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Jung Keun Kim, Senior Lecturer

Auckland University of Technology

Abstract:
The present research suggests that consumers possess position-based beliefs about menu layout, and use them strategically in making a food choice. We propose that consumers generally believe that the option listed at the first of the menu as the most recommended option by the menu designer, and this inference leads consumers’ tendency to choose the first option more often than other options. Our findings provide the first empirical evidence for the first option effect based on first-as-recommended intuition. Moreover, this research further demonstrates that the presence of the first option effect when considering both individual and situational factors. This research adds onto the literature on position effect by demonstrating that the preference for the edge option, such as the first option, can be derived from implicit interaction between customers and marketers based on position-based inferences. The findings provide useful tip to marketers on how to decide where to position their most profitable dish.