Food court

A food court (in Asia-Pacific also called food hall or hawker centre)[1] is generally an indoor plaza or common area within a facility that is contiguous with the counters of multiple food vendors and provides a common area for self-serve dining.[2][3]

Food courts may be found in shopping malls, airports, and parks. In various regions (such as Asia, the Americas, and Africa), a food court may be a standalone development. In some places of learning such as high schools and universities, food courts have also come to replace or complement traditional cafeterias.[4][5][6]

Food service and dining area

Food courts consist of a number of vendors at food stalls or service counters. Meals are ordered at one of the vendors and then carried to a common dining area, often using a common food tray standardized across all the court's vendors. The food may also be ordered as takeout for consumption at another location, such as a home or workplace. In this case, it may be packaged in plastic or foam food containers on location. Vendors at food courts may also sell pre-packaged meals for consumers to take home.[7]

Food is usually eaten with plastic cutlery, and sporks are sometimes used to avoid the necessity of providing both forks and spoons. There are exceptions: Carrefour Laval requires its food court tenants to use solid dinnerware and cutlery which it provides.[8]

Common materials used in constructing food courts are tile, linoleum, Formica, stainless steel, and glass, all of which facilitate easy cleanup.[7]

History

The second-floor food court at the Paramus Park shopping mall in Paramus, New Jersey, which opened in March 1974, has been credited as the first successful shopping mall food court in the United States. However, a food court at the Sherway Gardens shopping center in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, was constructed three years earlier.[9] Built by the Rouse Company, one of the leading mall building companies of the time, it followed an unsuccessful attempt at the Plymouth Meeting Mall in 1971, which reportedly failed because it was "deemed too small and insufficiently varied".[9][10] In Thailand, the first food court was called Mahbunkhrong Food Center inside Mahbunkhrong Center (modern-day MBK Center), opened on February 7, 1985, along with a shopping center. It was considered the largest food court in the country. In 2014, it was improved to MBK Food Island.[11] The concept of a food court has since evolved in the US in the form of the

Retail concept

In the 1990s, food courts became a shopping mall staple.[13] Food courts became such an integral part of culture that colleges and universities began to incorporate food-court like settings in their cafeteria, and even brought name-brand franchises (KFC, Taco Bell, Subway, etc.) into partnership with the schools. Soon after, airports, as well as many office buildings, incorporated food court layouts in their public spaces as it allows franchises and businesses to gain a wide spectrum of consumers for profit.[14]

In 2010, eating out became more common for an average American in comparison to eating at-home meals. Approximately 47 percent of their food budget would go towards eating out at restaurants or at food courts.[15] Though food courts still exist, many food hall elements have been incorporated into food court settings. In order for vendors to succeed in this setting, businesses feel as though they have to keep up with the popularity of fresh food and stray away from the traditional unhealthy, fast food reputation of food courts.

Globalization and variations in cuisine

As a consequence of globalization, food courts across the world have seen an increase in the variations of cuisines offered. One example of this is the expansion of Western fast-food chains within food courts, like McDonald's, which provides consumers with a familiar quick service experience. However, Mcdonald's is complex in that it plays into localization. Localization, in this instance, is defined as tailoring the food offerings to align with the cultural, religious, and regional needs of the consumers.[24] In India, the McAloo Tikki Burger, a vegetarian option, was created to accommodate dietary restrictions and uphold cultural values while safeguarding the brand's identity as an American fast-food provider.[25]

Still, some food courts include local cuisine to preserve identity. The flagship location of TimeOut Market in Lisbon, Portugal, demonstrates this approach by maintaining a strong cultural identity. This food court emphasizes local flavours and regional delicacies, including pastel de nata, Alentejo ham, and Bacalhau à Brás, alongside global offerings.[26]

Economic aspects

Some food courts exist in virtue of a captive market because fast-food chains are taking advantage of an economic vacuum and customers have no choice. Food courts serve customers who need a place to rest and enjoy relatively cheap food.[30][31] For example, Costco's hot dog vendors exist in a space where their clientele is unlikely to find many other convenient sources of food nearby. These food courts do tremendously well, bringing in US$1 billion to Costco annually.

Food courts tend to have a complex internal economy. Although the food court functions as one unit, its vendors still exist and act independent of each other. They share one set of customers and they compete for clientele. If one vendor increases the quality of their product, that decreases demand for other vendors at the food court.[30] However, any increase in quality from any vendor also entails a bolstering of the entire food court's reputation, beneficial for all vendors. This dilemma is not as likely where the food court provides a range of culinary options distinct from vendor to vendor, and vendors are less primed to compete against one another.[30]

See also

• Food hall
• Cafeteria
• Hawker centre