Some interesting results:
- It was observed that lunch users who had selected soups and juices, would repeat this at a next visit, while in snacks and sandwiches this repeat behaviour was not observed.
- Users visiting the restaurant four or five times a week would demonstrate a higher variety in their eating pattern compared to users visiting only a few times a month.
- Younger users have a higher caloric intake compared to older users. Their food selection includes especially products high in fat/protein content, such as snacks and hot meals.
- Female users select lunches containing less calories compared to male users.
- It was found that the eating pattern of users with above average body weight was less varied.
- Eating patterns would tend to shift during the workweek towards products richer in proteins and fats. On Fridays, men would treat themselves to a snack, women to a creamy dessert.
These results are used for both public and private research. Examples of public research are food intervention studies within the framework of the
FOVEA (Food Valley Eating Administrator) and
ICE (Inside Consumer Experience) projects. Private research involves observing consumer behaviour with respect to specific products and product groups and aims to find answers to questions such as: which person choses which product, how do people use a certain product, for instance together with certain other food products.
The research methods are further developed, for instance in cooperation with the Sensory and Eating Behaviour group headed by Professor Kees de Graaf, and with the Dietetics group of Dr. Jeanne de Vries. In this way, the Restaurant of the Future will continue to evolve into a unique center for research on consumer food selection behaviour in a natural environment.