Price Ending Strategies: A Qualitative Study Focusing on the Effects of Students' Perceptionsfor Cafe and Restaurant Menu Prices

Abstract

The primary aim of this study is to explore price-ending strategies utilized in coffee shops and luxury restaurants. Customers' image and expectations of quality with respect to the utilization of price-ending strategies is also investigated in the study. The methodology of the study has divided into two phases. The first phase involves the collection of menus from coffee shops and luxury restaurants in Ankara. Seventy menus collected, then carefully inspected to see the differences among the usage of different price-endings. This phase reveals that menu prices-ending with .00 (i.e. 7.00) and ending with no digits (i.e. 7) are the most commonly used strategies in the luxury restaurants. The second phase of the study uses scenarios to find out the customers' image of restaurant and food quality. The sample was comprised of students. This phase reveals that students who read the scenario explaining a “high quality restaurant” are affected by the prices ending with .00 and ending with no digits. On the other hand, a scenario about a place that offers a low price by using digits .99 and .00 does not give the image of “bargain place” in the minds of customers.

Keywords

• pricing,psychological pricing,food industry,price ending strategies,restaurant,menu prices,students' perceptions

Fiyat Sonu Yazım Stratejileri: Kafe ve Restoran Menü Fiyatlarının Öğrenci Algıları Üzerindeki Etkisini Belirlemeye Yönelik Nitel Bir Çalışma

Öz

Bu çalışmanın amacı, psikolojik fiyatlandırma yöntemlerinden birisi olan fiyat sonu yazım stratejisinin, kafe ve lüks restoranlardaki uygulama biçimlerini araştırmak ve bu stratejiyle oluşturulmuş menülerin algılamalarda ucuz ve yüksek kalite imajını yansıtıp yansıtmadığını incelemektir. Çalışmanın yöntem kısmı iki aşamadan oluşturulmuştur. Birinci aşamada Ankara'da bulunan kafe ve lüks restoranlardan 70 adet menü toplanmış ve fiyat sonu yazım stratejisinin yiyecek-içecek işletmelerindeki uygulamaları araştırılmıştır. İlk aşamada lüks restoranların menülerinde yüksek kalitenin simgesi olarak kabul edilen .00'lı (örn 7.00) fiyat sonlandırması ve küsuratsız fiyat yazımının (örn. 7) ağırlıklı olarak tercih edildiği görülmüştür. Araştırmanın ikinci aşamasında, fiyat sonu yazım stratejisinin müşteri algılamalarını nasıl etkilediğini belirlemek üzere senaryolar oluşturulmuş ve bu senaryolar üzerinden örneklem kapsamına alınan öğrencilerin tercihleri incelenmiştir. Elde edilen bulgulara göre .00'lı fiyat sonu yazım stratejisinin ve küsuratsız fiyat yazım şeklinin, yüksek kalite imajını yansıttığı anlaşılmıştır. Ancak ucuz imajının nasıl algılandığını araştırmak için kullanılan .99'lu ve .00'lı fiyat sonlandırmalarının herhangi bir etki yaratmadığı ortaya çıkmıştır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• fiyatlandırma,psikolojik fiyatlandırma,gıda sanayii,fiyat sonu yazım stratejileri,restoran,menü fiyatları,öğrenci algıları

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