ABSTRACT
Eating out of home has become an integral part of people’s lives. This is because people have changed their attitudes about food and also due to an increase in disposable income. This chapter presents the various attempts that have been made to find out what attributes are more important for certain consumer segments and for certain occasions for eating out. It focuses on the critical analysis of methodologies used for these investigations and to suggest a more suitable method for the purpose of understanding consumers’ preferences in the context of choosing a restaurant. One of the cornerstones of the cognitive approaches of consumer research and most theories of choice is the presumption of a rational consumer. In Discrete Choice Analysis, the research design takes the form of discrete choice experiments. Conjoint analysis is a widely used methodology in the service industry, including hospitality and tourism.
