Everyone has the opportunity to be a "diner", thus forming a huge catering market. Facing this market, the catering industry has experienced "one after another" brilliant cycles in different periods, but many have only left a "shooting star". Why is this so? The reason is of course not one-dimensional. Here, from the perspective of catering consumer psychology, we will make some explanations for the continuation of the life cycle of China's catering industry.
What is the mentality of catering consumers? When a consumer enters a restaurant to dine, which restaurant should he choose? What kind of consumption and entertainment do you hope to have? This involves the influence of products, prices, advertising, restaurant environment, service attitude and consumers' own culture, socioeconomic conditions, consumption level and structure, family, education, status and catering fashion in the purchasing process. In 1994, the U.S. Travel Foundation and Procter & Gamble conducted a survey to study travelers' preferences in the U.S. travel market. Judging from the 14 factors that catering consumers choose for the first and second time to consume a place, the top five are cleanliness, taste, reasonable price, convenient location and comfortable environment, and good service.
1. Psychological effects before catering consumption
Consumers have certain consumption preferences before catering consumption. In view of the psychology of catering consumers, it is necessary to conduct catering consumption demand psychology and catering Research on methods for improving psychological effects of products.
First of all, from the perspective of catering consumption psychology, psychologist Maslow believes that people’s needs can be awakened, and everyone is likely to be in a state of unsatisfied tension (or called Uncomfortable state), this state can prompt him to find ways to solve the problem of dissatisfaction. Maslow divided human needs into five levels from low to high, which are physiological needs, safety needs, social needs, esteem needs and self-actualization needs. According to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, consumers demand catering food when going out for two reasons: first, to replace daily dining activities at home; second, to regard dining in restaurants as a pastime and entertainment activity. Consumer demand for restaurants actually implies the satisfaction of higher-level needs such as emotion, social interaction, and self-realization.
A. Clean. Keeping your restaurant clean is out of respect for your customers and a necessity for your own business. A clean restaurant can arouse customers' appetite and mood, which is also the premise for customers to choose which restaurant to eat at, that is, the first impression. Because a clean image will leave a good impression on consumers, consumers will take the restaurant with a good first impression into consideration when making their choice.
B. Price. As a consumer, we always hope to buy high-quality products at low prices. What is moderately low-priced and good-quality? Economists have developed scientific pricing methods based on consumers' consumption psychology. For example, the mantissa pricing method uses the difference in the mantissa of the price to have different psychological effects on consumers. 20 yuan and 25 yuan are usually not considered to be any different, but the difference between 29 yuan and 3l yuan is prominent in the eyes of consumers. . Because consumers often like some products that are cheaper than usual, and they will feel like winning once they buy the same product cheaper than others, so discounts on common foods have a good psychological effect. These psychological pricing methods are very effective in catering pricing.
C. Location and environment. The location of a restaurant is an indirect reflection of the consumer price. A good location must be different in price from other locations, but there are issues with the choice of customer group orientation and the type of restaurant operation. Environmental issues cannot stop at cleanliness in a narrow sense. There is such an example: the "Lotus Villa" in Dazu, Chongqing, has a strong Bayu-style atmosphere. Guests in groups of two or three can sit in a flower boat and watch the various lotus flowers outside the boat, taste Bayu snacks, and receive "Chongqing food" dressed in ancient fisherman's uniforms. The warm and simple service of "Fisher Girl" makes guests feel as if they have arrived in a peach garden outside the city. This example shows the business philosophy of environmental characteristics. A comfortable environment can create a dining mood for diners, while also giving them a sense of enjoyment and respect. The creation of catering environment is an intangible asset investment of the restaurant.
Secondly, from the perspective of the method of improving the psychological effect of catering products, it is a kind of publicity to establish the restaurant's own image to the outside world. If cleanliness, price, location, and environment are important factors for customers in the psychology of catering consumption, In terms of psychological capture, the way to improve the psychological effect in catering is to make your concept accepted and recognized by consumers.
A. Clean. Each restaurant has its own metrics and inspections. Of course, consumers have different requirements, and there may always be some consumers who think that cleaning is not enough. All in all, no consumer will ever think that cleaning is done too well. Therefore, restaurants can only continuously improve their cleaning standards in practice based on consumer requirements. "There is no best, only better", restaurants should continue to improve.
B. Price. Of course, the pricing is based on the restaurant's survival and profitability. Whether it can be accepted by consumers must also comprehensively consider issues such as competitors' prices, the relationship between price and demand, price policies and preferential structures. As a method of improving psychological effects, reasonable prices have strong appeal in themselves. Similar opening incentives and half-price holidays are very effective.
C. Location and environment. From the perspective of methods to improve the psychological effects of catering products, there is an obvious trend to outperform the first two. This is not to intentionally exaggerate the importance of location. The choice of location is of great significance in attracting customers. How to improve the psychological effect and what kind of atmosphere can attract more customers are all related to the location and positioning orientation of the restaurant.
Of course, the methods to improve the psychological effect of catering products are not limited to this. Those who make catering must still implement it themselves. What we are talking about here are mainly three factors in the psychological effect.
2. Psychological effects in the catering consumption process
The so-called catering consumption process refers to the consumer’s requirements, preferences and satisfaction during the meal after selecting the dining consumption location. and the service and hospitality you desire. In view of the psychological thinking of consumers, the psychological effects are mainly analyzed from the service attitude and the taste of the dishes.
A. Let’s first look at the aesthetic effect of food taste on consumer psychology. It is impossible for a restaurant to patent its own dishes, pastries, etc. The only thing that can be patented is the mark and name. The direct consequence of the non-patentability of this catering product is that if a new dish can create economic benefits, other restaurants will soon imitate it. Therefore, it is particularly important to work on the psychological effect. If you can get considerate and personalized service for just one or two dining purchases, will you feel particularly respected? Can you "bear" not to patronize such a restaurant more often? The aesthetic psychology of the taste of dishes focuses more on the "presentation" of the dishes, such as the degree of sophistication, the color matching of side dishes and main dishes, the decoration of the dishes, etc. Customers have different tastes, so it is up to the diners to judge whether it is delicious or not. For example, eel is originally a fresh and high-quality product, but because of its many thorns and fishy taste, many people are not used to it. After the eel is removed from the bone, it is skewered with bamboo skewers and grilled, and it is very popular among customers. Therefore, these differences can be made up through certain changes. Old ways will always be eliminated. To extend the life cycle of catering, it depends on whether you actively seek changes or passively have to change when you are on the verge of being eliminated.
B. Let’s look at the aesthetic effect of service attitude on consumer psychology. The aesthetics of service attitude is mainly to establish a unique and refreshing standard in service methods, and strive to establish standards in service etiquette that are consistent with the theme of the restaurant, with the purpose of "integrity" to make customers feel cordial and considerate.
The modern service concept is not enough to satisfy customers, because through imitation, services that satisfy customers cannot become competitive. Therefore, in order to win the hearts of customers from the aesthetic aspect of service attitude, we must make the service attitude distinctive, humanized and themed. Now, hotel catering has made many efforts in this direction. In order to attract more holiday and leisure guests, Chongqing Grand Hotel, Chongqing Marriott Hotel, Chongqing Wanyou Conifer Hotel and many other hotels are developing "themed" evening parties. . For example, in some hotels guests can enjoy the so-called "Emperor's Banquet".
The banquet was served by waitresses in ancient costumes, using antique silver and porcelain tableware and furniture. During the performance of traditional Chinese musical instruments, guests could taste the imperial delicacies that only emperors could enjoy in the past. Also, in Japanese restaurants, waiters kneel when serving and removing dishes. This special service makes people who are eager to be respected come one after another. There are many such examples. Regardless of the rights and wrongs of these methods themselves, from the perspective of catering service aesthetics, they have indeed implemented effective psychological effects on targeted customer groups.
From the perspective of the individual psychology of catering consumption, due to differences in preference levels, "humanized" flexible services are particularly required in terms of taste control and service attitude. It is impossible to establish characteristics and gain advantages by merely relying on standardization, a fixed model that everyone knows. Everyone is competing on the same starting line. Whoever has better skills can take the lead.
A. The taste of the food. Basically, it’s the aesthetic difference in consumers’ taste for food. What catering operators compare with others when doing catering is the characteristics, craftsmanship and taste of the dishes, while the purpose of catering consumers is also to appreciate the taste and characteristics. To extend the life cycle of a restaurant, the taste of the dishes must be special, special, and extra special. There are many issues of scale. It's very simple. Sichuan people can eat some spicy food, but there are also differences in the degree of spicy food. Some people eat it in moderation, some people prefer spicy food, and some people are afraid of spicy food. This is a matter of scale. Of course, personality differences cannot be limited to those mentioned above. We do not need to list them one by one. We just look for ways to extend the catering life cycle from this perspective, which is to implement the psychological effects on customers' consumption personalities according to local conditions.
B. Let’s look at the service attitude. For consumers' individual psychology, it means timely, appropriate and flexible response services, and honest, considerate and humanized services. Regarding the psychological effects of catering, service attitude is one of the most important and flexible factors. There is such an example, a restaurant in a deep alley in a development zone in Chongqing is always full every day, which can be called a successful example of interpersonal communication. In addition to the rich people and variety of dishes in this store, most of its waiters are laid-off female workers around 35 years old. Because these waiters are locals in Chongqing, they understand the social environment, are mature in thinking, considerate, and have the awareness of housewives. , so the service effect is good. Either planning affordable dishes for guests, or chatting with them about home affairs. This kind of "home away from home" service attracts guests from all over the world. In addition, in Beijing's time-honored restaurants such as Dongxinglou, Tongheju, Zhimizhai, and Fengzeyuan, the relationship between the "guests" in the store and the guests is like friends. What are the tastes of the frequent guests, what they like, and what they don't like. "Guys" know it all. If the whole table of dishes has been ordered, the "waiter" will prepare a menu first, with the total price written on it. When you sit down, ask the host to look at it. If the dishes change or the price increases or decreases, the "waiter" can also suggest a more suitable menu. suggestions. What's even more amazing is that if a guest wants a live fish, he can satisfy it in both ways. The hotel owner authorizes the "guy" to have absolute command over the counter. In catering services, there are too many special cases of personalized services. Real catering can only be explored with the awareness of satisfying consumers' individual psychology. These are the factors for catering to be long-lasting and big.
Human psychology is a science. How the catering industry can find ways to extend the life cycle of the catering industry based on the psychological effects of guests still has a long way to go.