Question

In: Economics

For the last 10 years you have been working in the health food business. You have...

For the last 10 years you have been working in the health food business. You have talked to many customers who have suggested a new restaurant concept. The restaurant would feature a variety of low calorie meals (under 500) made from healthy ingredients (organic fruits and vegetables and steroid/hormone free meat). The restaurant would include a bar with an extensive organic wine list and trendy décor. There would be an emphasis on high quality, friendly service, and colorful meal presentation. Your customers suggest that they would be willing to pay around $50 to eat a meal and have a glass of wine at this type of restaurant. They lament the fact that their community has no upscale restaurants that offer this type of fare.

You have conducted a detailed financial analysis of this potential business opportunity. You believe that you have good information on the costs of starting and operating the restaurant. You project that with a $50 meal price and anticipated demand you would earn a high profit and an excellent rate of return on your investment. You have the equity capital to start the business.

Several friends with MBAs argue that you would be crazy to start this business. They claim that there are few entry barriers to the restaurant industry and that "every person with business training knows that you can't make profits in a competitive industry."

Should you drop the idea of opening a new restaurant based on this arguement? Explain.

Solutions

Expert Solution

Answer

Earlier than describing the element-measurement possibilities on hand to food carrier operators, it's essential to record the principal dangers to profitability, each on the income part and on the rate facet. Public health researchers and regulators have got to be mindful of those limitations if they're to have interaction operators in dialogue and collaboration.

Revenue obstacles

on the grounds that worth', or price for money' is likely one of the fundamental patron benefits of enormous portions, meals service operators would rightly worry that value notion could be hurt if component sizes are diminished. This is not only proper as chains compete with each and every different, however, it's also actual because the industry competes with home-cooked foods. If all chains needed to minimize element sizes, and purchasers saw much less price' in consuming out, the industry as a whole could undergo. So it's no surprise that the enterprise quite often opposes component-measurement mandates.

Value belief could be addressed by way of decreasing the prices if smaller portions are being served, but of direction reducing the costs in itself is a significant and direct earnings risk.

Relatedly, despite the fact that element control itself is a capabilities purchaser improvement, and could possibly expand the earnings if buyers clearly devour out more normally as the threat of overeating declines, chains may surprise if they may be able to particularly compete on this foundation.less is extra' is frequently not a compelling advertising message to most consumers.

Even supposing smaller portions did have some appeal and didn't damage value notion, they could impact purchaser worth in a more direct means, by way of diminished meal enjoyment. If buyers have been normally worried that they were not going to depart a restaurant satiated (or as satiated as they want to be) they'll benefit from the trip less, they usually could crave the ingredients much less. In a similar way, shoppers may just experience overeating, despite the fact that they know it is just not good for them. As soon as portions make overeating extra problematic, pleasure a few meals could curb. Reduced excitement concerning the dining expertise is a primary main issue for repeat industry.

All of those considerations can lead to erosion of a sequence's brand, reduced revenue and eventually reduced profitability.

Price boundaries

cost is the opposite facet of the profitability equation, and companies might rightly fear that lowering component sizes might definitely expand the bills.

Reducing portions sizes must, on the whole, reduce the rate of goods sold (COGS) but it surely won't achieve this in a linear manner. Unit fees could broaden if the reduction is tremendous ample that it influences the volume reduction the operator gets from its supplier.

Organizations might also come to a decision that component-measurement reductions will require positioning the chain extra on nice and not more on value. To broaden excellently, the operator would need to pay a greater fee to buy larger-pleasant normal commodities. If they do broaden quality, nevertheless, this may possibly be offset by an develop in revenue if the cost is passed onto the client with a cost increase, however, it isn't clear precisely how this might balance out. It's feasible that profitability could be hurt.

Relatedly, if smaller portions without difficulty mean lowering the quantity, there would be savings in inventory price, however, there might also be stock increases if the smaller-element meals have distinctive parts than the significant-element ingredients.

If new merchandise is developed to accommodate smaller parts, then research and progress bills will probably be incurred by means of the operator. If smaller portions ought to be bigger in first-class, or need to use unique components to be more filling, or even supposing they only require new packaging or plating, study, and development costs might be concerned.

Smaller portions can also add operational complexity if new sizes are presented. Operational complexity is related to extended labor charges, and probably bills associated with alterations to commonplace operations. Cooks and servers may be knowledgeable not to over-element, and training requires both administration and labor time, and this entails the additional fee.

If menus alternate, or if smaller parts will probably be served more in general, or in the event that they have got to be promoted by means of operation employees, then there will likely be communique fees. These costs will involve devising messaging with a view to attraction to buyers, and to internal constituencies to enhance organizational alignment. Any trade in a big group requires extensive inner communique.

Varieties of meals carrier operations

distinctive sorts of meals carrier operations may have exclusive varieties of earnings and rate pressures, exceptional kinds of customers, and hence extraordinary opportunities for decreasing element sizes.

Cafeterias, each university, and workplace have more latitude in terms of consumer pride considering that their shoppers in most cases have much less alternative about the place to devour. While rate strain is substantial due to the fact costs generally have got to be stored very low.

Eating places that are high-end (that is, pleasant dining') will tend to have more wealthy buyers who usually tend to be eager with appreciate to healthful eating. And they will be under much less pressure to keep parts large as their purchasers are less involved about worth. They are able to additionally spend more on employees to prepare portions which can be very efficient in terms of calories.

Even inside the casual eating class, it's simpler to innovate with component-size foods precise at the eager, wealthier customers. Applebee's has a series of dishes that have lower than 550 energy, aimed squarely at their keen patrons. Darden (house owners of Red Lobster, Olive backyard and others) just lately opened a series referred to as Seasons 52, which serves most effective small plates' with not up to 475 energy. Quite often, when a consumer staff is more concerned about cuisine, coaching, experimentation, and many others, they'll be less worried about large parts. Casual eating chains are continually innovating their menus and watching for opportunities to taste leaders. New and interesting preparations that people would see on a tv meals community will not have got to be served in enormous portions on the grounds that the goal purchaser is more driven by using curiosity and adventure, than by way of worth.
For the entire opportunities listed right here, there may be evidence from advertising and behavioral economics that they might develop the possibility that patrons will select smaller parts. Even as there are income and fee barriers to each and every one of them. It is beyond the scope of this paper to quantify these revenues and bills (see Dittmer and Keefe9 for a targeted therapy), however, I will present recommendations as to which of the obstacles are prone to be the largest, and where instances.

I'll endorse 10 distinct possibilities. Each and everyone includes a menu or provider alternate that operators could use to move shoppers within the smaller guidelines. The opportunities described first quite often rely extra on tricking' the speedy, computerized thinking process on upon on. The opportunities described later are inclined to depend more on triggering' the sluggish, reflective thinking procedure.

Exchange the default to a smaller element

Default effects will also be very powerful and certainly, their existence is among the fundamental sources of support for the behavioral economics paradigm. One of the most commonly noted default findings is that organ donation charges range generally between extraordinary countries, reputedly quite often headquartered on whether or not or not organ donation playing cards have an opt-in or choose-out field. In Sweden, the place residents were defaulted into organ donation (however would opt out with the aid of signing their driver's license), organ donation premiums were 85%. In culturally an identical Denmark, where citizens were defaulted out (however could signal to opt-in), organ donation rates were simplest 4%.10 If defaults have such powerful effects in deeply personal and primary choices like organ donation, they must have a result in more pursuits decisions like food alternative as good.

And certainly, they do. In 2006, the Disney company started out serving apples because of the default in all youngsters' foods as a substitute for French fries. Disney studies that the overwhelming majority of families' accept the default choice alternatively than picking a replacement. It is valued at noting, nevertheless, that a meal at Disney just isn't a activities meal, and no one has but systematically measured what would happen if a massive operator determined to make smaller meal portions its default.

So we can ask the query, what would happen if Applebee's quite simply lowered the ordinary portion of French fries served, or decreased the size of some of its tremendously caloric dishes, like hamburgers? Even a reduction of 10% would keep many calories.

The great thing about defaults is that the majority folks don't become aware of when defaults change, making it a fast mind procedure. Which means each keen and reluctant buyers will likely be served smaller portions, more commonly without noticing. The quandary, nevertheless, is that some consumers would discover. Some could get irritated and discontinue returning to the chain. And some may just only come to become aware of slowly that the ingredients have reduced in size but that prices have remained equal. For these customers, the worth of the meal may decline gradually. If one way or the other the story of smaller defaults will get into the click, there's more chance of worth and brand erosion.

The smaller default would most likely be used extra with ease for energy-dense objects at tuition and workplace cafeterias, the place price notion will not be as much of a concern. There may be added a lot of room for extra experimentation with smaller defaults with kid's meals at eating places, but even these opportunities aren't without the chance.


Related Solutions

For the last 10 years you have been working in the health food business. You have...
For the last 10 years you have been working in the health food business. You have talked to many customers who have suggested a new restaurant concept. The restaurant would feature a variety of low calorie meals (under 500) made from healthy ingredients (organic fruits and vegetables and steroid/hormone free meat). The restaurant would include a bar with an extensive organic wine list and trendy décor. There would be an emphasis on high quality, friendly service, and colorful meal presentation....
For the last 10 years you have been working in the health food business. You have...
For the last 10 years you have been working in the health food business. You have talked to many customers who have suggested a new restaurant concept. The restaurant would feature a variety of low calorie meals ( under 500) made from healthy ingredients ( e.g. organic fruits and vegetables and steroid/hormone free meat). The restaurant would include a bar with an extensive organic wine list and trendy décor. There would be an emphasis on high quality, friendly service, and...
You have been working at a local CPA firm for the last 2 years. At the...
You have been working at a local CPA firm for the last 2 years. At the beginning of the year, you passed the last section of the CPA Exam. Last week, your CPA License came in the mail. Consequently, you have now decided to go into business for yourself. You have some savings and have a line on a bank loan for start-up costs. Additionally, you do not have a noncompete clause in your employment agreement with your current CPA...
You have been saving $100/month for the last 10 years in a retirement account that earns...
You have been saving $100/month for the last 10 years in a retirement account that earns 1% interest monthly. (a) How much money do you have in your retirement account today? (25 points) (b) If you STOP making contributions to your retirement account, but leave the amount you currently have in it to continue earning interest at 1% per month, how much money will you have in your retirement account when you retire in 30 years? (20 points) (c) You...
1. You have an audit client that you have been working on for several years. You...
1. You have an audit client that you have been working on for several years. You discover a fraud scheme that has been going on for several years while you were the auditor that you missed in prior audits. What should you do when you discover the fraud? 2. What are some things you should avoid when you discover the fraud?
Over the last 10 years, a large number of iceballs have been found in the outer...
Over the last 10 years, a large number of iceballs have been found in the outer solar system out beyond Pluto. These objects are collectively known as the Kuiper Belt. An amateur astronomer suggests using the radar ranging technique to learn the rotation periods of Kuiper Belt Objects. Do you think that this plan would be successful? Explain why or why not?
You have worked for Wood Manufacturing for 15 years. For the last year, you have been...
You have worked for Wood Manufacturing for 15 years. For the last year, you have been assigned to lead the Customer Intelligence Innovation team (10 people from various departments in your organization). Unfortunately, the team has yet to come up with a customer “product,” and you are under a significant amount of pressure to develop a profitable item immediately. You have decided to take a “step back” and assess your innovation leadership. You think that developing a list of FIVE...
Imagine that the small business that you have been working for has started to catch traction...
Imagine that the small business that you have been working for has started to catch traction and you are considering expanding into a few new markets. However, these markets make meeting with key managers inconvenient. You have been charged with developing and finding a way for the company to conduct meetings in an efficient and effective manner while keeping costs to a minimum. Your task is to search the internet and find two free online communicating services to present as...
You have been tasked to evaluate the financial health and working capital policy of Yoyo Co....
You have been tasked to evaluate the financial health and working capital policy of Yoyo Co. The extracts of the balance sheet as at 31 December 2019 and income statement for the year ended are as follows: Balance sheet $'000 Income Statement $'000 Current assets Sales 20,000 Inventory 2,500 Cost of Sales 15,000 Accounts receivables 4,250 Cash 4,000 Current liabilities Accounts payables 2,750 Short-term bank loan 2,500 Companies which are similar to Yoyo Co have the following average metrics for...
Consider your area of interest (epidemiology) and the related health issue you have been working on...
Consider your area of interest (epidemiology) and the related health issue you have been working on during the first half of the course ( COVID-19).What research would you like to complete to add to the knowledge base? What would be needed to complete your ideal study? Who would you need to include in designing your study?
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT