Abstract:
There is an increase in the number of food service establishments operating in
the country as there is a emerging demand for food away from home.
However, knowledge of customers’ food preference is critical to the
sustainability of the industry. The purpose of this study was to assess the food
preferences of customers of food service establishments in Ho, Ghana. The
study employed the quantitative approach and questionnaire was used to
collect primary data from 350 respondents. Respondents were sampled using
systematic sampling technique and the research adopted the descriptive
design. Data collected was analyzed using SPSS and Chi-square was
employed to test research hypotheses. The study revealed that Banku with
okro soup was the most preferred food whiles the least preferred food was
Ampesi. However, there was a significant relationship between customers’
socio-demographic characteristics (educational level, marital status, ethnicity
and monthly income) and food preferences. The food was perceived to be
healthy and attractively presented. The study also found a significant
relationship between taste and food characteristics. From the study it could be
deduced that respondents preferred foods from their ethnic groups. This
implies that some tribes have reverence for their staple food and have no
desire to change. Managers should prioritize taste in the preparation of their
meals since it was a significant factor consumer consider in their choice of food
