Marketing textbook, chapter 4

From 2007 to 2018, scientists at Wageningen University in the Netherlands used sophisticated observation methods and digital technology to get to the bottom of human eating behaviour.

At first glance, the fast food restaurant looked like a normal canteen. But anyone eating lunch here was constantly being watched. Inconspicuously, 20 cameras on the ceiling filmed every bite and every mouthful. „Restaurant of the Future“ is the name of this unusual research project, in which a team of nutritionists and psychologists investigated people's normal eating behaviour in great detail.

Sophisticated technology ensured that all relevant environmental factors could be influenced by the researchers. For example, different lighting moods could be created at the touch of a button. Whether warm red, cool blue or fresh green - the scientists determined the colour character of the restaurant. Observations of restaurant visitors provided evidence that guests ate faster and less when the light was red than when it was blue. The prices of the dishes also changed. Minimally, but continuously. They wanted to know: What role does price play in the decision for or against a healthy meal?

This research project was the first time that people's eating behaviour was systematically analysed. Each of the volunteer test eaters had their individual food choices recorded at each visit. The test subjects' weight was also measured during each visit. This is because the guests stepped on a scale when paying - without consciously realising it. Using cameras, nothing escaped the researchers' attention during the eating process; every hand and mouth movement was registered. This resulted in an extremely comprehensive database of individual eating behaviour. However, the researchers not only wanted to know what and how people eat, but also how the food tastes. Modern technology was also used here: a so-called face scanner measured the face of the person eating. From the movements of the facial muscles, it was now possible to deduce whether the food tasted good or not.

Image description

This illustration shows a computer-aided visualisation of a modern, scientifically equipped research restaurant.

Interior design and atmosphere:

• Interior: The room is spacious and bright, with a light-coloured wood-look floor and a white grid ceiling in which numerous square lights and ventilation elements are recessed.
• Furnishing: In the foreground are several solid, dark kitchen counters or serving stations with grey side walls. In the background you can see a seating area with tables and coloured chairs (green and brown).
• Window front: A large, floor-to-ceiling window on the right-hand side lets in plenty of daylight and provides a view of a well-tended green area with trees. Outside, another person can be seen sitting at an outdoor table.

Scientific equipment:

• Camera systems: Small, dark dome cameras (domes) are mounted on the ceiling at various points to discreetly observe the test subjects.
• Special technology: Black, vertical columns or sensors are installed on the counters in the foreground, presumably for automatic tablet detection or interaction measurement.

Sources:

•  Schepers, H./De Wijk, R. A./Mojet, J./Koster, A. C.: Innovative consumer studies at the Restaurant of the Future Proceedings of Measuring Behaviour, Maastricht 2008, p. 366.