Sabor de la SelvaJungle Dinner Club

Ryan Webster November 2014

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AbstractThis document outlines the Business and Marketing plans for Sabor de la Selva.

(commonly referred to throughout simply as Sabor) Sabor is an exclusive 5-course finedining experience bringing the best produce that Kalu Yala's permaculture farm has to

offer to the heart of Panama City's growing network of food fanatics. The report analysesthe external and internal market factors affecting the project and goes on to propose

effective Marketing strategies to best suit the needs of the target audience.

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Mission And Vision

M i ssi o n:

Sabor de la Selva aims to be a premier destination for exclusive, contemporary dining in Panama, with a reputation as such that can rely solely on word of mouth marketing

Visio n:

Sabor de la Selva will provide Panama residents and visitors alike with a new style of dining; local farm and foraged fresh produce with total transparency in an authentic jungle environment

Core Objectives

• Encourage more conscious food consumption by Panama residents and visitors and further diversify the city's burgeoning gastronomy scene

• Increase awareness of Kalu Yala Farms and provide an additional revenue source for canned produce

• Establish a self-sufficient seasonal operation with limited assistance though in partnership with Farm-to-Table and Business teams

Longer Term

• Establish Panama's first ever pop-up restaurant (Not a food Truck!; See Appendix B: Notes on Pop-up Restaurants)

• Become a formal business providing employment opportunities to interns and residents and profits to investors

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Market Overview

Currently the Services Industry relates to 78.4% of the total economy and GDP is consistently growing by around 10% each year. (CIA World Fact-book) This stability and steady growth can be attributed to the peg to the US dollar as well as the expansion of the canal, the Colon free zone and increase in foreign investment.

In terms of the Restaurant scene itself in Panama city, Fodor's guide (2010) describes it as 'not quite New York or London but impressive for a city of its size' and cites its cosmopolitan nature as increasing the quality and variety of ethnic offerings. The main areas for dining out are considered the historic Casco Viejo neighbourhood, and the banking and financial districts where the majority of the high-end hotels are also located.

External Environment

PESTEL Analysis

Political

The New Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela recently sworn in to office in July 2014 is noted for tightening controls on immigration which could also effect foreign nationals and expatriates. He is likely to invest heavily in infrastructure and is an advocate of the free market so will hopefully encourage new business ventures to thrive.

Economic

As Previously noted Panama's economy is still experiencing steady growth thanks to the expansion of the canal the country's largest revenue source and the increase in foreign investment. However there is significant income disparity compared to Central American policies with around 25% of the population living below the poverty line.

Social

Recent trends have shown increasing levels of consumers entertaining themselves in their own homes as a result of the growing cost of alcohol when going out, higher youth unemployment and more cultural acceptance as a result of the success of television programs such as Come Dine With Me, which promote home entertainment.

Technological

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Panamanian residents are demonstrating similar social media adoption patterns to western countries with around 435,00 Facebook users out of a total population of 3.864 million (11.3%) Smart-phone up take is also on the rise and online services bookings will eventually overtake telephone bookings

Environmental

There is evidence that many of the higher-end restaurants currently operating in the market could perform much better in terms of locally sourcing ingredients in order to reduce food miles. Though many may be operating in a niche and fulfilling a specific consumer market such as French artisanal food, importing these luxurious items from over continents can not only damage profit margins but bring into question the seriousness of the organisation's commitment to corporate social responsibility.

Legal

Currently there are many barriers to entry for new market entrants including 2 separate health and safety certifications, in addition to formal permissions from neighbourhood authorities and fire departments before licensing permissions can be authorised. Without Panamanian residency, permissions will be virtually impossible to secure. Supper clubs represent an opportunity to get around these barriers though if the venue is not in direct ownership of the operation, difficulties are still likely to ensue.

Internal Environment

Stakeholder Analysis

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Key = Core Team

= Directly impacted by operations

= Indirectly impacted by operations

Roles of Core Team

F2T Director

A crucial person to the organisation's short-medium term success. Whilst kitchen support this may be permissible initially it is anticipated that a full time Chef will needed to be hired longer-term and ultimately the director will be the source of contact and advice for the new recruit and not usually present on the night. They would still have some degree of responsibility but largely in menu design/ experimentation and harvesting if they and their team were happy to help out in that department.

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Head Chef

Not essential, though can help ensure consistent high standards though must have considerable experience.

Rotating Chefs

One new idea further proposed by the author is that of rotating chefs; specialists from across the field who can be contacted in person around Panama City and inspired to partake in such a new and culturally significant event. These Chefs will be willing to spare their time in order for the exposure and potential new business opportunities and relations as a result of being associated with such a prestigious event.We will be required to establish a significant reputation beforehand in order to attract such talent for free, though they could be employed instantly if offered a reasonable financial compensation.

S ervers/ Assistants

Will ideally need to be recruited on an apprenticeship style basis. Namely benefits for aspirants being the opportunity to train under professional chefs in addition to financial compensation. Previous companions are an excellent starting point (including friends of if necessary) with other programs and current interns also considered. Would be beneficial to ultimately incorporate industry recognised certifications and qualifications.

Sous Chef

On the night my major contribution will be playing the role of host. Ensuring guests are satisfied, and suitably entertained/humoured with one another's company. Yet I will also make a point to serve dishes with my team as well as substantial preparation in advance of the event and the other employees arrival. How long I dedicate my undivided attention to this project depends on assistants' willingness to get involved, basically. I envision the project being under my guiding hand until such time that the ship can be left to be steered by its crew or the combination of a crew and captain. It would however be hugely beneficial if there was there genuine willingness to carry on with the foundation work by Spring and Summer 2016 Interns.

Impact s on Second ary Group

Hispania Manager

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This person will need to be informed well in advance potential event dates and times to minimise disruption to internship and other plans at the apartment. Ultimately their say is final.

City Interns

As these are paying customers to KYI who expect to have full use of the facilities during their stay their wishes must receive the upmost respect and they should be politely encouraged to consent to Sabor's use of the boardroom and Director side of the apartment during the event window.

Neighbours

Neighbours could potentially be impacted on the increased noise pollution as a result of the increased number of people occupying the building at a given time, however it is unlikely they will notice a considerable difference to the usual array of guests that pass in and out of the building. They should be pre-warned of any upcoming events and events should not overspill until unsociable hours with guests leaving promptly by the curfew.

City Residents

They will benefit from an increased diversity of dining-out-options

Impacts on Tertiary Group

Competitors

Although unlikely to be significantly adversely affected by Sabor operations, may disapprove of unlicensed method and attempt to inflict reputational damage. Potential threat of imitation, and devaluing Sabor offering by undercutting/adding value to product. For further information see SWOT analysis and Competitor Analysis.

Authorities

As previously alluded to, city officials and health and safety authorities may seek to interfere if they believe us not to have correct infrastructure or met the minimum requirements for selling food in.

Other Interns/Directors

The dining events will run in co-ordination with the internship stint system and therefore will be most beneficial to host them during working weekend where there will be no valley

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disruption in the city. To increase demand amongst likely employed consumers and to negate disruption to neighbours these will also run at the weekend I.e Friday and Saturday nights. Other interns may benefit with by getting on hands on experience with the project.. for example a F2T intern could have an enriched experience by actually cooking at a real food event and a business intern could enrich their experience by designing a bootstrap marketing campaign prior to an event. There may also be financial opportunities in the medium-term helping negate the cost of the tuition fee.

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Competitor Analysis

As this will be the first regular advanced ticketed dining event of its kind in Panama it is difficult to assess how we will impact and be impacted by our competitors. We are operating in an existing, highly competitive market, though offering a slightly different product. The Matrix below (known as Ansoff's Matrix) shows our market position compared to traditional restaurants such as Buzios and Las Bovedas in Casco Viejo. Where most restaurants will receive a split of advance reservations and on the night diners (unexpected but anticipated) who simply show up, Selva will sell all seats in advance. The disadvantage of this is that we will be unable to benefit from passing trade, however the advantages are numerous.First and foremost selling tickets in advance will ensure that we will generate an income on each seat even if an individual diner fails to show up on the night. According to the BBC, no-shows account for anywhere between 5-20% of advanced bookings in restaurants. Secondly knowing exactly how many diners to cater for will make advanced preparation and planning of meals tremendously less taxing and enable much of the work to be done ahead of time, reducing the workload on the night and allowing more opportunities for interaction between hosts and guests. Knowing dietary requirements beforehand will also reduce undesirable surprises on the night.

Although Selva is offering a fundamentally different service to the majority of dining options already in the city, it is important to note that is not only traditional restaurants that will be competing for the same consumers custom.Since the global recession many studies have shown that consumer lifestyle preferences are changing in order to conserve what precious disposable incomes they have after the bills have been paid. Many are now favouring nights in instead of nights out, realising that the cost savings from food and drink bought in supermarkets is substantially cheaper than in a restaurant, cinema or nightclub. This shift in consumer behaviour coupled with advancements in digital and mobile technologies has seen a phenomenal increase in online food orders, a sector of the industry which is growing 300 percent faster than dine-in traffic (http://www.qsrweb.com/articles/the-top-online-ordering-trends-restaurants-cant-ignore/) Deli Centro is the major player in Panama and is likely to continue to grab market share from dine-in restaurants. Other companies, such as Sophia's, also use an online platform and offer home delivery but they capture a different segment of the market, namely busy young professionals who want a regular, healthy and nutritious meal plan but have little time to organise things themselves.

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The Ansoff matrix is a useful tool for new business in assessing their market position and competitive advantage and how they should proceed with their strategy when launching the business.

As you can see for new entrants into the food scene with the tried and tested format of a traditional restaurant a Market Penetration strategy is suggested in order to gain an early market share. This could be executed with the use of price-cutting or Sales Promotions and is usually accompanied with a substantial Marketing investment. The aim is to encourage early adoption and generate attention for the brand before loyalty is built by which time prices can increase and expenditure can decrease in order to increase profit margins.

Whereas with specialist online ordering companies, there is a new market opening up, namely price or time (or both) conscious urban dwellers. A Market Development strategy is considered relatively high risk at the market is still in its infancy. A strategy of this kind should be flexible and informed by plenty of research. The aim of this strategy is to attract new users to the product class, such as in the case of Sophia's organisation.

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Yet most importantly in the case of Selva it is a Market Penetration Strategy that is required since it is a new product yet essentially the same market as Las Bovedas, albeit it is more interested in attracting 'niche seeking consumers'. The key for Selva will be marketing a highly desirable product which is in short supply, yet generates significant loyalty and positive word of mouth communications. Sophia has noted that there is a growing interest in the 'new and unusual' in the city's dining scene, and well crafted glossy print advertising will not only impress potential customers but build a dedicated following.

Finally, I did mention there were no direct competitors to Selva, as in no similar pre-ticketed offerings. During my time in the city there were in fact 2 such one off culinary events. (both of which took place at restaurants) I found out about one of these through Que Hacer Hoy, and the other through the Facebook expat group Tropical Cowboys & Cowgirls, but this is not to say there were not more taking place that passed by unnoticed. The first one was actually at a beach side restaurant (Playa Pacifica) 1 hours drive from Panama City, and was an asian fusion menu with (unsurprisingly given the location) a heavy bias towards seafood. The price for a ticket was $45 and the booking instructions given were to contact the promoter (not the restaurant) by telephone. The second one was near Via Israel in the City centre, and was called 'Fonda Urbano'. The price for a ticket was $30 but seemed to be largely vegetarian with an emphasis on foraged foods and locally grown produce. It was the second event of it's kind implying there may be more in the future. To book tickets one was required to purchase in advance from one of 3 participating restaurants. Both events featured three courses.

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SWOT Analysis

Strengths

Panama's economy still growingLocated in popular neighbourhood in heart of the cityAccess to home grown veggies and intern pool- cost minimisationSolid expatriate network already established

Weaknesses

Lack of Spanish FluencyRelative Chef inexperience compared to competitorsNo prior reputation in foodLimited to food on the farm

Opportunities

Target audience have high propensity to spend and display traits to peersConsumers seeking the 'hot new thing'

Threats

Online eateries such as delicentro.com growing in popularityQuestions concerning legalityImitation by established competitors, reducing uniqueness of proposition

Segmentation, Targeting & Positioning (STP)

Consumer Profilin g

'Menu innovation will also be important in retaining the attention of the growing group of older diners as frequency of eating out tends to dwindle with age. For example, the relative confidence and experience of food of diners aged 55-64 is leading them to be more likely than most to look for something out of the ordinary for a special-occasion meal out of home' (Mintel 2014)

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Menu development has been key in engaging consumers in recent years. It is likely to remain important given that over a third of diners say that they are always looking to try new dishes that they have not had before

Many of the current trends in the market revolve around reasserting the experience element of eating out.

Current Research (see Appendix C) is being undertaken to determine the target demographic though most useful questions may be deemed to sensitive by respondents.Focus groups will help further analyse customer behaviours in the high income, socially active target demographic and propensities for brand loyalty, if any. Customer perceptions are expected to influence purchase decisions heavily

Marketing Strategy (4 Ps)

Pricing

Will be determined by results of initial primary research- a rigid structure with little to no discounting is predicted due to luxurious product offering and danger of tarnishing brand reputation or customer perceptions. An initial figure of $35 is anticipated for an exotic, intimate and organic 5-course dinner party.

Product

Studies are proving that around a third of consumers are looking for new and innovative

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menus and for this reason emphasis on the un-traditional and unorthodox are critical to providing a unique, distinguishable product. Similar Offerings have provided 80-85% locally sourced ingredients, and one of the guiding principles of this entire project will be to ultimately aspire to 100% Farm-to-table produce (though initially figures of around 50% seem much more realistic. As has been identified on multiple occasions during Secondary research, within success defining criteria, atmosphere and quality of social interaction (between both guests and other guests and guests and hosts) at the event have an enormous influence on overall customer satisfaction and subsequent positive recommendations and testimonials.

Diffusion of Innovations (3 Product Classes)Key:

= Pop-up Restaurant (Long Term) = Jungle Dining Club (Medium Term) = Events Experience (Short Term)

The earlier on consumers in the diffusion of innovations will judge the product on tangible benefits, allowing little margin for error and drawing from a vast array of previous experiences as reference points. Conversely, the mass market will focus on intangible benefits, such as how the experience made them feel to determine whether or not they are likely to vouch for us. Supper Clubs typically attract innovators and early adopters or certainly those who believe they fit those market segments. The Dining club could thereforeprovide theperfectplatform toincreaseawarenessand demandfor the other2 phases viaonline andface to faceactivity of opinion leaders who attended the dinner parties.

Promotion

The events will be deliberately portrayed as 'exclusive, invite only parties', that make consumers feels as though they have been ushered into an inner circle. Word of Mouth is undoubtedly the most important element to the Marketing Communications strategy and

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must ultimately spearhead the entire promotional campaign in order to retain the authenticity of exclusivity. In order to generate buzz about the club it is necessary to attract opinion formers that will have high credibility amongst their peer group, spontaneously posting on social media and ideally posting descriptive, praising blogs.Helena Spicer, Senior Foodservice Analyst, notes that; “Recommendations from family/friends are key influencers in venue choice, whilst online review sites populated with customer-generated content are also now popular among diners. Operators are encouraged to embrace the new era and promote peer-to-peer reviews and, where possible, create their own legion of brand ambassadors.” Brand Loyalty and Awareness can also receive a huge benefit from the consistent usage of a dedicated Social Media strategy which will be added in due course upon prior research findings.

Branding

Tagline

'An exclusive dinner party bringing the best tropical harvest direct from our farm by the Chagres National Park to your plate in the heart of Panama City. Come for the award winning food, stay for your new best friends'

Logo Design

The Logo is currently being enhanced by professional illustrators.

This logo along with artistic illustrations will be incorporated into direct mailings sent digitally via e-mail and to selected individuals in print format. Each event will have a unique theme.

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Place

Access to premises is currently limited to Edificio Hispania in the Bella Vista neighbourhood of Panama City. This is not a commercial property rather a residence, but that is not to stay this isn't suited to a marketable and profitable fine-dining event. Though guest parking may be somewhat of an issue there is a long dining room that can comfortably seat 12 which is an ideal starting point to base the operations. In order to boost appeal and originality future more unconventional settings should be considered such as rooftop space or water-top space.

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Financials

Below is an overview of Sales Forecasts for the first year of trading, (bear in mind this is a seasonal operation, thus so far only incorporates months Jan-Apr) with 2 anticipated revisions; one during post-research analysis and the second shortly during the launch phase.

As you can see greater revenues are being drawn from the events due to fewer space limitations allowing more seats to be sold in additional to multiple meals during each event. (generally anticipated 2 sessions per 4-day event. You will notice no Sabor income during the month of January and this is due to using the feedback and lessons learned

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Incomes January February March April

Saber Ticket = $35 $0.00 $700.00 $1400.002 4

Event- Tapas Comida Gratis* $0.00 $200.00 $150.00

Event- a la carte $ 250.00 $2460.00$960.00

$1500.00

Popup Seat = $35 $0.00 $0.00

Total Revenue $ 250.00 $ 3360.00 $ 1550.00

CostsWages>Sous Chef $92.50 $713.00 $ 640.00>Head Chef $130.00 $800.00 $700.00>F2T Director $50.00 $200.00 $ 0.00

Ingredients 20 % = $7/8p.p $50.00 $832.00 $ 75.00(To Farm & Kitchen) (50% SdS)

Event Rent $25.00 $246.00Hispania upkeep $35.00 $70.00

Marketing $300.00 $200.00 $200.00>Print & Online initial selva- 250.00

>Online Only per event 50.00

Total Costs $ 375.00 $ 1585.50 $ 2058.00 $ 1340.00Gross Profit -$125.00 $ 1774.50 -$508.00 -$1340.00Opening Balance $0.00 -$ 125.00 $ 1649.50 $ 1141.50Closing Balance -$125.00 $ 1649.50 $ 1141.50 $ 198.50

Invitation- $40 *cept PM-25

per selva 50.00 (15.70 flyers)

from the first 2 events of the season which will shape the pilot dining club experience. The Wages obviously represent the biggest expense and are paid in 2 different ways. The Sous Chef has the largest responsibility for the project also resuming the role of host and general manager and will therefore be paid a basic monthly wage. Being responsible for event bookings ahead of time they will also receive a 10% commission on each ticket sale and 5% of event takings. The Chef will be paid a fixed amount for an average 4 hour shift for each event whereas additional help enlisted from Farm-To-Table will also require a flat-rate fee.

The Farm will receive 20% of each ticket's sale price to cover the cost of ingredients and regeneration whereas 10% will be contributed to the upkeep and maintenance of the venue. An initial Marketing investment will be made to secure a professional website with user account facilitation, similar in nature to an intranet of like-minded individuals able to connect remotely. (not in the public domain) After this only high quality glossy flyers will be ordered for each event and represent the only real financial investment into on-going Marketing.(Though significant investments of time and energy will be required to pursue social media and word of mouth campaigns)

Implementation/Continuation

The Following provides a sample of the project continuation as for the first 9 months of Sabor de La Selva (Prior to trading) For the full 2 year model and up-to-date revisions please contact the author at rbw2011@gmail.com

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Appendix A: Notes on Pop-up Restaurants

Notes on pop-up RestaurantsNotes on pop-up Restaurants

http://thenudge.com/london-restaurants/pop-up-restaurants-in-london/other/

3 Different Types:• Pop-up• Semi-permanent pop-up• Permanent Restaurant (Not a pop-up)

Typically, food is served a la carte with at least 3 courses, with a set menu and a set price for the seat.

Average Cost for 3 course meal= £35-£55Average Cost for 5-7 course meal= £50-£75

http://socialrepublic.net/articles/title/what-is-a-pop-up-restaurant

What is a pop-up restaurant?

'Eateries that pop up from nowhere, often at an unusual venue, or perhaps in the setting of a private home'

• Originally from prohibition speakeasies/ Cuban paladares • Rising in popularity• Ideal for up and coming chefs seeking to improve or budding restaurateurs unable

to commit full time • Unique and unusual venue and for a limited time- increasing wow factor• Often experimental menus at a premium price

http://restaurants.about.com/od/restaurantconcepts/ht/How-To-Open-A-Pop-Up-Restaurant.htm

1. Decide on a PurposeDecide on a Purpose:- Encourage more health and environmentally conscious eating by Panama city residents and visitors. Increase awareness of Kalu Yala Farms

2. Choose a Location:- Choose a Location:- Seafront, Costera, Rooftop? Consider rent, electricity, running water

3. Apply for Insurance, Permits & Licenses:- Apply for Insurance, Permits & Licenses:- Check with existing operators, locals and city officials to determine what is necessary and what isn't

4. Write and Price a Menu:- Write and Price a Menu:- Research equivalent offerings, consider focus groups, utilise jungle materials such as bamboo for authentic experience

5. Set up a Mobile Kitchen:- Set up a Mobile Kitchen:- Only Stoves? Refrigeration? Water access? Waste

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Management?6. Set up a temporary dining room:- Set up a temporary dining room:- Collaborate with Sarah on Chairs, find a balance

between ambience and comfort. Must be easy to assemble/dissemble Promote:- Promote:- Word of Mouth, Social Media, Personal invites- critics? Possibly no marketing and secret location in order to maintain intrigue and mystique

Appendix B: Notes on Supper Clubs

A Phenomenon that began around 2008 perhaps in response to the economic downturn, 'supper clubs' have grown immensely in popularity recently, thanks in part to the rise of programmes such as 'Come Dine With Me', but also due to the increased usage of p2p networks such as Airbnb and Uber, and chefs willingness to break the mould of the mundane restaurant experience in order to try experimental dishes in an unusual location to an open-minded audience of trendsetters. James Ramsden, who runs the Secret Larder, emphasises that all supper clubs have a personal aspect.

The most illicit thing about supper clubs is their questionable legality. These pop-ups work in a distinctly grey market: guests don't "pay" for their dinner, they merely offer a "suggested donation" and, of course, they bring their own booze.

E xisting Networks

Who? What? Where? How?much

Why? Bother

SupperShare 'SupperShare is a place whereincredible experiences are bound

to happen. We want to buildfriendships and share

passionate conversation around thetable. We value food made with

love and conversations that comefrom the heart'

Palo Alto,CA

Phoenix, AZSan

Francisco,CA

$10-$25

-'About the host sectionwith ratings/feedback'-Charity Donation with

every seat sold-Can upload and edit

menus whenever as a host-3 step verification system

for security

Eat With Me 'Connect with interesting people byplanning or attending events to

share food and eat together'

US,Argentina,

Peru, Mexico

$20-$35

- Opportunity for hosts to'test the water' beforecommitting to events.

-Latin American presenceand success

Grub Club Grub Club is part dining table inyour house and part experimentalkitchen, Its like your kitchen table

because it’s a great place tosocialise and get to know people;

its experimental because it’s aspace for Chefs to try out their

London $30-$75

- Establish reputation- Intuitive Website

-Heavy focus on 'Foodies'-making attendees feel

valued as part of acommunity

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latest creations on a curious set offoodies.

Feedback:Zoe on 'The Secret Larder', Holloway, London:“I was apprehensive about having dinner at long tables seated next to people I had just met but it was more enjoyable

than I could have imagined. It is well worth a visit and a great way to meet new friends and fellow foodies”

Dario on 'Kale Kitchen', San Francisco“It was amazing having that delicious dish with such genuine people like you!”

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Appendix C: Primary Research Refinements

Originally proposed questions:

1. Which Neighbourhood do you frequent most often when eating out for special occasions? (Multiple Choice)

A- Casco Viejo B- Bella Vista/Marbella/San Francisco C- Albrook/Clayton D- Punta Pacifica E- Other (please specify)

2. Why is this?

A- It's convenient to get to B- My favourite restaurant(s) are there C- Other reason (please specify)

3. How much would you consider a fair price for a meal (3+ courses) for 2 on a special occasion (not including drinks)

A- <$25 B- $25-50 C- $50-$75 D- $75-$100 E- $100+

4. How often do you typically go out for an experience like this?

A- At least once a week B-1-3 times a month C- Less than once a month, 4 or more times a year D- 1-3 times a year E- Less than once a year

5. What are your most important considerations when deciding on a venue for your special night? (Circle no more than two)

A- Setting and atmosphere B- Chef's reputation C- Choice and uniqueness of dishes D- Recommendations E- Service and entertainment

Feedback

Peer 1 → It seems pretty OK to me. At the beginning I'd ask myself what kind of clients would I like to target with my new potential restaurant and based on that I'd choose the group for interviews. Right now it's not clear whom do you want to ask. And if it's everybody randomly chosen on the street, then at the beginning you should ask them who they are. There will be huge variances between female and male respondents, students and employed people, blue collar and white collar workers, middle income class and high income class, tourists and local dwellers... and many others. It's good to set up some borders and limits so you won't find yourself with too much information (data) which are not comparable...

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Peer 2 → First of all, I think you should elaborate the idea of “pop-up restaurant”, instead of taking it for granted that everyone understands it. Secondly, the question you seek to answer seems to be if there is business opportunity for pop-up restaurant in Panama city, but your questionnaire is designed to study only the behaviour of restaurant consumers, which I consider problematic, because pop-up restaurant could attract people who rarely dine out because of its cheap price, but this questionnaire seems to discriminate against this group and therefore reach biased conclusion. Overall, I believe this is an interesting topic, but you need to work to fix the discrepancy between study object and questions asked. And also, the wording in the questions need to be polished.

Peer 3 → Question 1- definition of "special occasion" can is not clear. Respondents may interpret in many different ways. Additionally, it is not clear who your target respondents are, are they residents of the area? Will they know all of these neighbourhoods? Question 2. I think the options you have provided here are fair. Perhaps you also want to ask a probing question about what makes their favourite restaurant special. Question 3. Definition of drinks here again is subjective, it may be helpful to clarify if you mean alcoholic beverages. the wording "fair price" is also subjective because what is a "fair price" for a seafood dinner is different than a "fair price" for a hamburger. The brackets you have provided is also overlapping...B should start at $26, C should start at $51... Question 4. Please clarify what you mean by an "experience like this"? go out to my favourite restaurant, or dine out for special occasion? or dine out in general? also, does the budget affect the answer? Question 5. You asked a price question previously – clearly important aspect of decision, but have left it out as a choice here in question 5.

Revised Questions

The first thing worth noting is that my project's direction has changed substantially, instead of the original proposed pop-up restaurant, (which entailed many legal complications) it is instead going to be a 'Dinner Party Club' or 'Supper Club'. For those unfamiliar with the concept the idea is that Restaurant owners, wannabe Chefs or simply food fanatics will sell a limited number of seats to a one-off yet sometimes recurring evening often in their own homes with a set menu and set price known in advance. For real life examples check out Grub Club, Eat With Me or SupperShare.

The first comment made was they were unsure who I was trying to target. I have considered this very much and I agree that I was trying to target too broad an audience before. By asking some additional initial demographic questions I will be able to better segment my target market and eliminate the results that are not relevant. However in line with the brief, some of these questions are sensitive and may make the user uncomfortable. Should I make them optional? If I do however, I may not get a good enough response rate to be able to segment anyway.

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1. What is your nationality/ethnicity?

-Panamanian -Other Latin American -North American -European -Asian -Other (Please Specify)

2. Where is your primary residence?

-Panama -Other Latin America -North America -Europe -Asia -Other (Please Specify)

3. Which industry do you derive your main source of income from? (will be a drop down list)

-Accounting & Finance -Advertising/PR -Banking -Construction -Engineering -IT -Health -Marketing -Real Estate -Recruitment/Hr -Retail -Telecomms

4. What is your annual income from this source?

-Less than $10k -$10-$20k -$20-$50k -$50k+

These are the revisions I have made for the original questions 3-5 based on feedback:

3. How much would you anticipate spending on a meal in your favourite restaurant? (Total bill for 2 excluding alcohol, taxes and gratuities)

4. How Often do you typically eat out?

5. Excluding price, what are your most important considerations..

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References

http://www.thepanamadigest.com/2011/05/panama-on-the-social-networks/

http://academic.mintel.com.ezproxy.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/display/679729/ #

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-29132172

Eating Out: The Decision Making Process, Mintel Industry Report, July 2014

www.eatwithme.net

Fodor's Guide to Panama, 2010

www.grubclub.com

http://www.indexmundi.com/panama/economy_profile.html

Questionnaire Design For Social Surveys, Online Course, University of Michigan 2014

www.smartinsights.com

www.suppershare.com

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