Books and journals Case studies Expert Briefings Open Access
Advanced search

Understanding attributes affecting selection of private kitchens

Eric S.W. Chan (School of Hotel & Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong)
Louisa Lam (Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, Hong Kong)

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management

ISSN: 0959-6119

Publication date: 2 October 2009

Abstract

Purpose

–

Private kitchens have grown significantly in the past few years in Hong Kong and have become popular in the catering industry. This study aims to examine the expectations and perceptions of private kitchen diners regarding their dining experiences.

Design/methodology/approach

–

A descriptive research design and a cross‐sectional survey were used. Face‐to‐face interviews were conducted with 167 respondents in four main business districts in Hong Kong. The first section of the questionnaire included some screening questions. In the first part of the second section, respondents were asked to rate their expectations on each of the attributes of private kitchens using a seven‐point Likert scale. In the second part, respondents were asked to rate their perceptions of the same attribute in private kitchens using the same measurement scales. Section three of the questionnaire included questions about the respondents' demographic characteristics.

Findings

–

Most of the private kitchen diners valued the undisclosed dining area as the best thing about private kitchens, followed by privacy and a special dining feeling. The results of a paired‐samples t‐test indicated that private kitchen diners' perceptions of private kitchens fell short of their expectations in general. An exploratory factor analysis was also employed, resulting in the identification and interpretation of four factors that are likely to influence people's intention to dine in private kitchens. They were: responsiveness to guest needs; professional chef and staff; homely feeling and privacy; and intimate dining experience.

Research limitations/implications

–

The major limitation of this study is that respondents were asked to rate the perceived dining attributes in terms of expectations and perceptions at the same time, as it was technically difficult to ask for the same respondents to complete the questionnaire before and after dining in a private kitchen. Still, this study is useful for other researchers to undertake further studies on private kitchens, such as customers' repeat patronage and loyalty.

Originality/value

–

There have been few studies on private kitchen businesses, although this sector has become very popular especially in the Hong Kong catering industry. The findings of this study can be viewed as a preliminary step to understand the private kitchen business.

Keywords

  • Customer satisfaction
  • Catering industry
  • Consumer behaviour
  • Customer surveys

Citation

Chan, E.S.W. and Lam, L. (2009), "Understanding attributes affecting selection of private kitchens", International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol. 21 No. 7, pp. 854-875. https://doi.org/10.1108/09596110910985322

Download as .RIS

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2009, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Please note you do not have access to teaching notes

You may be able to access teaching notes by logging in via Shibboleth, Open Athens or with your Emerald account.
Login
If you think you should have access to this content, click the button to contact our support team.
Contact us

To read the full version of this content please select one of the options below

You may be able to access this content by logging in via Shibboleth, Open Athens or with your Emerald account.
Login
To rent this content from Deepdyve, please click the button.
Rent from Deepdyve
If you think you should have access to this content, click the button to contact our support team.
Contact us
Emerald Publishing
  • Opens in new window
  • Opens in new window
  • Opens in new window
  • Opens in new window
© 2021 Emerald Publishing Limited

Services

  • Authors Opens in new window
  • Editors Opens in new window
  • Librarians Opens in new window
  • Researchers Opens in new window
  • Reviewers Opens in new window

About

  • About Emerald Opens in new window
  • Working for Emerald Opens in new window
  • Contact us Opens in new window
  • Publication sitemap

Policies and information

  • Privacy notice
  • Site policies
  • Modern Slavery Act Opens in new window
  • Chair of Trustees governance statement Opens in new window
  • COVID-19 policy Opens in new window
Manage cookies

We’re listening — tell us what you think

  • Something didn’t work…

    Report bugs here

  • All feedback is valuable

    Please share your general feedback

  • Member of Emerald Engage?

    You can join in the discussion by joining the community or logging in here.
    You can also find out more about Emerald Engage.

Join us on our journey

  • Platform update page

    Visit emeraldpublishing.com/platformupdate to discover the latest news and updates

  • Questions & More Information

    Answers to the most commonly asked questions here