ABSTRACT
Higher incomes, increased urbanization, and less time for food preparation cause consumers who live in modern societies to spend an increasing percentage of their food expenditures eating away from home. This number is reaching almost 30% in the United Kingdom, and 42% in the United States. According to Forbes magazine, worldwide annual sales of the restaurant industry are estimated to be around $1.5 to $2 trillion. In the United States alone, the restaurant industry sales were estimated to have reached $537 billion by 2007. In the period 2000-2020, per capita expenditures in restaurants are expected to grow by 18%, while those in fast-food outlets only by 6%. Furthermore, there is an emotional component to this growth. A sizable
proportion of consumers-almost 40% in the United States-prefer restaurants for an enjoyable dining experience (Stewart et al., 2006).
