Purchasing strategies and decision‐making processes in the food service industry: a case study of UK restaurant chains

Notes the decline in household expenditure on food, an increase in meals consumed outside the home and the consequent increasing importance of restaurant chains. Using a case study approach, attempts to identify the key elements of the buying process in a sample of UK chain restaurants. Uses the BUYGRID model as the theoretical framework for this research, pinpointing the evaluation criteria used by the companies and observing their relation to the procurement procedures subsequently adopted. Concludes that using such a framework can assist in the development of supplier marketing strategies which focus on the organizational requirements and decision‐making processes.