The Role of Different Emotional States of Customers on Food Preferences

The purpose of this research is the role of different emotional states of customers on the preference of choosing (type) of food. The current research is applicable in terms of purpose, and mixed (qualitative-quantitative) in terms of execution. The statistical population of the research in the qualitative part includes 26 people from the food consumers of restaurants and food courts in shopping centers of Tehran (Arg, Kurosh, Palladium, Sana, Iran Mall, etc.), and sampling was done in the targeted manner; and the quantitative part includes 448 persons who, like the qualitative part, were selected randomly available from the consumers of food. The research collection tool is a semi-structured interview and a questionnaire taken from the qualitative section. Data-based theory and MAXQDA software were used for data analysis, and multivariate analysis and structural equations were used in the quantity part. The results showed that there are two components in the experienced excitement: positive emotion, and negative emotion; and for background factors, three components of culture, health knowledge, and previous experience; and five components for food selection conditions in positive emotional conditions; and five components for negative emotional conditions have been identified. The results have shown that people go to different foods in different experienced emotions (positive and negative), and different characteristics of food (texture, color, temperature, aroma, taste) played an important role in their choice in both positive and negative emotions. On the other hand, background factors also affect the conditions of food selection and people have chosen food based on texture, color, temperature, aroma and taste in negative or positive emotional conditions.