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Eye Tracking & Understanding Effectiveness of Menu Boards in Quick Service Restaurants (QSR)

Sample study

Luke Goh Objective Experience

16 May 2016

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Introduction: Understanding decision making in stores

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Marketing and POS material are important tools for marketers to attract and influence purchase decisions in-stores. Millions of dollars are spent each year on the design of POS materials and messages such as menu boards to drive improved sales in store.

While there are occasions that POS materials and messages are successful in driving purchase decisions, there are many occasions whereby it falter as well. Therefore it is important for marketers to understand why and what drives consumer decisions and purchases, and what to avoid in order to maximize their in-store marketing effort.

Eye tracking is one technology that can be easily adapted for this. Advancements in wearable eye trackers has allowed for studies to be conducted in in-store environment, not possible previously. Now, researchers can equip subjects with eye tracking glasses and better understand how they interact with different messages and channels in any environment.

Specifically, Objective Experience uses the new Tobii Glasses 2 eye tracker for its in-store studies for its clients. Its ultra-lightweight and unobtrusive head unit makes test participants feel comfortable when conducting the test, while the new real-world mapping tool integrated into Tobii Pro Glasses Analyzer software simplifies the logging process and significantly reduces the time needed to analyse the data captured with the Glasses 2.

The next few pages will demonstrate how the Tobii Glasses 2 can be used in a sample study, and the different metrics that can be collected and use for analysis.

The ultra-lightweight Tobii Glasses 2 designed for the use in the real world environment.

Overview of the Pilot Study

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In this sample study, Objective Experience aims to demonstrate how eye tracking can be applied to understanding menu board design in QSR with 4 respondents wearing Tobii Glasses 2.

During the study, each participant is required to order a meal from the available options displayed on the menu board. Eye tracking data of what participants were looking at were captured in the process.

The eye tracking data gathered allowed us to analyse the respondents’ eye-movement profile (i.e. fixations, gaze patterns) to generate heat maps and gaze plots showing their viewing behaviour.

The eye tracking study was followed up by a short RTA (retrospective think aloud) interview afterwards to gain a deeper understanding of their purchase decision. During the RTA session, we replayed and went through the eye tracking video with the respondents.

Due to the small handful of people we used for the pilot study, the data gathered provides limited insight. A larger and more comprehensive study (at least 30 participants per cell) is recommended.

Top 3 Findings

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Key findings

1. Users mostly fixated on the Extra Value Meals sectionEye tracking heat map data showed that users fixated mostly on the Extra Value Meals section on the menu board.

Some of customers mentioned that they “randomly browse” the menu board to check if any new value meal was added to the menu, while others compared prices between meals before deciding on their purchases.

1. Extra Value Meals section received the most attention

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Eye tracking heat map data showed that users fixated mostly on the Extra Value Meals section on the menu board.

Participants spent on average 9.09 seconds looking at the Extra Value Meals, the most time spent on one section. (Refer to pg 7 for full eye-tracking statistics.)

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Key findings

2. Users encountered difficulty when trying to locate an alternative side to friesEye tracking gaze plot data showed users looked all over the menu board trying to locate alternative sides.

Using our eye tracking data and through the RTA interviews, we understood that some users had wanted to look for sides under the ‘Beverages & Desserts’ menu. However, it was only until much later that they found the sides menu in the centre menu board.

Thus this created a issue whereby users had to look randomly just to find the options and pricing of the sides.

2. Users had difficulty locating alternative sides

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Eye tracking gaze plot data showed that users looked all over the menu board trying to locate alternative sides. Users wanted to look for sides under the ‘Beverages & Desserts’ menu. Only until much later they found the sides menu in the centre menu board.

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Key findings

3. The promotional menu boards did not attract a lot of attentionEye tracking heat map data showed that users did not pay much attention to the promotional menu boards.

In the RTA interviews, users commented they noticed the promotional menu on the first screen from the left, but if the offerings did not pique their interest, they would immediately divert their attention to the Extra Value Meals section. Users did not notice the second promotional menu board on the far right because of the awkward way it is positioned (i.e. not facing the customer front-on).

3. Users noticed the promotional menu board but did not express much interest

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Eye tracking heat map data showed that users did not pay much attention to the promotional menu boards because the menu did not interest them, or because the screen is in an awkward position.

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Participants spent on average 3.43 seconds looking at the first promotion menu board. Only 1 participant looked at the second promotion menu board. (Refer to pg 7 for full eye-tracking statistics.)

Eye-tracking Statistics

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Participant Happy Meal Promotion Sides Value Meal Promo2 Average Median Sum Total Analysis Set Duration Total Recording Duration

Participant1 0.72 1.86 0.64 0.52 0.00 0.93 0.68 3.74 16.34 106.85

Participant2 5.12 1.04 5.52 15.90 0.00 6.89 5.32 27.57 38.03 173.45

Participant3 1.00 5.90 0.64 10.02 3.28 4.17 3.28 20.84 36.77 215.66

Participant4 0.68 4.92 0.54 9.92 0.00 4.01 2.80 16.06 18.26 217.76

Average 1.88 3.43 1.83 9.09 0.82 4.00 3.02 17.05 27.35 178.43

Percentage Fixated (%) 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

Total Visit Duration

Participant Happy Meal Promotion Sides Value Meal Promo2 Average Median

Participant1 7 11 7 10 0 8.75 8.50

Participant2 6 8 16 17 0 11.75 12.00

Participant3 9 14 9 26 18 15.20 14.00

Participant4 8 5 10 9 0 8.00 8.50

Average 7.50 9.50 10.50 15.50 4.50 10.93 10.75

Percentage Fixated (%) 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

Visit Count

Participant Happy Meal Promotion Sides Value Meal Promo2 Average Median SumTotal Analysis Set

Fixation Count Total Analysis Set Duration Total Recording Duration

Participant1 34 87 32 26 0 44.75 33.00 179 476 16.34 106.85

Participant2 256 52 275 784 0 341.75 265.50 1367 1883 38.03 173.45

Participant3 49 270 32 492 155 199.60 155.00 998 1745 36.77 215.66

Participant4 33 245 27 491 0 199.00 139.00 796 892 18.26 217.76

Average 93.00 163.50 91.50 448.25 38.75 196.28 148.13 835.00 1249.00 27.35 178.43

Percentage Fixated (%) 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00

Fixation Count

Summary

Summary

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In the sample study, we showed what the different data that can be collected with the Tobii Glasses 2 eye tracker. Together with the TobiiPro Glasses Analyzer software, our researchers were able to quickly and easily log the eye tracking data onto snapshots images for in-depth analysis, using 8% of time needed as compared to traditional methods.

As this study is just to demonstrate what the new Tobii Glasses 2 can do, in order to understand the effectiveness of the menu board better, Objective Experience recommends similar study to be conducted with a large pool of respondents from different demographic groups, and at different times during the day.

For instance, Objective Experience recommends the research to be conducted:

1) with at least 30 respondents representing various demographic groups;

2) at a minimum of 2 QSR restaurant locations;3) with mobile eye-tracking at the pre-determined QSRs using

Tobii Glasses 2; and4) with follow-up Retrospective Think Aloud (RTA) in-depth

interviews.

Want more information? Get in touch

Lead consultant: Luke Goh, UX Consultant

Email: lukegoh@objectiveexperience.com

Phone: +65 9678 8620