Fast Food and University Students: Exploring the Factors Influencing Consumer Behavior at McDonald's

Abstract

The fast food industry is experiencing rapid growth that is driven by multiple factors, significantly by university students who face lifestyle constraints. Having to balance academic life and their financial resources, students’ dietary choices are usually determined by their external factors rather than nutritional values. The research aims to investigate the factors that could be influencing university students’ behavior as a consumer towards fast food consumption, using McDonald’s as the main case study. A quantitative research design will be used, utilizing questionnaires from validated scales. Data analysis will be handled by using SPSS Statistics to ensure a more accurate result. The expected results suggest that social influence will be the significant factor that influences fast food consumption among students due to the presence of peer pressure and social life. Meanwhile the study expects that perceived convenience and price sensitivity have less impact in influencing students’ fast food consumption patterns. The outcomes of this research will provide insights that are valuable to the food and beverages industry in understanding students’ perception and assist student advocates organization in developing strategies to reshape social norms.