Chapter I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

Introduction

The catering business is one of the most lucrative and

profitable home businesses with a high potential for

expansion and growth. It is both financially rewarding and

fun. Each catered event - whether birthday parties for

children, breakfast in bed and intimate candlelight dinners

for two, company dinner parties for 50 and wedding

receptions involving a hundred or more guests -- is a new

experience and challenge with a new group of people. Whether

it is a catering event on a full-time or part-time basis,

the opportunities are excellent.

However, catering is a demanding work, requiring

stamina, ability to work under pressure, and excellent

interpersonal skills. The success will greatly depend on

reputation. To build a good reputation in the business,

owner should be willing to work hard and the ability to work

under pressure. This kind of entrepreneurial business is

definitely growing and becoming more popular with people of

all income levels.

In the province, there are several catering services

that occur, extending services in the group of people on

1

which they are offering services for the hectic scheduled

families and those people who does not want to have to work

in the kitchen preparing for a hundred of people who will

attend parties, catering services will be the one who assist

and done all the works.

Many people are urging to put up a small business like

catering services and this study will tackle first their

success indicators and their preparation in putting up a

business so that people who wish to establish a catering

service, this paper will help them a lot.

Statement of the Problem

This study aims to describe the Success Indicators

among Catering Services in Cabanatuan City.

Specifically; it will answer the following questions:

1. How may the owners demographic profile be described in

terms of :

1.1 location of business

1.2 operating capital

1.3 types of catering services offered

1.4 number of manpower

2. How may the different Success Indicators among Catering

Services in Cabanatuan City bedescribed in terms of:

2.1 Market research

2.2 Menu composition

2

2.3 Lay-out and designs

3. What are the possible outcomes that affects the different

factors in operating catering services be identified as

to:

3.1 Income generation

3.2 Competition

Scope and Limitations of the Study

This study entitled ”Success Indicators among Catering

Services in Cabanatuan City” will cover the different

experiences of selected owners of catering services in

Cabanatuan City. Their experiences and suggestions will be

used and help a lot of future entrepreneurs in putting same

business.

Descriptive methods of research will be used in the

study and a total of ten (10) Catering Services owners will

be involved as respondents to this study, and they are

Paulino’s Catering, Dina’s Catering, Rod Rose Catering Café

Cristina Catering La Parilla Hotel, Aracelis, Rosenda’s

Restaurant, Plaza Leticia, Belle’s Catering and P-enoys

Catering which will be chosen by the researchers thru

convenience sampling.

3

Questionnaire will be the main tool in data gathering

and this study will be conducted during the school year

2011-2012.

Theoretical Framework

According to Hetahers,(2008) Catering operations are

generally one of the more complex components of a venue’s

activities. It is estimated that only 15% to 30% of

restaurant, hotel and club catering operations are

profitable. A successful catering department requires the

effective management of everything from price and portion

size to marketing and Human Resources. The benefit of a

successful catering operation is that it not only brings in

profits from the catering department, it also serves to

enhance other areas of the business.

4

Input Process Output

Figure 1.Research Paradigm

5

1. the profile of the participants be described in terms of :

Location of business Capital Types of catering services

offered Number of manpower

2. Different contributing factors in operating catering services be described in terms of:

Market research Menu composition Lay-out and designs

3. The possible outcomes that affects the different factors in operating catering services be identified as to:

Income generation

Competition

QuestionnairesStatistical Treatment of

dataPercentage, weighted

meanFrequency Distribution

Improvement in the Catering Services

Conceptual Framework

The conceptual framework of the study uses the input –

process-output (IPO) whereas the input of the study that the

researchers aims to determine is the profile the of the

respondents be described in terms of: age, gender,civil

status, educational background, number of children, location

of business, capital, types of catering services offered,

number of manpower, Success Indicators among Catering

Services in Cabanatuan City be described in terms of Market

research, Menu composition, lay-out and designs possible

outcomes if the different factors in operating catering

services are followed The process is the Gathering of data

thru questionnaires. Statistical analyzation of data and the

output of the study is Improvement in the Catering Services.

Significance of the Study

This study is identified to be beneficial to the

following:

Catering Services Owners. The study will give them

opportunity to give what they had experienced in

putting up he business so that others will be given

opportunity to study the consequences they are facing

and avoid the possible problem it may brought in the

future.

6

Future Entrepreneurs. The findings of the study will

help them a lot in studying the possible consequences

and factors in putting up catering services so that hey

can assess freely and when they decide to put up a

business like catering services they will exactly know

what they should do.

The Hotel and Restaurant Management students. The study

which will be the output of this study could be of

great help to HRIM students because it will allow them

to learn and review the different procedures in

catering services. It can be used as a reference in

their studies regarding catering service to provide

them a vital information and better understanding and

equip them with knowledge.

The Hotel and Restaurant Management Professors. Through

this study, their method of instruction can be improved

and this would help facilitate the application of

various processes involved in catering services. Also,

it will enable them to have ample time in doing other

works for the benefit of the students.

Costumers. This study will help the costumers to

understand the operation and enable them to evaluate or

asses the problems encountered in catering services

7

The Researchers. Through this study, they will have an

effective way of show casing what they have learned and

come up with an output, in the form of making a

research study that would be of benefit to others.,

this study will also this study will serve as

background and added information on how to establish a

successful start in a catering services business, this

study will also enable the researcher to be more

resourceful and studious in the field of this study.

Definition of Terms

For better understanding of the study, some terms are

operationally defined:

Catering Services.Is the business of providing foodservice

at a remote site or a site like a hotel, public house (pub)

and other various locations.

Contributing Factors. The term refers to the different terms

that affect the operation of the catering services, how it

will improve or can attract customers.

Lay-out and Designs. The term refers to the different

physical arrangement of the business in which customers feel

at ease when they are in the location.

8

Market Research.It refers to the study of the possible

people who will obtain services of the catering services in

the area.

Menu Composition.The term refers to the kind of foods that

will be offered to the customer in which it will be a factor

to attract them.

Profile.It refers to the distinct characteristics of the

owner of catering services like ages and gender in which

researchers believe has bearing in the present study.

Chapter II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

9

This chapter presents the review of related literature

and studies which is relevant to the present study.

Foreign Literature

The catering business is tough, with the details of

preparing food off-premises and on-site for hundreds of

people often times mind-boggling. It is not easy to cater to

an event of 400 people, much more if people start to do

thousands, some 60 miles from your home (what if you forget

the sauce?). Successfully running a small catering business

takes much more than a passion for cooking and a knack for

preparing tasty dishes. You have to be a superb planner and

manager as well. they need to be extremely organized, yet

flexible enough to be able to deal with last minute changes.

You also need a strong affinity for people and a kind of

intuition as to what people enjoy in different environmental

settings.

As the culinary sophistication and desire to be

entertained of many people have grown, customers today are

looking for the catered experience to be more restaurant-

like. Many caterers are now offering signature dishes and

house specialties as customers broaden their culinary

experience. Others are offering family-style menu,

10

especially for large informal functions and even corporate

meetings.

Caterers today have to be adept not only in satisfying

the taste buds but also excel in food preparation.  With the

goal of wowing the socks off the clients, many caterers give

ample focus on plate presentations, venue selection, and

table decoration, among others. Some even hire artists to

improve the presentation of the food, while some go to such

lengths as indoor pyrotechnics, confetti guns and laser-

light shows. Others employ in-house artists to customize

each catered event from passing platters to plate

presentations. Given the intense competition, caterers

nowadays are prepared to do anything to keep the customer

happy (and coming back for more).

You do not need special education or training to become

a successful caterer. Although taking some courses at

culinary institutes or vocational schools can help. Some

start out by working for one or more catering businesses to

get an inside look at how the business goes.

As with any business, your success will be directly

related to the soundness of planning and the working of that

plan. Start small and keep it simple. Understand exactly

what your client wants, and give him what he wants in the

11

way of service that reflects upon the client in a

complimentary manner.

Many people dream of running a successful catering

business. They imagine preparing delicious food for

appreciative people, building up a steady clientele. Running

a catering business takes a lot of work, too -- thus, as

with any small business, the owner will enjoy more success

if she has the ability to think creatively, work

independently, and network widely.

Some caterers choose to specialize in a particular menu

or type of function. The business owner must ensure the

local area has a demand for this type of food. A successful

business owner does his home work before preparing the menu.

This includes getting copies of menus from successful

businesses to find out what's popular, and deciding on the

target audience, as Joyce Wineberg says in her book "The

Everything Guide to Starting and Running a Catering

Business." The business owner should also include his

specialties in the menu and keep a running log of ideas, so

he can update the menu occasionally, she adds -- offering

seasonal choices like cold soup in summer, for instance, is

key to success.

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A stellar reputation plays a key role in landing

catering assignments. Catering businesses become known in

their communities for their quality of food and reliability,

and word of mouth will still form the foundation of a

business' reputation. This means being professional and

providing excellent quality food at every engagement, since

attendees will share their opinion of the business.

As Lora Arduser and Douglas Robert Brown say in "The

Professional Caterer's Handbook," a caterer must remain

highly organized and efficient. A caterer's job involves

planning how to prepare menus for all of her engagements,

preparing the food, managing staff, transporting the food,

talking with clients, advertising, and handling various

unforeseen glitches such as equipment malfunctioning, as the

authors describe. She must effectively juggle these tasks

while remaining personable and professional.

A website is crucial in today's marketplace, especially

for anyone marketing to upscale clients. In addition to

marketing the business' services, it's a considerate way to

display the services to clients without requiring them to

drive to a particular location. If a catering business owner

hasn't developed a website, many potential clients may

overlook the business.

13

Connecting with organizations such as the American

Culinary Federation and the National Caterers Association

will keep the owners of small businesses clued in to events

and developments in the catering world, as Arduser and Brown

point out. Connecting with other professionals also provides

moral support and education, increasing the chances of

success.

Local Literature

Catering operations, as either a stand-alone facility

or as part of a larger hospitality-related business, exist

in a wide variety of formats, or styles. Most common are

those that are readily identifiable as private rooms in

restaurant operations, hotel facilities, and independent

catering facilities. The increased demand by the

international public for private function space outside of

their own homes and businesses has led the catering segment

of the foodservice sector of the hospitality industry to be

a leader in the continued growth of both facilities and

revenue. Forward thinking foodservice businesses from fine

dining restaurants to delicatessens are incorporating

catering services into their operations in recognition of

the expanding market for prepared foodservices. Off- premise

catering and take-out services offer an excellent avenue for

increasing revenue with minimal costs.

14

The proximity of the restaurant to office complexes and

centralized business areas will help to establish whether

its catering service will be focused on business or social

marketing efforts. Businesses in the twenty-first century

are spread from urban centers to suburban locations in

office parks. Central urban locations offer a concentrated

market for both office delivery and take-out. A significant

factor in developing the market for business catering is

that service is generally required during the business week,

leaving weekend periods free to service social business. In

addition, locations such as museums, concert halls, and

historical sites offer interesting venues to catered

functions for both local businesses and conventions.

Both urban and suburban restaurants can successfully

develop social catering business. Suburban locations are

generally more appropriate for social catering to private

homes, clubs, churches, and other facilities. Delivery to

urban locations can pose security and logistical problems,

creating additional costs for transportation and service

labor. Population density also affects the volume of

anticipated catering business. Restaurants situated in

rural areas with low population density cannot expect

immediate high volumes of catering business. Areas of high-

density population yield a variety of catering opportunities

15

that steadily increase in volume through referrals and

reputation. The location of the physical restaurant building

plays a role in the type of catering services to be offered.

Storage facilities, expansion possibilities, and access to

major transportation routes are factors important to

catering service production. Customer Profile Restaurants

have the advantage of a built-in customer pool to whom they

can market in-house and off-premise catering services. In

addition, the attraction of being associated with a

restaurant's reputation will help to expand the possible

market to include new business and social clients. The

market profile should classify customers as business or

social catering clients, designated by income bracket. In

addition the range of activities for which each customer

pool will need catering services should be researched as

thoroughly as possible. This will help in developing package

programs along with potential menu programs and accompanying

pricing concepts.

Full-Service Restaurants Style or Concept The style,

concept, and/or theme of the restaurant should be taken into

consideration when planning potential catering services.

Off-premise catering services do not necessarily have to

blend with the facilities offered by the restaurant. On-

16

premise catering services should, however, be designed to

function within the restaurant facilities.

Restaurants facilities are a major factor in providing

on-premise catering. The ratio of catering functions to

restaurant services that can be handled at a given time is

dependent on the size and flexibility of the physical plant.

Small private parties are often incorporated into the

general dining room setting. Large parties must, however, be

given facilities that are separated from the general public.

This restaurant has a private dining room and bar

facility with a dance floor that can also be used for

additional restaurant seating during busy time periods and

holidays. Flexible facilities such as these allow a

restaurant to maximize revenues. Many restaurants that offer

in-house catering schedule large parties, such as weddings,

anniversaries, luncheons, and dinners, on days and times

when the restaurant is not otherwise open. Often catering

business must be refused because sufficient on-premise

facilities are not available. When management is

continually turning away catering business, a decision will

need to be made as to how the restaurant will balance is

future development of catering versus full-service dining

services. Kitchen facilities play a major part in

determining when and how catering service demands can be

17

met. Kitchen equipment must be flexible, allowing for

volume production to take place simultaneously with à la

carte restaurant service.

The kitchen cooking load and holding capacity of ovens

and auxiliary equipment is important to determine if a

kitchen is to be used to its full capacity during busy

times. Storage and refrigeration facilities determine the

amount of food products available at any given time. The

cost of waste from food spoilage due to lack of

refrigeration and freezer space could dilute the profit from

additional catering business. A further discussion of

equipment capability for catering service is found in

Chapter Twelve. Cuisine and Menu The primary cuisine and

menu offerings of a restaurant constitute one of the most

important considerations for on-premise catering. As

discussed earlier, off-premise catering services do not

necessarily need to be the same as those offered at the

restaurant for full-service dining.

Purchasing and production requirements are crucial to

the successful development of catering services. On-premise

catering should offer menu items that duplicate the

established menu as closely as possible in order to enhance

production capabilities. Surrounding items, such as

vegetables and starches, are the most effective area of the

18

menu to duplicate. Kitchen production is more efficient when

the number of surrounding menu items is 28 Chapter 2 Styles

of Catering Operations

Chapter III

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METHODS OF RESEARCH AND PROCEDURE

This chapter discusses the method of research used,

locale of the study, the respondents, sample/sampling

design, the data gathering techniques and instrument,

validation of data and the statistical treatment of data.

Method of Research Used

The study utilized the descriptive method of research.

Descriptive research according to Burns and Grove (2003), is

a method that provides an accurate portrayal or account of

characteristics of a particular individual, event, or group

in real life situations. This type of research is conducted

to discover new meaning, describe what exists, determine the

frequency with which something occurs, and categorize

information.

In the words of Shields (2006), she stated further:

“Descriptive research is also called Statistical Research. The main goal of this type of research is to describe the data and characteristics about what is being studied. The idea behind this type of research is to study frequencies, averages, and other statistical calculations. Although this research is highly accurate, it does not gather the causes behind a situation. Descriptive research is mainly done when a researcher wants to gain a better understanding of a topic”.

Research Site

20

The City of Cabanatuan (Ilokano: Ciudad ti Cabanatuan;

Kapampangan: Lakanbalenning Cabanatuan/Siudadning

Cabanatuan; Pangasinan: Siyudadna Cabanatuan/Lunsodna

Cabanatuan; Filipino: Lungsodng Cabanatuan) is a first

class, urban city in the province of Nueva Ecija,

Philippines. It is considered the commerce, industrial and

educational hub of the province. According to the latest

census, it has a population of 259,267 people in 45,424

households. It is a bustling city home to many jeepneys and

tricycles. It bears the title as the "Tricycle Capital of

the Philippines", because it has about over 38,202 (as of

September 2009) registered tricycles.

The old provincial capitol of Nueva Ecija is located

here and is still used by the provincial government and the

governor.

Location Map

21

The map showing the area of CabanatuanCity

Figure 2. Location Map of the Study

Sources of Data

There were 5 owners of Catering services in

CabanatuanCity. Those respondents were given questionnaires

by means of convenience sampling whereby limitation has been

set in the selection of respondents. A total of 5

questionnaires will be prepared and the survey ended after

these questionnaires were filled up by the respondents; then

collected, tallied, analyzed and interpreted.

Sampling Design

22

Descriptive method is used in the study using purposive

sampling (Grove & Burns, 2005).

Purposive sampling was the sampling method used by the

researchers.

Data Gathering Techniques and Instrument

Interview. Structured or unstructured interview was

used in order to determine the different perception of the

participants to the contributing factors in operating

catering services among selected owners in Cabanatuan City,

the questions and answer given by the participants is a

great help in the construction of the study, although the

question made is not typically used in the questionnaires.

Questionnaire. The questionnaire was the main tool used

by this study in data gathering. A questionnaire is a

research instrument consisting of series of items and other

prompts for the purpose of gathering information from the

respondents. Specifically, the researchers used the

structured questionnaire. Structured questionnaire is a

questionnaire used in large surveys where specific answers

are anticipated. It includes the use of multiple choice and

scaled questions. It generates quantitative information

(data), which can be analyzed statistically, and endeavors

to remove any bias potentially originating from either the

researchers or the respondents (LLP, 2006).

23

Local or Actual Observation. Is used to determine the

clarity and accuracy of the data taken from interview and

questionnaires.

Description of the Questionnaire. The instrument used

was a structured questionnaire developed by the researchers

which consisted of a number of items that the respondents

have to answer in a set format. The questionnaire developed

consisted of two parts: the profile of the respondents and

the contributing factors in operating catering Services

among Selected Owners in CabanatuanCity.

Part I which is the profile of the respondents in

terms of their age, sex and civil status.

Part II consisted of three factors that might help the

determination of the participant in Success Indicators among

Catering Services in Cabanatuan City.

The respondents indicated the agreement or disagreement

to the listed attitudes using the following response mode:

Rating Scale

Verbal Interpretation

4 Very Satisfactory (VS)3 Satisfactory (S)2 Fairly

Satisfactory(FS)

1 Unsatisfactory (US)Scoring. The scoring and verbal interpretations of the

responses were arranged using the Likert-five point scale

given below:

24

Rating ScaleVerbal

Interpretation4.20-5.00 Very Satisfactory (VS)3.40-4.19 Satisfactory (S)2.60-3.39 Fairly

Satisfactory(FS)

1.00-2.59 Unsatisfactory (US)

Validation of the Questionnaire. The questionnaire used by

the researchers was developed by the group. It was initially

drafted as a result of several readings and consultations.

The draft was presented to the researchers’ research adviser

and Dean of the College of HRM for comments. Group sat

together to improve and revise the questionnaire and

incorporated all suggestions that came out after the

validation.

Administration of the Questionnaire. The researcher will

seek permission from the dean of the College of Nursing.

Upon approval, the researchers will administer the

questionnaires to the target participants. In the

administration of the instrument, the researchers will

personally visit the family and will distribute the

questionnaire.

The researcher allowed a period of two months for data

gathering to give ample time for the retrieval of the

instrument.

Statistical Treatment of Data

25

After collecting the data needed, the researchers

tabulated and analyzed the gathered data with the help of

statistical tools. The following are the statistical tools

used in this study together with their corresponding

formulas.

1. The profile of the respondents was determined by

using and percentage, ranking and weighted mean (Trochim,

2006).

Percentage

F(P)% = ─── x 100

N

Where: F = Frequency

N = total number of the respondents

P = percentage

Weighted Mean

Weighted mean is used in parts 2 and 3 , the formula

used is: WM = TWF/N

Where: WM = weighted mean

N = total number of responses

WF = weighted frequency

Chapter IV

PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

26

This chapter presents the presentation of data , its

analysis and its interpretation of data, it dealt primarily

on the Success Indicators among Catering Services in

Cabanatuan City.

1. Profile of the Participants in terms of:

Table 1.1

Location of Business

F %Residential 7 70

Lease within the city

3 30

Total 10 100

The location of their business is explained in the

table, 7 of the participants admitted that they located

their business in their residential home with 70% and 1

answered that they lease within the city with 30%.

Majority of the catering business owners prefer their

home as the primary location for their business because of

the fact of easiness and accessible on what they need, and

their customers can easily locate them.

Table 1.2

Capital

F %P 100,000-P200,000 10 100

27

P 201-P 300,000 0 0Total 10 100

Majority of the participants admitted that they have

staring capital of P 100,000 – P 200,000.

Table 1.3

Types of Catering Services Offered

F %All types of

Catering services like Marriage, Christening,

Birthday Party, business party,

etc.

10 100

Birthday party alone

0 0

Total 10 100

Participants admitted that their business offered

all types of catering services and this includes Marriage,

Christening, birthday Party, business party, etc.

Table 1.4

Number of Manpower

F %0-10 7 7011-15 3 30Total 10 1007 of the participant have 0-10 people working with

them with 805 of the population of participants and 3 has

11-15 manpower with 30%.

28

Result shows that majority of the participants has

0-10 people working with them, it includes the cook, liaison

officers, helper and caterer.

2. Success Indicators among Catering Services in Cabanatuan

City in terms of:

Table 2.1

Market Research

W F WF WM VI Rank1. Demographics: the population characteristics of the local area (ie; families, retirees, income levels, age,structures, etc.)

54321

73000

3512000

4.7 SA 1

10 472. Portion Size: what preferences do local area residents place on portion size, food quality and price

54321

55000

2520000

4.5 SA 3

10 453. Customers willingness to pay

54321

64000

3016000

4.6 SA 2

10 464. Popular items are on competitor’s menu?

54321

08200

032600

3.8 A 4

10 385. How much variety is needed on the menu?

5432

0073

00289

3.7 MA 5

29

1 0 010 37

One of the factors that needed in the operation of

catering business is the market research, rank 1 are

Demographics: the population characteristics of the local

area (ie; families, retirees, income levels, age structures

etcwith both have 4.7 in weighted mean and interpreted as

strongly agree , rank 2 is Customer’s willingness to paywith

weighted mean of 4.6 strongly agree, rank 3 is Portion Size:

what preferences do local area residents place on portion

size, food quality and price with 4.5 also strongly agree ,

rank 4 is popular items are on competitor menu’s with 3.8

and it means agree and the last is How much variety is

needed on the menu with 3.7 and interpreted as moderately

agree.

Market research plays an important role in the catering

business it is the kind of study that the perspective

businessmen should studied they should started the

population of the location, to see if there is a demand and

their capacity to seek catering service,because present

lifestyles have also given way to increased demand for

catered food service. Instead of laboring for hours, even

days, in the kitchen preparing for parties or events, many

homemakers now call on a caterer to provide sumptuous and

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unforgettable feasts for their guests. An increasing number

of working mothers are paying to have catered birthday and

graduation parties, as well as wedding receptions handled by

caterers. The reasons are simple: if she is working outside

the home, today's mother just does not have the time or the

energy to do all the planning and staging of a memorable

party.

Table 2.2

Menu Composition

W F WF WM VI Rank1. Menu management 5

4321

64000

3016000

4.6 SA 2

10 46

2. When composing a menu it is

essential that all meals are

costed with strict adherence to

portion control.

54321

55000

2520000

4.5 SA 3

10 453.Recipe cards 5

4321

91000

454000

4.9 SA 1

10 49

4. Inventory management54321

08200

032600

3.8 A 4

10 38

31

5. Predicting and assessing when to change certain aspects of the menu

54321

06400

0241240

3.6 MA 5

10 36

Rank 1 is Recipe cardswith 4.9 in weighted mean and

interpreted as strongly agree, rank 2 is Menu Management and

it is interpreted as strongly agree, rank 3 is When

composing a menu it is essential that all meals are costs

with strict adherence to portion control with 4.5 and also

interpreted as strongly agree, rank 4 is Inventory

management with 3.8 and interpreted as agree and the last is

Predicting and assessing when to change certain aspects of

the menu with 3.6 and it means moderately agree.

Menu management is an ongoing task; menus should be

reviewed and changed regularly when pricing a meal it is

necessary to determine the quantity of each ingredient, the

cost per unit of that ingredient and the cost per

meal/cover.Menu cards assist chefs and management to cost

menu items, they ensure food presentation and quantity

remain consistent and they serve as a reference for all

kitchen staff reducing the need for verbal questions thus

saving time. Inventory management is critical to successful

catering operations. Having too much inventory on hand can

32

harm your business in two distinct ways. The most obvious is

that food will spoil and will need to be thrown out adding

to wastage, which is usually already a major cost in

catering operations and a cost which is notoriously hard to

manage and control.

Table 2.3

Lay-Out and Design

W F Wm F WM VI RankMenu considerations

54321

91000

454000

4.9 SA 1

10 49Table size and mix 5

4321

73000

3512000

4.7 SA 2

10 47Spacing between tables

54321

64000

3016000

4.6 SA 3

10 46Entry and waiting area

54321

05500

0201500

3.5 MA 5

10 35Access to restrooms and Layout Efficiency

54321

07300

028900

3.7 A 4

10 37

33

Rank 1 is Menu considerations with weighted mean of

4.9 and interpreted as strongly agree, rank 2 is Table size

and mix with 4.7 as weighted mean and is interpreted as

strongly agree,rank 3 is Spacing between tables with 4.6 and

it means strongly agree, rank 4 is Access to restrooms and

Layout Efficiency with 3.7 and it means agree and the last

is Entry and waiting area with 3.5, interpreted as

moderately agree.

The designs of the facilities that support the

catering operation are vital. A well design catering venue

will incorporate a work/service area that facilitates

maximum efficiency thus keeping wages, power, energy and

wastage to a minimum.

Venue layout considerations can include the following:

Menu considerations: these factors will dictate what

types of equipment will be needed in the kitchen, size

and locations of preparation areas and storage

requirements

Table size and mix: what is your stereotypical customer

and what is your customer group mix

Spacing between tables: how much privacy and comfort do

customers require

Entry and waiting area: is the venue layout designed so

that when customers enter the catering area, front of

34

house staff are ready to greet them and allocate a

table

Access to restrooms: are bathroom facilities within

walking distance, and is their size adequate to cater

for the number of patrons. Department of Health

requirements must be satisfied

Layout Efficiency: A catering operation can be

simplified down to a eight step process 1.

Delivery/receipt of food and beverage; 2. Storage of

materials; 3. Pre-service preparation; 6. Order

receipt; 5. Cooking; 6. Serving food to customers; 7.

Removal of materials from tables/ dishwashing; 8.

Removal of waste. Each of these processes needs to be

taken into account when designing a catering venue.

Consideration should be given to cross traffic,

potential bottlenecks, clearances

3. Possible outcomes as to its:

Table 3.1

Income generation

W F Wm F WM VI Rank

35

1. Creates jobs 54321

64000

3016000

4.6 SA 3

10 462. Ideas of catering services will be distributed

54321

82000

408000

4.8 SA 1

10 483. small business will emerged within the vicinity

54321

73000

3512000

4.7 SA 2

5 474. creates transportation routes within the vicinity

54321

05500

0201500

3.5 A 4

5 18

The possible effect as to the income generation are

Ideas of catering services will be distributed with 4.8 and

interpreted as strongly agree next is small business will

emerged within the vicinity with 4.7 and it means strongly

agree, next is creates jobs and is interpreted as strongly

agree and the last is creates transportation routes within

the vicinity with 3.5 and interpreted as agree.

It implies that the catering services will creates

job among its employees added to this will creates line or

area of transportation and the emergence of small business

around the establishments offering different products.

36

Table 3.2

Competition

W F Wm F WM VI Rank1. possible competition will emerged

54321

91000

454000

4.9 SA 1

10 492. Competing with other restaurants

54321

82000

408000

4.8 SA 2

10 483. increasing number of small catering services in every three barangay

54321

55000

2520000

4.5 SA 3

10 45

The possible competition will be possible

competition will emerged with 4.9, next is competing with

other restaurants with 4.8 and it means strongly agree and

the last increasing number of small catering services in

every three barangay also strongly agree with 4.5 as

weighted mean.

Based on findings, there will be significant

competitors that will emerged on the catering services most

especially when they see that their business is booming ,

others will try to compete on them.

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Chapter V

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This chapter presents the summary of the findings,

its conclusions and recommendation offered by the

researchers.

38

Summary

This study entitled ”Success Indicators among

Catering Services in Cabanatuan City” will cover the

different experiences of selected owners of catering

services in Cabanatuan City. Their experiences and

suggestion will be used and help a lot of future

entrepreneurs in putting same business.

Descriptive methods of research will be used in the

study and a total of ten (10) Catering Services owners will

be involved as respondents to this study, and they areLa

Parilla Hotel and restaurant, Aracelli’s Restaurant, Plaza

Leticia, Rosenda’s Restaurant, N.E. Cakes and

Restaurant,Paulino’s Catering, Dina’s Catering, Rod Rose

catering Café Cristina Catering and P-enoys catering which

will be chosen by the researchers thru convenience sampling.

Questionnaire will be the main tool in data gathering

and this study will be conducted during the school year

2011-2012.

Specifically, it will answer the following questions:

1. How may the owners profile demographic profile be

described in terms of :

1.1 number of children

1.6 location of business

39

1.7 operating capital

1.8 types of catering services offered

1.9 number of manpower

2. How may the different contributing Success Indicators

among Catering Services in CabanatuanCitybe described in

terms of:

2.1 Market research

2.2 Menu composition

2.3 lay-out and designs

3. What are the possible outcomes that affects the different

factors in operating catering services be identified as to:

3.1 income generation

3.2 Competition

Summary of Findings

1. Profile of the Participants in terms of:

Location of Business

The location of their business is explained in the

table,7 of the participants admitted that they located

their business in their residential home with 70% and 3

answered that they lease within the city with 30%.

Capital

40

Majority of the participants admitted that they have

staring capital of P 100,000 – P 200,000.

Types of Catering Services Offered

Participants admitted that their business offered

all types of catering services and this includes Marriage,

Christening, birthday Party, business party etc.

Number of Manpower

7 of the participant have 0-10 people working with

them with 70% of the population of participants and 3 has

11-15 manpower with 30%.

2. Success Indicators among Catering Services in

CabanatuanCityin terms of:

Market Research

One of the factors that needed in the operation of

catering business is the market research, rank 1 are

Demographics: the population characteristics of the local

area (ie; families, retirees, income levels, age structures

etcwith both have 4.7 in weighted mean and interpreted as

strongly agree , rank 2 is Customer’s willingness to paywith

weighted mean of 4.6 strongly agree, rank 3 is Portion Size:

what preferences do local area residents place on portion

41

size, food quality and price with 4.5 also strongly agree ,

rank 4 is popular items are on competitor menu’s with 3.8

and it means agree and the last is How much variety is

needed on the menu with 3.7 and interpreted as moderately

agree.

Menu Composition

Rank 1 is Recipe cardswith 4.9 in weighted mean and

interpreted as strongly agree, rank 2 is Menu Management and

it is interpreted as strongly agree, rank 3 is When

composing a menu it is essential that all meals are costs

with strict adherence to portion control with 4.5 and also

interpreted as strongly agree, rank 4 is Inventory

management with 3.8 and interpreted as agree and the last is

Predicting and assessing when to change certain aspects of

the menu with 3.6 and it means moderately agree.

Lay-Out and Design

Rank 1 is Menu considerations with weighted mean of

4.9 and interpreted as strongly agree, rank 2 is Table size

and mix with 4.7 as weighted mean and is interpreted as

strongly agree,rank 3 is Spacing between tables with 4.6 and

it means strongly agree, rank 4 is Access to restrooms and

Layout Efficiency with 3.7 and it means agree and the last

is Entry and waiting area with 3.5, interpreted as

moderately agree.

42

3. Possible outcomes as to its:

Income generation

The possible effect as to the income generation are

Ideas of catering services will be distributed with 4.8 and

interpreted as strongly agree next is small business will

emerged within the vicinity with 4.7 and it means strongly

agree, next is creates jobs and is interpreted as strongly

agree and the last is creates transportation routes within

the vicinity with 3.5 and interpreted as agree.

It implies that the catering services will creates

job among its employees added to this will creates line or

area of transportation and the emergence of small business

around the establishments offering different products.

Competition

The possible competition will be possible

competition will emerged with 4.9, next is competing with

other restaurants with 4.8 and it means strongly agree and

the last increasing number of small catering services in

every three barangay also strongly agree with 4.5 as

weighted mean.

Based on findings, there will be significant

competitors that will emerged on the catering services most

43

especially when they see that their business is booming ,

others will try to compete on them.

Conclusions

On the light of the findings of the study,

researchers concluded the following:

1. Market research plays an important role in the catering

business it is the kind of study that the perspective

businessmen should studied they should started the

population of the location, to see if there is a demand

and their capacity to seek catering service,because

present lifestyles have also given way to increased

demand for catered food service.

2. Menu management is an ongoing task; menus should be

reviewed and changed regularly when pricing a meal it is

necessary to determine the quantity of each ingredient,

the cost per unit of that ingredient and the cost per

meal/cover.

3. The designs of the facilities that support the catering

operation are vital. A well design catering venue will

incorporate a work/service area that facilitates maximum

efficiency thus keeping wages, power, energy and wastage

to a minimum.

Recommendations

44

1. The researchers recommended that those who want to put

a business like the catering business a superb planner

and manager as well is needed they need to be

extremely organized, yet flexible enough to be able to

deal with last minute changes.

2. The researchers recommended offering signature dishes

and house specialties as customers broaden their

culinary experience.

3. The researchers recommended that the caterers today

have to be adept not only in satisfying the taste buds

but also excel in food preparation

4. The researchers recommended that a caterer does not

need to undergo a special education or training to

become a successful caterer.

5. The researchers recommended starting a small business

and keeping it simple.

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