Practical Business Strategies Independent Quick Service Restaurants Use to Sustain beyond Five Years

Abstract

Grounded in the resource-based theory, this study focused on quick-service restaurant owners who fail to apply practical business strategies that could close or become inactive within the first 5 years. Data came from semistructured interviews with 6 owners of independent quick-service restaurants in Little Rock, Arkansas, who sustained their business beyond the first 5 years and from the review of business documents concerning sustainability. Data were also collected using business artifacts such as job descriptions, menus, websites, social media platforms, and business licenses, reviewed, and analyzed using methodological triangulation. Member checking validated the collected data to ensure the reliability and validity of the interpretations. Six key themes emerged from the data: 1) organization value, 2) customer required excellence, 3) financial perspective, 4) human assets, 5) physical operating materials, and 6) technological prowess. The 6 themes aligned with the five types of internal resources established the conceptual framework 1) organizational capital, 2) financial capital, 3) human capital, 4) physical capital, and 5) technological capital. The implications for positive social change include the potential to support the welfare of the citizens in Little Rock, Arkansas, and owners of quick-service restaurants across the United States by providing them with the strategies necessary to increase their survival rate, improve job sustainability, and encourage job creation.

Exploring dark kitchens in Brazilian urban centres: A study of delivery-only restaurants with food delivery apps

“…Many dark kitchens offer utilitarian meals, i.e., they serve consumers who want a quick and cheap lunch or dinner but do not refrain from eating complete meals (e.g., a combination of rice, beans, protein dish, salad, and some dessert). In this case the management is oriented for a cost leadership strategy (Legimai et al, 2022;Uyar et al, 2022;Wallace & Wallace, 2022). Instead, it is possible to see many dark kitchens offering hedonic foods such as snacks and desserts.…”