Preference for Turkish ethnic foods in the USA

Abstract

This research aims to explain why Turkish ethnic foods are preferred in the USA and the reasons for the success of Turkish restaurants. The research population consists of customers living in the USA who have been to Turkish restaurants. The convenience sampling method and a survey consisting of web surveys and e-mails were used for the data collection from the 13 states of the USA. Analysis, multivariate normal distribution test, factor analysis, and regression analysis were used to analyze the collected data. According to the findings, the reasons for preferring Turkish ethnic foods significantly and positively influence the intention to revisit Turkish restaurants. The kebab was the most popular and well-liked product. In terms of trials, kebab, baklava, Turkish tea, doner, and Turkish coffee follow, respectively. There is an increasing interest in research examining ethnic food consumption, reasons for ethnic food preference, and reasons for choosing ethnic restaurants. However, studies on Turkish cuisine are mostly in Turkey and have been carried out on domestic and foreign tourists. There are not enough studies about Turkish ethnic foods outside of Turkey from the consumer side. This study will be provided valuable information for the literature and practice as restaurant businesses.