Understanding Cultural Factors in Food Consumption: An Experiential Case Study of Consumers at an Ethnic Restaurant

Jennifer DeJesus and Robert Guang Tian

This anthropological study examines the behaviors of consumers in an ethnic environment to demonstrate the level of awareness of cultures other than one’s own. Previous studies have identified that consumers’ cultural awareness in ethnic restaurants may influence their behaviors for various reasons. This case study of a Mexican restaurant in South Carolina supports previous studies of cultural influences on consumer behaviors by using a mixed ethnographical methodology. Although these findings are meaningful to managers of ethnic restaurants, further investigation is needed to form theoretical implementations from previous and current findings.

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