Influence of the color and size of the plate on the subjective ratings of, taste expectations concerning, and willingness‐to‐pay for, Asian noodles

Abstract Two experiments were designed to investigate the effect of plate color and plate size on taste expectations, subjective ratings of, and willingness‐to‐pay for, Asian noodles and Italian pastas. Chinese participants viewed photographs of these foods served on plates of different colors and sizes, rated their liking, familiarity, taste expectations for the foods, and indicated how much they would be willing to pay for them. The foods were presented against the backdrop of store‐bought or computer‐edited colored plates. Presenting the food on white plates resulted in the highest familiarity scores. Interestingly, the participants were willing to pay approximately 16% more for the same quantity of Asian noodles when served on smaller (rather than larger) plates. Different patterns of results were observed with two types of Italian pasta that the Chinese participants were less familiar with, suggesting a moderating role of the familiarity people have with the foods. Practical applications The present study provides novel findings concerning the influence of plateware on Asian noodles, a commonly eaten food in many Asian countries. The findings suggest a fundamental difference between the role of plateware in the subjective ratings of, and taste expectations concerning, regularly consumed familiar and unfamiliar foods as in the present study and the snack food in previous studies. These findings are therefore relevant to those researchers and practitioners interested in how the receptacle, as an important contextual factor, influences consumers' perception and consumption of foods. These findings also have direct implications for those serving food in restaurants.