MW#2 Rough Draft

                         Major Writing Assignment #2                  Brad Rhum

 

Abstract

Chipotle and Pancheros are two Mexican fast serve restaurants located within a few hounded feet within each other on the University of Iowa campus. So why is it then that each restaurant attract different kinds of people? A survey was conducted to further explore the underlying factors that in turn cause the average college student at the University of Iowa to choose between Pancheros and Chipotle. Shockingly this survey polled by 20 suburban students (in the states of Illinois and Iowa) in the Hillcrest Residence halls, and through an online survey, showed that where each individual grew up will directly affect what restaurant they choose, and why they chose it. As a result of these findings, marketers can use this information to increase their products to better fit their target market.

Introduction

Until currently, it is a widely considered fact that most of your taste buds and food preferences are based off of biological and pre-determined factors that are beyond your control. The idea that your taste buds are primary a biological factor is an idea endorsed by many professional marketers worldwide. Take a quote directly taken from a spokeswomen for the guardian for example. According to most findings, food preferences are pre-determined and are in turn heavily based on your genetic upbringing. The idea that your taste buds are heavily influenced by your genetic upbringing is not just an opinion shared by a few un-intelligent individuals, but it is a common theory endorsed by many almost universally. Take a quote written by The Guardian for example.   "Most of our food loves and hates are learned. Foetuses and breastfed babies can taste what their mothers eat, and have been shown to develop early affinities to certain flavours in their mothers' diets. And when we start eating solids, our concept of acceptable foods evolves quickly. Over time, the way we perceive certain flavours is programmed according to how we usually consume them.”(Guardian, 2015). Imposingly though, a research poll conducted by a student at the University of Iowa proves otherwise. In a recent research project conducted by a fellow student at the University of Iowa, it is suggested that the community in which a consumer lives in, is in fact a deciding factor in how they will perceive and taste different kinds of food, rather than it just being pre-determined before birth. Aside from this information just purely helping local Chipotle and Pancheros marketers, this universal concept of local restaurants influencing taste in products will help franchises worldwide.

Methods

Participants

20 suburban college students were polled from classes and residence halls at the University of Iowa.

Procedures

Student respondents were broken down into two specific sections: Students from suburban Iowa and suburban Illinois. After the students were broken down into two specific categories they were asked specific questions based off the restaurant in which they picked. In addition to just being asked where each respective individual grew up, the survey asked if they enjoyed their food mixed, and what food they preferred between Guacamole and Queso.

Observations

The research suggested the following: If you lived in a suburban town in Illinois, you were 100% likely to pick Chipotle over Pancheros. If you grew up in a suburban town of Iowa you were 90% more likely to pick Pancheros over chipotle. In addition to this, within suburban towns of Iowa students were 100% more likely to enjoy their food mixed, whereas in Illinois only 10% of students liked the idea. Lastly 70% of students from the suburbs of Iowa noted that Queso was better tasting than Guacamole, whereas in the suburbs of Illinois 90% of students said Guacamole tasted better than Queso.

Results

As evident by all the tables it is suggested that not only will the typical suburban kid from Iowa will prefer Pancheros over Chipotle, but everything in which that store entails as well (Queso, mixed food). Moreover the same pattern holds true from the suburban kids from Illinois as well

 

Discussion

The breakdown of these categories were not just random but in fact they were very statistical. The reason in which Iowa and Illinois received their own “state” sections was due to the fact that Iowa and Illinois were statistically proven to produce more University of Iowa students than any other states in America. Contrastingly though, they both differed in the amount of Chipotle and Pancheros locations they have statewide. In the state of Illinois, there are 78 Chipotle locations and 4 Pancheros locations. Ironically even though bordering states, Iowa’s state locations showed to be very different. In the state of Iowa there were only 2 Chipotle locations, with 22 Pancheros locations. Even though it might be imagined by many that Chipotle and Pancheros locations would be evenly dispersed throughout the state, they were rather dispersed evenly throughout their rural and suburban areas. In Illinois, most Chipotle restaurants tended to be located in suburban areas, whereas in the state of Iowa, most Pancheros locations were located in suburban areas. The findings ignored the responses of applicants how were from rural areas of Iowa and Illinois because Chipotle and Pancheros locations were evenly dispersed throughout their areas. After the results of all of these questions were answered, they were carefully computed and organized into a graph.

References

Fleming, A. (2013, September 3). The Geography of tastes: How food preferences are formed. Retrieved November 5, 2015.

 

 

Appendix

1)     Where do you live? – A) Suburban Iowa B) Suburban Illinois C) Other

2)     If you live in suburban Iowa do you prefer Queso over Guacamole? If you live in suburban Illinois do you prefer Guacamole over Queso

3)     Do you enjoy your food mixed