Fast Food Consumption: Malaysia Evidence

BMQR Vol.2, No.1, 2011

CONSUMERS’ PREFERENCE AND CONSUMPTION TOWARDS FAST FOOD: EVIDENCES FROM MALAYSIA Farzana Quoquab Habib Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Rozhan Abu Dardak MARDI, Malaysia Sabarudin Zakaria Multimedia University, Malaysia Abstract This study aims to understand consumer preference relating to the fast food in Malaysian market. Moreover, this paper seeks to investigate the trend and pattern of fast food consumption and the importance of various factors affecting the choice of fast food among Malaysian consumers. Findings suggest that expenditure for fast food mostly goes to fried chicken, while instant noodles are the least. Moreover, food safety, speed in delivery and food taste suitability has been found as the main influential factors for purchasing the fast food. On the contrary, quality, freshness, easy to cook, and cleanliness are the second priority. Furthermore, ‘Halal’ status has been indicated as the most important factor for the Muslim consumers. Survey method using convenience sampling has been carried out for conducting this study. Therefore, further research targeting a more diverse group of consumers employing random sampling can provide greater generalization. Keywords – Consumer preference, Fast-food consumption, Malaysian consumers Introduction In recent years, the major food consumption trend in urban parts of developing countries is that more consumers are eating increasingly more meals outside of their homes and most of the growth in away-from-home eating has been in the fast food sector (Kaynak et al., 2006). The interest shown at the national and international levels concerning the fast food is derived from the scarcity of time in a competitive, dynamic and urban fast life (Platania and Donatella, 2003). According to Atkins and Bowler (2001), emphasis is increasingly being placed on quick meal solutions due to the busier consumer lifestyle and dual-working families with children. Consumers lead increasingly busy lives,...