their wanting to dine out and their objectives about it. Hence, gender differences

will impact on consumer behaviour, their behaviour on restaurants. Female consume less

calories than male which shows that females tend to eat in a more feminine style (Rolls,

Fedoroff and Guthrie, 1991).

Also, female try to avoid foods that contain a lot of fats that results in disordered eating

behaviour and dieting behaviour in females. This is because females have more dissatisfaction

with their body size compare to males (Johnson and Wardle, 2005).

Nevertheless healthy eating behaviour is very important to all the gender. Women are

more concerned about healthy eating behaviour compared to men (Gough and Conner, 2006).

Also, according to QSR Magazine (d) there are notable differences between what appeal to

men and women are really interesting. Women are driven by some of the intangible, subjective

elements of their food and experience. Hot buttons for them are health, the ability to customize

their order, and the perceived quality of the food and establishment. Men, however, focus more

on the menu items themselves and the flavor variety available for them to pick from. Men are

much more likely to be won over by desserts, drinks, combo meal options, and even sauces.

For example, in QSR Magazine’s survey (d), dads are twice more likely than average to say

dessert options are important to them when choosing a quick-service restaurant.

Table 2

Frequency and Percent Distribution of the

Respondents According to Age

Age Frequency Percent

15 – 25 years old 146 41.7
26 – 35 years old 132 37.7
36 years old and above 72 20.6
TOTAL 350 100.0

Table 2 demonstrates the frequency and distribution of the respondents by Age. From

the data, the age group 15-25 years old represents the biggest part of the pie (41.7%) of the
350 respondents who participated in the survey. 26-35 years old group represents the second

biggest part of the study, representing it by 37.7%. This was followed by age group 36 years

old and above. The results imply that the most active in terms of dining out and being interested

in the aspects of restaurant business Is the age group, 15-25 years old.

Reported by Business Insider.com (d), restaurant companies such as Buffalo Wild

Wings and Olive Garden take steps to attract millennials. According to them, they said, “Luring

the 18 to 33-year-olds is key because their spending habits are expected to peak in the coming

years.” Also reported by Business Insider.com, it stated that this is a challenge for restaurant

chains because millennials' dining habits are drastically different from their parents, according to

a recent report by Morgan Stanley.

Table 3

Frequency and Percent Distribution of the Respondents

According to Average Monthly Income

Average Monthly Income Frequency Percent

P10,000 – P15,000 158 45.1
P16,000 – P20,000 139 39.8
P21,000 – P25,000 40 11.4
P26,000 – P30.000 13 3.7
TOTAL 350 100.0

The frequency and percent distribution of average monthly income table shows that the

group of P10,000-P15,000 has the highest frequency in the study. It represents 45.1% of the

pie. It was followed successively by P16,000-P20,000, and P21,000-P25,000, which have

39.8%, and 11.14% representation, respectively. P26,000-P30,000 represents the smallest part

of the pie, showing its passivity by only garnering 3.7% as its participation to the study. This

result shows that the people who receive income of P10,000-P15,000 have high inclination to

exploring and trying new dining places.

This behaviour of Filipino people is not new anymore.

 An insider report from Business Mirror.com.ph (d) revealed that Filipinos have difficulty

keeping their budgets and lose a significant amount of their weekly budget to “mystery

spending”, according to a study conducted by a credit-card giant company, Visa.

The data from the study of Visa stated that Filipinos lose 42% of their weekly estimated

expenses to unexplained spending, or cash spent without knowing where it went. Such are the

unconscious, unplanned and unaccounted for bouts of expenditure in a consumer’s daily life.

“The survey highlights how mystery spending can cause financial setbacks for Filipinos

in the long run. It also tells us that Filipino consumers need to closely monitor their budget to

better manage their finances,” Stuart Tomlinson said, Visa country manager for the Philippines

and Guam.

Seven out of 10 Filipinos believe their mystery spending went into the purchase of

snacks. The number is above the regional average of only 45%.

Table 4

Frequency and Percent Distribution of the

Respondents According to Occupation

Occupation Frequency Percent

Government Employee 64 18.3
Private Employee 185 52.8
Self-Employed 101 28.9
TOTAL 350 100.0

Table 4 represents the frequency and percent distribution of the respondents according

to their occupation. It shows that Private Employees are the most enthusiastic group toward

testing and tasting food parks in Malabon and Navotas, representing 52.8 % of the survey. Self-

employed group places second, much far from Private Employees by representing 28.9%. It

was proceeded by Government Employees, only having 18.3% of the total respondents.
 In an article titled, Metro Manila Lifestyle Dining Out, published by Inquirer.net (d), it

summarized a study conducted by AGB Nielsen. The report indicated lunch and afternoon

snacks as the most commonly eaten meals away from home. Among consumers pressed for

time, the perennial question they have to answer is where and what to eat. It added that diners

often consider accessibility to their workplace or residence in their choice of dining places.

“Among the commonalities of these food [outlets] are their accessibility to the home or

the work area, their offer of convenience and value for money,” Nielsen Philippines managing

director Stuart Jamieson said in a statement.

“Usually, in these establishments, it is faster for consumers to eat and go, or just grab

and go. Consumers would also usually eat or buy meals on their way home, [en route] to work,

or while at work. And when they do, they look for places where they can get their pesos’ worth,”

Jamieson said.

Table 5

Frequency and Percent Distribution of the Respondents

According to Civil Status

Civil Status Frequency Percent

Single 228 65.1
Married 122 34.9
TOTAL 350 100.0

Table 5 represents the frequency and percent distribution of the respondents according

to their Civil Status. It is apparent from the results of this table that the Single group is far more

active (65.1%) in trying out food parks in Navotas and Malabon than the Married group (34.9%).

This is maybe because of a new cultural phenomenon. Independent.co.uk (d) shows that

the phenomenon that solo diners who asked for a “table for one” could once expect to be

greeted with pitying looks from restaurant staff before being ushered to a dusty corner of the

establishment has been turned around.

 Stigma around eating alone is starting to lift, a research it cited has suggested. Single

cover reservations have more than doubled in the past two years, shooting up by 110%,

according to data published by the restaurant booking service OpenTable.

Independent.co.uk (d) revealed in a poll of British diners, conducted by YouGov, it was

found that restaurant-goers have begun to shrug off their inhibitions, with 87 per cent of people

surveyed saying they would have no problem with eating out alone.

Table 6

Frequency and Percent Distribution of the Respondents

According to Highest Educational Attainment

Highest Educational Attainment Frequency Percent

High School Graduate 15 4.3
Vocational Graduate 43 12.3
Bachelor’s Degree Holder 292 83.4
TOTAL 350 100.0

Table 6 demonstrates that Bachelor’s Degree Holder group is the highest representative

of the survey, showing activity of 83.4% of 350 respondents. Vocational Graduate group and

High School Graduate group are far on the lower side, having 12.3% and 4.3% only.

In a study conducted for Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior (d) for the behavior

of college students, the majority of them ranked price and personal preference as most

important when selecting food regardless of where the food was consumed. A slightly higher

percentage of participants (4%) were more concerned with nutritional value when dining in.

However, 43% noted that if nutritional value was available in the dining center, they would not

use it.

Additionally, 40% of participants noted that they never or rarely read the nutrition facts

on the food label when shopping (Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, d). The meal

most commonly consumed out during the week was dinner with 29% of participants indicating
eating dinner out 3 or more times weekly with breakfast, if consumed, eaten most frequently at

home (Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, d).

Based on the results of this study, nutrition was not a strong influencing factor for college

students when selecting foods consumed regardless of dining location.

Table 7

Frequency and Percent Distribution of the

Respondents According to Residence

Residence Frequency Percent

Caloocan 91 26.0
Malabon 105 30.0
Navotas 109 31.1
Valenzuela 45 12.9
TOTAL 350 100.0

Table 7 reveals the frequency and percent distribution of respondents according to their

residence. The table shows that Malabon and Navotas residents, almost equally, shows to be

the highest in terms of active exploration of food parks located in their places, having 30% and

31.1% of the total respondents, respectively. It implies the strong dedication of Malabon and

Navotas residents in testing and tasting more of the food parks located in their cities.

It was followed by Caloocan residents, representing 26% of the pie, while Valenzuela places

last, only representing 12.9%.

This shows a positive sign among potential restaurant or food park entrepreneurs who

would like to open their own shops in the cities. Instead of going to Taguig, Makati, or Quezon

City, Malabon and Navotas residents may just explore dining places there.

ABS-CBN News.com (d) has featured Malabon as one of the rising dining spots in Metro

Manila.
 Known mainly for its pancit (stir-fried noodles) and kakanin (rice cakes), Malabon is

slowly catching up to its foodie neighbors, with a number of promising restaurants opening here

since last year (ABS-CBN News.com, d).

“Malabon kasi is an old city. It’s like a province but it’s a city, so ibang-iba. So if you

come here, it’s very different. You feel like you’re in a restaurant or café in Makati or Quezon

City but you only pay one-third of the price,” Oreta told ABS-CBNnews.com.

“Gusto naming makilala ‘yung mga establishments dito, hindi lang ng mga tao rito sa

Malabon but from other cities as well,” he added.

The food parks people may visit are: Cocina Luna, Palmeras, and Cups and Cones.

2. Respondents’ Assessment on the Effectiveness of Marketing Strategies of Food Parks

in Malabon and Navotas in Terms of Place, Product, Physical Evidence, Price,
Process, People, and Promotion

Table 8

Respondents’ Assessment on the Effectiveness of Marketing

Strategies of Food Parks in Malabon and
Navotas in Terms of Place

Weighted
Place Mean Verbal Interpretation
Accessibility and Proximity. The restaurant can
be reached by ordinary means of transportation
in a short matter of time. 3.50 Effective
Easy to spot. The restaurant can be along the
street or sidewalk. 3.51 Effective
Safety. The restaurant’s location is safe to
journey through. 3.47 Somewhat Effective
Population. The place of the restaurant is
populated enough that suits my sense of safety
and comfortability. 3.32 Somewhat Effective
Cleanliness. The place of the restaurant is not
polluted and well-maintained. 3.48 Somewhat Effective
GRAND MEAN 3.45 Somewhat Effective

Table 8 presents the respondents’ assessment on the effectiveness of marketing

strategies of food parks in Malabon and Navotas in terms of Place.
 Accessibility and Proximity, and Easy to Spot, are all ranked with the weighted mean of

3.50, and 3.51, respectively, indicating that for respondents, Malabon and Navotas food parks

are Effective in terms of the Place. Safety, Population, and Cleanliness ranked behind them with

the weighted mean of 3.47, 3.32, and 3.48, which means that they are in terms of engaging or

attracting customers in terms of Place, they are only Somewhat Effective. It implies that the

impression of respondents do not much favor the safety, population, and cleanliness of Malabon

and Navotas Food Parks. Overall, the Place in 7Ps of Malabon and Navotas food parks is only

Somewhat Effective (3.45).

According to Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics Consumers (d),

consumers are concerned not only with the retail price of a product, but also with the time costs

incurred when purchasing and consuming the product.

This is represented by a formula: the "full price" (P) is the sum of these two components,

i.e., P = p + vt, where p is the retail price paid at the counter, t is the time necessary to complete

the transaction, and v is the consumer value of time (Journal of Agricultural and Resource

Economics, d). Fast food suppliers emphasize minimization of time costs, that is, the

maximization of convenience.

If a new outlet is constructed closer to either consumer, for that consumer will fall,

resulting in greater quantity demanded. Thus, the average distance any consumer must travel,

falls as new outlets are constructed within a market. Quantity demanded in the market increases

even if the retail price p remains unchanged. The industry emphasis on market penetration is

simply a recognition that r is a function of the number of outlets in the market, n, as showed by a

Forbes Magazine article: “The more stores McDonald's puts in a city, the greater the overall

number of transactions per capita in that market,” (Journal of Agricultural and Resource

Economics, d).

A blog called Tiger Chef.com (d) states that visibility goes along with accessibility and is

a very important factor for new restaurant locations. Customers should have cognizance that the
restaurant is there. This is why property prices in downtown districts and developed strips are

higher than other areas; they offer a level of visibility that can bring in a good amount of walk-in

business (Tiger Chef.com, d). When scouting locations, the article said that the restaurant is

easily seen from the street. “If the location isn’t directly accessible through Google Maps, it is

probably not a good choice,” Tiger Chef.com stated (d). Assessment of vehicle traffic flow, and

foot traffic or population in the community are said to be strong factors and indicators that need

to be considered.

In order to be protected against all manner of safety and security issues, restaurants

must first be aware of them. The main security risks for restaurant operations are: theft,

burglaries, criminal damage, and employee theft.

R Magazine.com (d) revealed in its article that the busiest periods for restaurants are the

evening, which means that restaurants are more at risk than businesses that are open in normal

business hours. R Magazine (d) recommended, “It should make sure that everybody has a ride

home at the end of a shift, and whoever is in charge of locking up is never left to do so alone.

Safety in numbers is the best policy.”

Still according to it, a great investment for restaurant owners is surveillance equipment –

including safety cameras on the inside and outside of the building. Quoting R Magazine (d),

“Nothing puts off a criminal quicker than a camera looking right at them, and by showing

potential thieves that you are invested in securing your premises, you will make them think twice

about choosing your restaurant as a potential target.”

One of the factors that populate a restaurant or a food park which may result to

customers’ discomfort is long wait in the lines of cashier or ordering counters. For restaurants,

the long wait can positively kill business (Buzztime.com, d). Buzztime.com said (d), “If you earn

a reputation as the restaurant no one can get into after 6 pm, that isn’t good news.”

Buzztime.com (d) recommends to eliminate “chokepoints”. It is any area that creates

bottlenecking and leads to a congestion of foot traffic. For Buzztime.com (d), poor table layout
can be a factor, but typically the culprit is a lack of wide and direct walkways throughout the

restaurant.

According to a recent retail consumer study performed by M/A/R/C Research and

National In-Store as revealed by QSR Magazine.com (d), 14% of consumers polled said they

would stop visiting a store that was not as clean as they expected. In addition, 29 % said they

would continue visiting an unclean store only if it was absolutely necessary. The study

emphasized on a wide range of retail establishments.

“Clearly, cleanliness is an important component of the consumer experience,” says

Randy Wahl, senior vice president of M/A/R/C (QSR Magazine.com, d). “This has a direct

impact on the amount of spending a retailer can capture.”

Table 9

Respondents’ Assessment on the Effectiveness of Marketing

Strategies of Food Parks in Malabon and Navotas in Terms of Product

Weighted
Product Mean Verbal Interpretation
Variety. The restaurant offers enough range of
food variety. 3.48 Somewhat Effective
Food taste. The restaurant serves tasty, warm,
and well-prepared meals. 3.59 Effective
Packaging/Presentation. The restaurant delivers
its food options in a presentable way. 3.48 Somewhat Effective
Food preparation quality. Food in the restaurant
were prepared with high sanitation. 3.53 Effective
Food ingredients. From the taste of the food
offers, the restaurant impresses upon customers
that they use fresh ingredients. 3.55 Effective
GRAND MEAN 3.52 Effective

Table 10 expresses the respondents’ assessment on the effectiveness of marketing

strategies of food parks in Malabon and Navotas in terms of Product. Respondents expressed

their favorable inclination toward the majority of aspects of Product of the food parks in Malabon

and Navotas by having Food Taste, Food Preparation Quality, and Food Ingredients rank from
3.53 to 3.59, which mean that they are Effective. This drives the overall grand mean to rank

3.52, leading to interpretation that the Product of Malabon and Navotas food parks is effective.

They are followed behind by Variety and Packaging/Presentation, emphasizing that they are

only Somewhat Effective.

People also are driven by options and variety. Forty percent of consumers consider

menu variety to be extremely or very important to them when choosing a quick service

restaurant (QSR Magazine.com, d). This degree of importance is also true for males and

females, parents, high-income and low-income adults, and Millennials and Gen X-ers. Boomers

and pre-Boomers care somewhat less about menu variety. They all crave new, innovative

flavors and menu items and snack sizes. Quick-service restaurant customers of today and

especially tomorrow are going to be motivated by creativity and customization which allows

them to get exactly what they are craving (QSR Magazine.com, d).

One reason that taste (and smell) sensations are important is that they prepare our

bodies for digesting food (MSG Info.com, d). For example, tasting and smelling food trigger our

salivary glands and digestive "juices". There is another reason why taste and smell are crucial

to health—these senses provide information about our food. For example, the aroma of a food

can sometimes tell if the food is fresh, such as with fish or meat. As MSG Info.com (d) put it,

“After one bite or even a tiny taste of some foods, we can often detect "off" flavors that may

signal that the food has spoiled.” This places a great importance to food taste as one of the

aspects of Product.

According to The National.ae (d), multiple studies have shown that the appearance of

food on a plate affects how diners perceive taste. In a study published in food journal Flavour,

researchers from Oxford University gave 60 people three salads and asked them to rate each

one before and after they ate it (The National.ae, d).

It revealed that the salads contained the same ingredients, presented in different ways. One

was simply tossed together; one was neatly arranged on a plate, but in a non-artistic way; and a
third was assembled to resemble a painting by artist Wassily Kandinsky. Based on presentation

alone, the diners liked the Kandinsky salad best, believing it to be more complex. Diners said

they’d be willing to pay twice as much for the Kandinsky salad, and they also thought it tasted

better.

In terms of Food Preparation Quality, Chef Sean Bone.com (d) opined, “Food

presentation is all about timing. There is no point in offering your guests a fancy dish if it is

served cold, when it was supposed to be served hot. So spend just enough time plating your

dish…. Never serve hot foods on cold plates and the other way around. This is another

essential rule of food presentation.”

Marker 32.com (d) emphasized the great importance of preparing the dishes with fresh

quality ingredients. According to it, when food is frozen, it is going to naturally lose a lot of the

juicy and natural taste that it had before it was put in that state. The best ingredients are those

that are brought to the restaurant fresh, refrigerated, and used before they get to the point

where they have to be frozen to be preserved (Marker 32.com, d).

Table 10

Respondents’ Assessment on the Effectiveness of Marketing

Strategies of Food Parks in Malabon and Navotas
in Terms of Physical Evidence

Weighted
Physical Evidence Mean Verbal Interpretation
Interior aesthetics. The restaurant is well-
decorated. 3.39 Somewhat Effective
Space. The restaurant is spacious enough to
accommodate groups of people. 3.41 Somewhat Effective
Space diversity. The restaurant has a separate
zone for smokers. 3.27 Somewhat Effective
Space functionality. Furniture and fixtures are
functional and suitable to the stay of the
customers. 3.42 Somewhat Effective
Instagrammability. The interior of the restaurant
is social media-worthy to share. 3.43 Somewhat Effective
GRAND MEAN 3.39 Somewhat Effective
 Table 10 reveals the respondents’ assessment on the effectiveness of marketing

strategies of food parks in Malabon and Navotas in terms of Physical Evidence. All of the

aspects of Physical Evidence are described by the respondents of the survey as Somewhat

Effective with the grand mean of 3. 39. Despite that, in terms of ranking, Instagrammability

ranks the highest, garnering 3.43 as its weighted mean. It was followed closely by Space

Functionality, and Space, with weighted means of 3.42, and 3.41, respectively. This means that

food parks in Malabon and Navotas must require themselves to improve the instagrammability

of their facilities, and spaces in terms of diversity and functionality. What more need

improvement are its Space Diversity, and Interior Aesthetics, which only garnered 3.39, and

3.37, respectively.

Physical environment of the restaurant has a great influence on the image of

the restaurant and can act positively or negatively for the customer perception of the

restaurant image (Ryu, Lee, & Kim, 2010). Hence, Interior Aesthetics is very important as it

creates atmosphere for customers.

The term atmospherics was used to describe the conscious designing of space that will

eventually create certain effects in buyers and affect their behavior. Interior design in

restaurants should then create unique experience or emotion for the customer and make him

want to come back, as for the design in store can be oriented to “enhance the purchase

probability” (Kotler, 1973). Atmosphere of the place is created out of customers four senses,

visual, tactile, olfactory and aural and it is determined by the color, temperature, scent, music,

light etc (Kotler, 1973). Taste as a fifth sense is excluded from the atmosphere definition

because it is directly affected by the meal, or the core restaurant product (Kotler, 1973).

To lend more Space in food parks of Malabon and Navotas, proper circulation of

customers and staff must be maintained. One of the most important aspects of restaurant layout

is ensuring a proper circulation and movement of the restaurant staff as well as the customers in

the restaurant (Posist.com, d). It stated that the restaurant layout should be designed in a
manner that allows customers to find their way inside the restaurant easily, and then to the

dining area. Quoting its article, “The need for enough space between the tables cannot be

stressed enough; you wouldn’t want your waters bumping into each other while serving food or

accidentally dropping food on your guests. At the same time, you would not want your guests to

feel uncomfortably crammed together.”

Although Space Diversity for smokers are encouraged to accommodate more customers,

Sdhec.gov (d) says the contrary. Research has shown that adopting smoke-free policies doesn't

have a negative effect on restaurant sales (Sdhec.gov, d). In South Carolina, almost 74% of

people there are nonsmokers and an increasing number say that they prefer dining in

restaurants that are smoke-free.

Space Functionality is another consideration that must be taken seriously by food parks

owners. In an article by Webstaurantstore.com (d), titled, Dining Room Design, it suggested that

furniture is an investment; therefore, one should avoid buying non-commercial furniture. In

addition, Webstaurantstore.com highlighted the importance of one’s consciousness in choosing

furniture and fixtures: “Furniture shape can also affect your customers' dining experience.

Round tables encourage conversation, but square or rectangular tables are space-efficient.

However, for cafeterias or fast casual venues, you'll need to consider tray size. The tables must

be large enough to accommodate the intended size, shape, and number of trays.”

CNBC.com (d) expressed its opinion on the importance of Instrammability of restaurants.

photo-op worthy experience is virtually as important as the food itself. CNBC.com featured the

business search site Yelp, which has seen a spike in users searching for restaurants or foods

that include the word "Instagram" over the past two years. For the month of August, Yelp

recorded a surge of about 3000% (or 30-fold) in searches related to the picture-sharing site –

compared to May of 2015. Malabon and Navotas food parks need to consider this.
 Table 11

Respondents’ Assessment on the Effectiveness of Marketing

Strategies of Food Parks in Malabon and
Navotas in Terms of Price

Weighted
Price Mean Verbal Interpretation
Value for Money in terms of Quality. The
restaurant offers value for money in terms of
quality. 3.41 Somewhat Effective
Value for Money in terms of Quantity. The
restaurant offers value for money in terms of
quantity. 3.40 Somewhat Effective
Discount. The restaurant offers discounts or
price incentives. 3.35 Somewhat Effective
Rewards. The restaurant awards loyal
customers with freebies such as free food,
merchandise, or any other form of rewards. 3.36 Somewhat Effective
Affordability. The food offers of the restaurant
are priced reasonably. 3.49 Somewhat Effective
GRAND MEAN 3.40 Somewhat Effective

Table 11 shows respondents’ assessment on the effectiveness of marketing strategies

of food parks in Malabon and Navotas in terms of price. All of the attributes of Price are

described by the survey result as Somewhat Effective, leading to a grand mean of 3.40. This

means that the efforts of food parks in Malabon and Navotas are not at par to the customers’

expectations in terms of price. Despite that, Affordability ranks the highest among all attributes,

receiving a weighted mean of 3.49 from the survey, almost near to Effective. It is followed by

Value for Money in terms of Quality, Value for Money in terms of Quantity, Discount, and

Rewards, receiving weighted means of 3.41, 3.40, 3.35, and 3.36, respectively.

Food parks in Malabon and Navotas need to understand how their businesses are at

stake in terms of value for money and quantity. In an article by The Caterer.com (d) titled Value

for Money Increasingly Important for Diners, the 2009 Square Meal Restaurants & Bars report,

which surveyed more than 9,500 diners, found service remained a major gripe (44% of all

complaints) for customers, which leads to decline of the perception of the value for money they
received from restaurants it surveyed. Quoting the article, “However, it also revealed that as

confidence in the UK economy declines, reader comments to Square Meal on their experiences

when dining out are increasingly containing words such as “over-priced”, “costly” and “poor

value”.”

For restaurant goers, value isn’t just about money anymore. Almost 80% of consumers

said “value” is very important in their dining decisions, according to Technomic’s Value & Pricing

Consumer Trend Report, but their definition of food service value now includes several factors,

including service, menu offering quality and overall ambiance (Food Business News.net, d).

Price still plays a major part in the equation.

Also revealed by the Food Business News.net (d), it said that 47% of millennials

indicated in the report that they are seeking higher-quality fare more now than two years ago.

53% of loyalty card holders reported that they are very likely to base their dining decisions on a

loyalty membership.

It also important for food parks in Malabon and Navotas to consider the impact of

discounts in consumers’ decision making. According to the Valassis Coupon Intelligence Study,

when choosing a restaurant, 32 percent are most motivated to select a location based on "price

offers." Given this, it should come as little surprise that coupons and "value menus" were also

given significant importance, with each accounting for 29% of what consumers said motivated

them to go to a particular restaurant.

The key takeaways are that discounts are a good way to motivate customers to choose

one retailer over another.

Customer rewards have been reviled in the business press as cheap promotional

devices, short-term fads, giving something for nothing (Harvard Business Review, d). Yet

they’ve been around for more than a decade, and more companies, not fewer, are jumping on

the bandwagon. From airlines offering frequent flier deals to telecommunications companies
lowering their fees to get more volume, organizations are spending millions of dollars

developing and implementing rewards programs (Harvard Business Review, d).

Quoting Sociable.co (d), “They say there is no such thing as a free lunch, but those

doubters have clearly never been given a loyalty punch card and dutifully bought 10 lunches

from the same joint. Jokes aside, we can all relate to the unexpected and pleasant feeling of

being rewarded for loyalty. Whether it’s a free coffee at your local cafe or a free plane trip, it

feels good to be recognized and rewarded by businesses. Companies know this, which is why

they are happy to treat us when we have spent enough to allow them to give a little back.”

One of the most popular rewards system is through conducting loyalty programs. Loyalty

programs are a good way to show customers that a business cares. A study from KiteWheel

reported that one in four (25%) consumers are frustrated when a company fails to recognize

them as a past or current customer (Biz Journals.com, d).

Affordability means attracting customers. One of the most important ways for food parks

to exhibit this is seeking for lower commodities. Texas Roadhouse, a beef restaurant has abled

to profit and expand. Part of the decline of the prices has been the drop in the price of beef from

all-time highs. Beef is still more expensive than its historical average, but the pain is lessening

and helping to support the earnings of these restaurants.

Table 12

Respondents’ Assessment on the Effectiveness of Marketing

Strategies of Food Parks in Malabon and
Navotas in Terms of Process

Weighted
Process Mean Verbal Interpretation
Speed. The restaurant’s operation is fast
enough to accommodate and deliver
consumer’s orders, payments, and inquiries 3.41 Somewhat Effective
Home Delivery. The restaurant has an option for
home delivery. 3.33 Somewhat Effective
 Convenience. The restaurant opens and closes
at convenient time. 3.46 Somewhat Effective
Menu. Food menus are easy to understand and
helps customers to decide easily what to buy. 3.52 Effective
Unique experience. The restaurant gives a
distinctive experience that separates it from the
rest of the restaurants. 3.41 Somewhat Effective
GRAND MEAN 3.43 Somewhat Effective

It can be seen in Table 12 that “Menu. Food menus are easy to understand helps

customers to decide easily what to buy” obtained the highest weighted mean of 3.52, verbally

interpreted as “Effective.” This may imply that the respondents believe menus allows

prospective customers to peruse the available food items, ponder what they would like,

determine any questions about the items they might order, and make decisions about what to

order. According to TEMPLATE.NET (2018), menu card is essential and important in food

service for the following reasons: (1) it allows customers to see what the restaurant can offer

them and how the restaurant can present their food items in an appealing manner, (2) it

provides information about the availability of the food items which can be ordered in the

restaurant, (3) it showcases the categories of the food and drinks that can be ordered by

customers so that they can easily decide what they would like to have, and (4) it can help

customers be more aware of the entirety of the dishes and their flavor profiles.

The rest of the items under process were rated as “Somewhat Effective.” These are:

“Convenience. The restaurant opens and closes at convenient time” with a weighted mean of

3.46, “Speed. The restaurant’s operation is fast enough to accommodate and deliver

consumer’s orders, payments, and inquiries” and “Unique experience. The restaurant gives a

distinctive experience that separates it from the rest of the restaurants” both with a weighted

mean of 3.41, and “Home Delivery. The restaurant has an option for home delivery” with a

weighted mean of 3.33.

 Table 13

Respondents’ Assessment on the Effectiveness of Marketing

Strategies of Food Parks in Malabon and
Navotas in Terms of People

Weighted
People Mean Verbal Interpretation
Courtesy and Politeness. The restaurant has
courteous and polite staff. 3.51 Effective
Smartness. The staff of the restaurant are smart
enough to respond. 3.50 Effective
Approachability. The staff of the restaurant are
approachable, and helpful to the customers. 3.50 Effective
Professionalism. The staff are professional in
conducting their work. 3.45 Somewhat Effective
Connection. The staff are open and warm to
communicate with, making the experience in the
restaurant more enjoyable. 3.47 Somewhat Effective
GRAND MEAN 3.49 Somewhat Effective

Table 13 demonstrates that respondents are impressed that Courtesy and Politeness,

Smartness, and Approachability of the staff of food parks in Malabon and Navotas are Effective.

Respectively, these attributes achieved weighted means of 3.51, 3.50, and 3.50. However,

despite the majority of People’s attributes becoming effective, the grand mean of it was dragged

down to 3.49, verbally interpreted as Somewhat Effective. The attributes which have caused it

are Professionalism and Connection, garnering only 3.45, and 3.47, respectively.

To improve Courtesy and Politeness, Dashef.com (d) has recommended ways for

employees of food parks of Malabon and Navotas to exhibit: Greet your guests with a smile

when they enter the restaurant and approach their table with a smile. It is not said in vain that

smile opens every door. Establish visual contact, but avoid a long look at a person because that

could make guests feel uncomfortable. Try giving a fast response to any questions a guest

could have, and help indecisive ones make their order. Take orders in the clockwise direction.

First, ask the children, then women, and then gentlemen. This is the right moment to offer them
the house specialties and current special offers. When serving drinks, it doesn’t hurt to ask your

guests if they have any doubts or changes to their order.

Smartness of the staff may be upgraded by trainings and seminars. Training ensures

one’s employees know what’s expected of them and how to do it, which are two essential

elements to having a successful and happy workforce. Having well-trained employees lowers

one’s restaurant or food park turnover, which saves owners their money and increases

customer satisfaction, which makes generates revenue (The Restaurant Expert.com, d).

Lastly, the importance of approachability cannot get stressed enough. Being friendly and

approachable is a start, and is the most basic step to creating a positive customer service

experience, which will benefit the food park, its team and the guests who pay their salary (The

Restaurant Expert.com, d).

Table 14

Respondents’ Assessment on the Effectiveness of Marketing

Strategies of Food Parks in Malabon and
Navotas in Terms of Promotion

Weighted
Promotion Mean Verbal Interpretation
Social Media. The restaurant is active and
present to social media promotion. 3.45 Somewhat Effective
Word of Mouth. The restaurant is mostly
recommended by my acquaintances, peers, or
family. 3.44 Somewhat Effective
Presence in Food Blogs, News, or Online
Reports. The restaurant has been featured to
any sites or papers of general circulation. 3.36 Somewhat Effective
Eye-catchiness of ads or promotion. The
promotions used by the restaurant are attention-
grabber. 3.37 Somewhat Effective
Engagement. The ways of promotion of the
restaurant are engaging. 3.41 Somewhat Effective
GRAND MEAN 3.41 Somewhat Effective
 Table 14 represents the respondents’ assessment on the effectiveness of marketing

strategies of food parks in Malabon and Navotas in terms of Promotion. This table summarizes

the description of the respondents toward the Promotion of food parks studied. Overall, the

grand mean of it is 3.41, which can be verbally interpreted as only Somewhat Effective. It

means that the food parks have not yet been reaching their full potential in terms of making their

customers aware, engaged, and satisfied through Promotion. Despite that, Social Media reigns

as the highest rated among the attributes of Promotion, attaining a weighted mean of 3.45.

Word of Mouth, and Engagement succeeded it, achieving weighted means of 3.44, and 3.41,

respectively. Eye-catchiness of Ads or Promotion, and Presence in Food Blogs lagged behind,

receiving 3.37, and 3.36 only, respectively.

Consumers have a strong desire to connect with brands and other consumers via social

media. As a result, restaurant brands need to proactively engage their customers through

mobile and social channels rather than making it harder for customers to distribute images and

mentions to their social networks. More than a quarter of U.S. consumers have recommended a

brand, product or service to a friend via social media within the last three months. Social sharing

has become so popular that diners now regularly engage in “foodstagramming”—Instagramming

and shooting TwitPics of dishes at their favorite eateries (The Social Media Monthly.com, d).

Trust in social recommendations soar high. Empathica research shows that nearly 3 out

of 4 customers (72%) have used Facebook to make restaurant or retail decisions, based on

comments and images that have been shared by other users (The Social Media Monthly.com,

d).

Word of mouth may even be more powerful than all other marketing techniques

combined. According to Gourmet Marketing.net (d) Family and friends have a huge influence on

decisions; “one is definitely where we dine”. Family and friends orient people, making sense of

the dizzy, leading potential customers to a definite purchase or consumption decision.

Therefore, food parks in Malabon and Navotas should never underestimate what effect a

recommendation or bad review can have as its impact on the business’s sales.

Army of influencers is rapidly changing the way F&B industry functions aside from social

media. According to a study cited by Indusnet.co, (d), 92 % of consumers trust

recommendations from others, even individuals they don’t know, over branded content. These

are food bloggers are becoming the new influencers of the industry. Restaurants and food

establishment associations are taking advantage of their online presence and are welcoming

bloggers to review their restaurant.

One of the advantages Small Business.Chron.com (d) mentioned that food parks could

benefit from eye-catchiness of ads and promotions is that this leads to high maintenance of the

restaurant of its stance on competition. Quoting it, “Advertising is an investment. If you invest

wisely -- for example, by hiring a well-respected advertising company to create a series of radio

advertisements to reach a particular demographic -- you can expect to increase revenue. The

amount you’ll have to spend on advertising varies by region and type of restaurant. Casual and

family restaurants typically spend less than five percent of their income on advertising. Fine-

dining restaurants spend more on advertising and promotions because they must establish a

luxurious and high-quality image. Achieving this often means advertising in high-end media

channels and using public relations techniques to attract food columnists and keep the

restaurant in the news.”

Marketingland.com (d) emphasized the importance of interaction and engagement of

ads and promotions to customers. In one of its interview with an ad agency, it explained,

“Interactive ads are a way to spend more valuable time with consumers,” says Kara Manatt,

SVP, audience intelligence and strategy at IPG Mediabrands’ MAGNA agency. “In general,

brands are receptive to interactive ads. Most of us know that given most screens are touchable

… interactive ads are the future,” says Manatt. “People expect to be able to interact with their

screens, so why shouldn’t ads do that.”

3. Test of Significant Difference on the Effectiveness of Marketing Strategies of Food
Parks in Malabon and Navotas as Assessed by the Respondents when They are
Grouped According to Profile

Table 15

Significant Difference on the Effectiveness of Marketing

Strategies of Food Parks in Malabon and Navotas as
Assessed by the Respondents When They are
Grouped According to Sex

Marketing Strategies t-value p-value Decision Remarks

Place 1.261 .208 Accept Ho Not Significant
Product 0.619 .536 Accept Ho Not Significant
Physical Evidence 1.003 .317 Accept Ho Not Significant
Price 0.238 .812 Accept Ho Not Significant
Process 0.520 .604 Accept Ho Not Significant
People 0.101 .920 Accept Ho Not Significant
Promotion 0.700 .484 Accept Ho Not Significant

Table 15 shows that Place has the highest t-value of 1.261, with p-value of 0.208 when

significant difference was tested on the effectiveness of marketing strategies of food parks in

Malabon and Navotas when respondents are grouped according to their sex. Product has

t=0.619 with p=0.536, Physical Evidence has t=1.003, with p=0.317, Price has t=0.238 with

p=0.812, Process has t=0.520 with p=0.604, People has t=0.101 with p=0.920, and Promotion

has t=0.700 with p=0.484. Since the p-values in all variables is greater than the assumed 0.05

level of significance, the null hypothesis is accepted. This means that there is no significant

difference in the level of customers on all 7Ps when the respondents are grouped based on sex.

Table 16

Significant Difference on the Effectiveness of Marketing

Strategies of Food Parks in Malabon and Navotas as
Assessed by the Respondents When They are
Grouped According to Age
 Marketing Strategies F-value p-value Decision Remarks
Place 0.185 .831 Accept Ho Not Significant
Product 0.442 .643 Accept Ho Not Significant
Physical Evidence 0.412 .663 Accept Ho Not Significant
Price 0.382 .682 Accept Ho Not Significant
Process 0.668 .513 Accept Ho Not Significant
People 0.180 .836 Accept Ho Not Significant
Promotion 0.354 .702 Accept Ho Not Significant

Table 16 shows that Process has the highest F-value of 0.668, with p-value of 0.513

when significant difference was tested on the effectiveness of marketing strategies of food parks

in Malabon and Navotas when respondents are grouped according to their age. Place has

F=0.185 with p=0.831, Product has F=0.442 with p=0.643, Physical Evidence has F=0.412, with

p=0.663, Price has F=0.382 with p=0.682, People has F=0.180 with p=0.836, and Promotion

has F=0.354 with p=0.702. Since the p-values in all variables is greater than the assumed 0.05

level of significance, the null hypothesis is accepted. This means that there is no significant

difference in the level of customers on all 7Ps when the respondents are grouped based on age.

Table 17

Significant Difference on the Effectiveness of Marketing Strategies of

Food Parks in Malabon and Navotas as Assessed by the
Respondents When They are Grouped According to
Average Monthly Income

Marketing Strategies F-value p-value Decision Remarks

Place 1.859 .136 Accept Ho Not Significant
Product 0.727 .536 Accept Ho Not Significant
Physical Evidence 1.122 .340 Accept Ho Not Significant
Price 1.198 .310 Accept Ho Not Significant
Process 0.939 .422 Accept Ho Not Significant
People 1.616 .185 Accept Ho Not Significant
Promotion 2.048 .107 Accept Ho Not Significant

Table 17 shows that Promotion has the highest F-value of 2.048, with p-value of 0.107

when significant difference was tested on the effectiveness of marketing strategies of food parks

in Malabon and Navotas when respondents are grouped according to their average monthly

income. Place has F=1.859 with p=0.136, Product has F=0.727 with p=0.536, Physical
Evidence has F=1.122, with p=0.340, Price has F=1.198 with p=0.310, Process has F=0.939

with p=0.422, and People has F=1.616 with p=0.185. Since the p-values in all variables is

greater than the assumed 0.05 level of significance, the null hypothesis is accepted. This means

that there is no significant difference in the level of customers on all 7Ps when the respondents

are grouped based on average monthly income.

Table 18

Significant Difference on the Effectiveness of Marketing

Strategies of Food Parks in Malabon and Navotas as
Assessed by the Respondents When They are
Grouped According to Occupation

Marketing Strategies F-value p-value Decision Remarks

Place 3.275 .039 Reject Ho Significant
Product 5.287 .005 Reject Ho Significant
Physical Evidence 1.496 .226 Accept Ho Not Significant
Price 2.347 .097 Accept Ho Not Significant
Process 3.495 .031 Reject Ho Significant
People 4.224 .015 Reject Ho Significant
Promotion 2.334 .098 Accept Ho Not Significant

Table 18 shows that Product has the highest F-value of 5.287, with p-value of 0.005

when significant difference was tested on the effectiveness of marketing strategies of food parks

in Malabon and Navotas when respondents are grouped according to their occupation. This is

why the null hypothesis is rejected, as its p-value is lower than the assumed 0.05 level of

significance. Among others’ null hypotheses that are reject include the following Ps with

respective F and p-values: Place has F=3.275 with p=0.039, Process has F=3.495 with

p=0.031, and People has F=4.224 with p=0.015.

Physical Evidence has F=1.122, with p=0.340, Price has F=1.198 with p=0.310, and

Promotion has F=0.727 with p=0.536. Since the p-values in all variables is greater than the

assumed 0.05 level of significance, the null hypothesis is accepted. This means that there is no
significant difference in the level of customers on all 7Ps when the respondents are grouped

based on occupation.

Table 19

Significant Difference on the Effectiveness of Marketing

Strategies of Food Parks in Malabon and Navotas as
Assessed by the Respondents When They are
Grouped According to Civil Status

Marketing Strategies t-value p-value Decision Remarks

Place 0.660 .509 Accept Ho Not Significant
Product 1.046 .296 Accept Ho Not Significant
Physical Evidence 1.367 .173 Accept Ho Not Significant
Price 0.250 .803 Accept Ho Not Significant
Process 0.131 .896 Accept Ho Not Significant
People 1.327 .185 Accept Ho Not Significant
Promotion 0.670 .504 Accept Ho Not Significant

Table 19 shows that Physical Evidence has the highest F-value of 1.367, with p-value of

0.173 when significant difference was tested on the effectiveness of marketing strategies of food

parks in Malabon and Navotas when respondents are grouped according to their civil status.

Place has F=0.660 with p=0.509, Product has F=1.046 with p=0.296, Price has F=0.250 with

p=0.803, Process has F=0.131 with p=0.896, People has F=1.327 with p=0.185, and Promotion

has F=0.670, with p=0.504. Since the p-values in all variables is greater than the assumed 0.05

level of significance, the null hypothesis is accepted. This means that there is no significant

difference in the level of customers on all 7Ps when the respondents are grouped based on civil

status.

Table 20

Significant Difference on the Effectiveness of Marketing Strategies of

Food Parks in Malabon and Navotas as Assessed by the
Respondents When They are Grouped According to
Highest Educational Attainment

Marketing Strategies F-value p-value Decision Remarks

 Place 2.105 .123 Accept Ho Not Significant
Product 1.100 .334 Accept Ho Not Significant
Physical Evidence 0.638 .529 Accept Ho Not Significant
Price 0.283 .754 Accept Ho Not Significant
Process 0.872 .419 Accept Ho Not Significant
People 0.609 .545 Accept Ho Not Significant
Promotion 0.774 .462 Accept Ho Not Significant

Table 20 shows that Place has the highest F-value of 2.105, with p-value of 0.123 when

significant difference was tested on the effectiveness of marketing strategies of food parks in

Malabon and Navotas when respondents are grouped according to their highest educational

attainment. Product has F=1.100 with p=0.334, Physical Evidence has F=0.638 with p=0.529,

Price has F=0.283 with p=0.754, Process has F=0.872 with p=0.419, People has F=0.609 with

p=0.545, and Promotion has F=0.774, with p=0.462. Since the p-values in all variables is

greater than the assumed 0.05 level of significance, the null hypothesis is accepted. This means

that there is no significant difference in the level of customers on all 7Ps when the respondents

are grouped based on highest educational attainment.

Table 21

Significant Difference on the Effectiveness of Marketing

Strategies of Food Parks in Malabon and Navotas as
Assessed by the Respondents When They are
Grouped According to Residence

Marketing Strategies F-value p-value Decision Remarks

Place 9.314 .000 Reject Ho Significant
Product 9.765 .000 Reject Ho Significant
Physical Evidence 10.481 .000 Reject Ho Significant
Price 6.464 .000 Reject Ho Significant
Process 7.753 .000 Reject Ho Significant
People 7.369 .000 Reject Ho Significant
Promotion 10.167 .000 Reject Ho Significant

Table 21 shows that Physical Evidence has the highest F-value of 10.481, with p-value

of 0.000 when significant difference was tested on the effectiveness of marketing strategies of
food parks in Malabon and Navotas when respondents are grouped according to their

residence. Place has F=9.314, Product has F=9.765, Price has F=6.464, Process has F=7.753,

People has F=7.369, and Promotion has F=10.167. All of the Ps share the same p-value

equivalent to 0.000. Since the p-values in all variables is 0, ultimately lower than the assumed

0.05 level of significance, the null hypothesis is rejected. This means that there is significant

difference in the level of customers on all 7Ps when the respondents are grouped based on

residence.