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This study investigated restaurant customers' intent to choose healthful (e.g., low-fat or low-calorie) menu items using the value-attitude-behavior model. The sample was comprised of customers who had previously consumed these types of healthful items at a casual dining restaurant. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze data. Results revealed that customers' health values had a positive effect on attitudes and behavioral intentions and that customers' attitudes toward low-fat or low-calorie menu items positively influenced behavioral intentions. However, attitudes toward taste of healthful menu items exerted a greater impact on behavioral intentions to choose, recommend, and spread a positive word-of-mouth about those menu items. To meet customers' desire, restaurants should continue to focus on great-tasting healthful foods. Keywords value-attitude-bahvior model, health value, healthful food, casual dining resaurants Disciplines Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Food and Beverage Management | Marketing Abstract This study investigated restaurant customers' intent to choose healthful (e.g., low-fat or low-calorie) menu items using the value-attitude-behavior model. The sample was comprised of customers who had previously consumed these types of healthful items at a casual dining restaurant. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze data. Results revealed that customers' health values had a positive effect on attitudes and behavioral intentions and that customers' attitudes toward low-fat or low-calorie menu items positively influenced behavioral intentions. However, attitudes toward taste of healthful menu items exerted a greater impact on behavioral intentions to choose, recommend, and spread a positive word-of-mouth about those menu items. To meet customers' desire, restaurants should continue to focus on great-tasting healthful foods.

Limited studies have explored employees' perceptions of food safety culture in onsite foodservices, despite the growing recognition of the impact of improving food safety practices. A cross-sectional paper-based survey was conducted with nonsupervisory employees (n = 582) from health care and school foodservice operations (n = 51) in three Midwest states to assess food safety culture using an instrument developed and validated in this specific context. This study aimed to investigate the extent to which employees' perceptions of food safety culture differ based on demographic variables and operation characteristics (management system, size, and type of operation). Employees' perceptions of food safety culture were evaluated on factors of management and coworkers support, communication, self-commitment, environment support, work pressure, and risk judgment. Areas of strength and potential improvement were identified; significant differences found in employees' perceptions can guide development of interventions that support safe food handling practices in onsite foodservices.

This study examined college and university dining services administrators' (CUDSAs) intention to adopt sustainable practices. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) including constructs of subjective norm, attitude, perceived behavior control, and personal norm, formed the theoretical framework. A web-based questionnaire was developed, pretested, and distributed to 535 CUDSAs in the U.S.A. Results indicated that subjective norm (pressure from others) had the most influence on CUDSAs' intention to adopt sustainable practices, followed by attitude and personal norm. Including the personal norm construct in the TPB model reduced unexplained variance by 33.48%. Limitations of this research are generalizability of results due to use of a sample of U.S.A. members of a professional organization (National Association of College and University Food Services) and low response rate. Results suggest that pressure from college administrators and students has the greatest impact on CUDSAs' decisions to adopt sustainable practices. The question of why some university dining operations are models for sustainability and others have few sustainable practices has not been explored. The dining services director plays a key role in determining sustainability efforts for that operation. This research explored factors influencing a director's intention to adopt sustainable practices.