Consumer and Worker Opinions of Cash Food Systems: NAS Alameda.

摘要

In order to evaluate the effects of the conversion from traditional military dining hall service to CASH/A La Carte upon both the enlisted consumer and the food service worker at NAS Alameda, paper-and-pencil surveys and face-to-face interviews designed to provide an in-depth assessment of the attitudes and opinions of the respondents toward the food service system were administered to selected samples of each of these two populations both before and after the conversion. The two primary features of the CASH/A La Carte system-- an all-COMRATS policy and item pricing-- were preferred to the alternative choices of a mixed COMRATS/RIK policy and flat-rate meal or 'special' meal pricing by a majority of respondents. Improved food quality and greater meal variety, both for 'regular' and 'short-order' type meals, appeared to be the most salient features of the food service system contributing to the positive change in consumer attitudes toward the facility. One problem for the consumers created by CASH/A La Carte was an apparent increase in waiting time in the food service line from pre- to post-CASH/A La Carte measures. The negative effect of increase waiting time was apparently more than offset by the positive effects of improved food quality and variety; however, since overall attitudes toward the Alameda facility in general were significantly more favorable in spite of the increasing waiting time after the CASH/A La Carte system had been implemented than they were prior to CASH/A La Carte.