Down to the pit:

Assessing Pita Pit’s core marketing problems among target audience, restaurant selection attributes, and target diner personality traits

Channing Jones, Jimmy Knoll, David Han, Davis Mastin, Caroline Orr, Jacob Plunkett, Louisa Leiser

Professor Guiyang Xiong, Ph.D.
MARK 4000
4 December 2013
Table of Contents

I. Motivation & Background…………………………………………………………………............3
Company Background………………………………………………………………………..........3
Athens Franchise Background…………………………..…………………………………………3
Franchise Problem & Opportunity…………………………………………………………………3
Justification of the Study………………………………………………………………………......4
Secondary Data & Support………………………………………………………………………...4
Relevant Industry Trends………………………………………………………………………......6
Initial Primary Data Support……………………………………………………………………….7
II. Objectives of the Study……………………………………………………………………….........7
Objectives……………………………………………………………………….............................8
Scope of the Project………………………………………………………………………..............8
Hypotheses, Independent & Dependent Variables………………………………………………...8
III. Research Design & Data Collection……………………………………………………………….9
Research Design & Rationale……………………………………………………………………...9
Types of Primary Data Collected…………………………………………………………………10
Data Collection Methodology & Rationale………………………………………………………10
Evaluation of Selected Approaches………………………………………………………………10
IV. Measurement Instrument: Online Survey………………………………………………………...11
V. Sampling Strategy………………………………………………………………………...............11
Population Characteristics………………………………………………………………………..11
Sampling Method and Size……………………………………………………………………….12
VI. Descriptive Statistics: Online Survey…………………………………………………………….12
VII. Data Testing, Results, & Analysis……………………………………………………………12
Hypothesis 1……………………………………………………………………….................12
Hypothesis 2……………………………………………………………………….................13
Hypothesis 3……………………………………………………………………….................14
VIII. Marketing Implications for Pita Pit…………………………………………………………..15
Hypothesis 1……………………………………………………………………….................15
Hypothesis 2……………………………………………………………………….................15
Hypothesis 3……………………………………………………………………….................16
IX. Limitations of the Study………………………………………………………………………......16
Sample Size……………………………………………………………………….........................16
Non-coverage Error………………………………………………………………………............16
Non-response Error……………………………………………………………………….............16
References………………………………………………………………………........................................17
Appendix………………………………………………………………………..........................................18

I. Motivation & Background

Company Background:
Pita Pit, a quick-service restaurant that began franchising in Canada in 1997 and the US in 1999, with stores currently located in the US, Canada, and other international locations, was founded on the premise that people often seek and desire a healthier alternative to dining at quick-service and other fast food-related restaurants. Over the years, the company has expanded its Lebanese-style pita offerings nationwide and has come to be associated with the popular phrase, “fresh thinking and healthy eating.”

Athens, Georgia Franchise Background:
Pita Pit is a healthy, quick-service restaurant located in downtown Athens on Jackson Street, next to a popular Athens coffee shop, Jittery Joes. Kory Rykman became owner of the restaurant around September 2012. The previous owners had “done a poor job” of maintaining a sustainable business as a result of bad customer service, untrustworthy employees, and poorly executed marketing promotions. Since last September, Rykman has been doing his best to alter the brand’s image through hiring new employees, improving service, and branding. Rykman hopes to position Pita Pit as the healthy alternative to downtown food, and he feels that the restaurant is already well-associated with late-night service. He hopes to reposition the restaurant as an everyday dining option, not solely