Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Even a casual observer of the American food scene will notice that there are certain niches -- such as diners and Chinese take-outs -- where particular ethnicities dominate. If that observer has some familiarity with restaurant history he would also know that there is a pattern of ethnic succession over time. Food-work that used to be done by German and Irish immigrants in the mid-nineteenth century, was performed by Italians and eastern Europeans at the end of the century, who in turn were replaced by Greeks, and then by Asians and Latinos at the end of the twentieth century.
Tastes have changed too. French cuisine has given way to Italian cuisine, which was accented by Asian and Latino ingredients by the end of the twentieth century. There is a two-fold ethnic succession here: one in the ethnicity of the labor force; and the other in the sphere of food served. The two are shaped by each other in counter-intuitive ways.
Using data from Zagat restaurant surveys, the Operations Report of the National Restaurant Association, and the curriculum of the Culinary Institute of America I intend to illuminate the process of ethnic succession in American fine-dining restaurants and changing hierarchies of taste.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Recent sociological theory and research highlights food, drink and restaurants as culturally meaningful and related to identity. An implication of this view holds that the prevalence of corporate chain restaurants affects the sociological character of communities, as many activists and popular-based movements contend. The analysis we report here seeks to determine which kinds of communities act as seedbeds for restaurant chains, offering attractive fertile soil for this form to come in and grow, and which kinds of communities prove resistant to chains, nurturing local restaurants and food service providers instead. In a sample of 49 counties across the US with over 17,000 active restaurants, we examine these questions to identify the ecological niche of the chain form of restaurant organization. We investigate arguments about a community’s demographic stability, income distribution, age distribution, geographic sprawl, and commuter population. The findings suggest that communities with less stable demographic make-ups serve as fertile grounds for chain restaurants. Other evidence points to suburban sprawl as associated with chains. Finally, we find that the largest ten chains tend to be located in communities with higher numbers of young people.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: This paper explores the sequential organization of request for food in a restaurant. The recipient of the request for food employs a different set of practices by orienting to either the progressivity or the intersubjective understanding between the participants. Such an embodiment emerges out of interaction that engenders different sequence types. Through the examination of sequence types in this context, the analysis demonstrates that these conversational premises are underlying vehicles for the deployment of surfacing socially co-constructed consequences—the affiliative customer-chef relationship and the institutional goal orientation of avoiding misconduct in request implementation. The affiliative relationship is accountable for trust in social context, and the author demonstrates how it emerges out of interaction.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: This case study applies the framework of contingency theory in public relations to obesity issue management. To explain how the restaurant industry defends its social legitimacy under the external contingent factors, such as litigation and legislative constraints on obesity epidemic issues, this paper (1) explains the contingency theory of public relations and legitimacy expectancy gap in issue management and (2) locates business strategies for narrowing the legitimacy gap on the continuum from pure advocacy to pure accommodation. The results present that the restaurant industry uses both advocacy and accommodation strategies to respond to every situation; however, restaurant industries use accommodating strategies based on a certain level of advocacy.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: This study examined the effects of food servers’ gender, the use of generalized compliments, and the size of dining parties on tipping behavior in restaurants. Four food servers (two males and two females) waited on 360 parties eating dinner and either complimented or did not compliment the parties on their dinner selections. Results indicated that food servers received significantly higher tips when complimenting their parties than when not complimenting them.