The Factors Affecting Guests’ Consumption Behaviors toward Open Buffets to Avoid Food Leftovers in Sharm El Sheikh Hotels

One of the biggest contemporary challenges of management in the food service sector is the highest consumer food leftovers which points to room for improvements in this area. Buffet leftovers are also a serious concern for hotels in the developing countries due to several negative consequences on the environment and food resources and security. Therefore, it is a focal point of interest in media, politics, research, and business. Guest behavior is claimed to be the main cause of food leftovers at the consumption stage. So, the research aims to explore factors affecting guests’ consumption behaviors toward open buffets to avoid food leftovers in Sharm El Sheikh hotels.
The present study employs a quantitative method to achieve its aim. Data collection technique for the study is a structured questionnaire to collect data from 314 guests at five-star hotels in Sharm El Sheikh which counted 33 hotels to perceive their opinions about factors that lead to food waste in the hotel sector. Statistical analyses were performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 22) software. Statistical results were considered significant at p ≤ 0.05. The researchers selected a convenient sample of guests. Data collection was carried out during February 2018. The collection of data combined visual measurement of individual plate leftovers via photographs together with an online (smartphone optimized) questionnaire.
The study has tested six hypotheses of how these factors (subjective norms, demographic, personal beliefs, attitudes, food traits and internal and external environment motives) affecting the dependent variable (consumers' behavioral intention) and how intention affects actual buffet leftovers behavior. The study has revealed very useful results in the way it explored the perceptions of guests on factors lead to form their behavioral intention toward open buffet leftovers. Meanwhile, this mediator factor behavioral intention showed a significant positive effect on actual buffet leftovers behavior (dependent variables)