The fact that the patrons will take or accept items on the serving line does not prove that these are their preferred foods; they may take it merely because they have no better choice.

Food preferences or attitudes toward foods may be determined by several approaches. One approach is to solicit written opinions from the crew regarding items or classes of foods when you have doubts about their

relative popularity. A questionnaire may be developed on which the patrons indicate their preference for various items. The manner in which the foods are described, the instructions given with the questionnaire, and where and when it is filled out are important factors to consider if you are to obtain good reliable data.

The most commonly used food preference questionnaire is a rating scale given to each person attending the meal or at some other appropriate time. This type of questionnaire is easily tabulated and is reliable because checking or circling a block is all that a person is required to do.

Food preference questiomaires can determine which single food items are most or least popular, their desired frequency of use on a menu, and what menu combinations are most or least liked. An example of how to canvass for opinions on single food items is given in figure 7-4. These food preference questionnaires should be updated periodically because tastes change, new personnel come aboard, and new items are procured.

Another type of questionnaire used may prove beneficial to the menu planner and the MS. This questionnaire is completed by the MS on watch concerning the meal just prepared.