An exploratory study of women in foodservice: Persevering in a #MeToo world

Abstract Sexual harassment is a nefarious issue that has pervaded the restaurant industry, with women proving to be the most vulnerable targets. Accordingly, there is an urgent need to explore the experiences of women who are veterans in the foodservice industry, and how they have persevered in a #MeToo world. A phenomenological qualitative approach was implemented by using structured written questionnaires to probe this issue in-depth. Results demonstrated that sexual harassment behaviors were incited by the inherent male-dominate hegemonic culture of the foodservice industry, management inactions, and employees’ sexist attitudes toward women. This study offers several practical implications from both, professional and personal levels, as well as recommendations for future industry professionals.