Menu fatigue: Exploring an obscure concept with problem-centred expert interviews

Abstract

The study aims to explore menu fatigue by defining its dimensions and the actors involved. It also aims to establish a model that reflects the paradigmatic nature of the concept. Given the paucity of literature to support the objectives, it was considered appropriate to conduct the study using a qualitative research approach. Accordingly, a grounded theory approach with problem-centred expert interviews was used to collect data, which is recommended for investigating issues that are not clearly defined and not well established, with the direct contribution of those who have sufficient knowledge of the concept being researched. First, the "what" and "who" questions were put to the only actor identified in the literature, the customer. In this way, the definition of menu fatigue was broadened and other actors to be studied were identified. Similar questions were asked of other actors such as administrative and owner/manager chefs, kitchen staff and service staff, who were also found to be affected. This cumulative approach made it possible to select 24 experts to contribute to the study. Participants were identified through purposive and theoretical sampling. The results of the two-stage coding showed that menu fatigue is not only about monotony, which is the only dimension associated with the concept in the literature, but also about excessiveness, appearance and extra effort. While previous literature accepted menu fatigue in industrial settings as an issue of customer boredom and perceived monotony, the current paper extended the concept to include newly explored dimensions and actors. Secondly, the highlighted dimensions and actors were linked to their occurrence and subsequent outcomes to be presented in a model of menu fatigue that provides a more comprehensive understanding of the issue. The paper concludes with implications for both academic and industrial practitioners.