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“I’ll Have What He’s Having”: Group Ordering Behavior in Food Choice Decisions

Author

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  • Ellison, Brenna
  • Lusk, Jayson L.

Abstract

Current research has focused on whether nutrition labeling and pricing policies (i.e., soda taxes) influence food decisions; however, less attention has been given to how peers influence one’s food decisions. This study uses sales receipts from a full-service restaurant to take a closer look at how people order in groups. Results of the study revealed people may be less variety-seeking than previous research suggests; in fact, diners were more likely to seek variety when choosing an individual item, but not when choosing a menu category. In other words, diners wanted to be different from their dining companions, but not too different. This result was further confirmed with a model of food choice which shows diners derived more utility from an entrée when a fellow diner ordered an entrée in the same category. Interestingly, the presence of calorie labels on menus did not change the marginal utility of calories, suggesting peer effects may outweigh the effects of nutritional information.

Suggested Citation

  • Ellison, Brenna & Lusk, Jayson L., 2013. "“I’ll Have What He’s Having”: Group Ordering Behavior in Food Choice Decisions," 2013 Annual Meeting, August 4-6, 2013, Washington, D.C. 150266, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:aaea13:150266
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.150266
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    2. Ariely, Dan & Levav, Jonathan, 2000. "Sequential Choice in Group Settings: Taking the Road Less Traveled and Less Enjoyed," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 27(3), pages 279-290, December.
    3. Thorndike, A.N. & Sonnenberg, L. & Riis, J. & Barraclough, S. & Levy, D.E., 2012. "A 2-phase labeling and choice architecture intervention to improve healthy food and beverage choices," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 102(3), pages 527-533.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Consumer/Household Economics; Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety; Institutional and Behavioral Economics;
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