Introduction

Canteens in the sense of a place where food is prepared and eaten are used to
serve food on an institutional level. Schools and large offices may use canteens to meet
the food needs of their workforces and students. A typical canteen is a facility in which
diners walk along a food line with trays which can be filled with various food items. The
goal of canteen is to provide food which meets nutritional recommendations and
hopefully satisfies the taste of diners. A cafeteria is a type of food service location in
which there is little or no waiting staff table service, whether a restaurant or within an
institution such as a large office building or school. Customers take the food they
require as they walk along, placing it on a tray. In addition, there are often stations
where customers order food and wait while it is prepared. The need for food is one of
the most basic of man's drives. When food is scarce man will eat anything that he
considers food, but when food is plentiful, he becomes more selective.

Food choices are also influenced by personal or individual factors such as

appearance, aroma, texture, taste and the level of nutritional knowledge. Many
researchers have found a positive relationship between the individual factors and food
choices. Individual food choices are influenced by a wide variety of environmental and
individual variables. Three main dimensions related to food choices are taste, perceived
value which includes price. People may possess knowledge about healthful food
choices, but when considered in tandem with the choice dimensions of price and taste,
they may choose the tastier and cheaper, but less nutritious, food. In a focus group
student identified that the taste and less costly was most frequently and extensively
talked about why they ate specific foods. The purpose of this research was to study
student’s food preferences in order to assist the explanation of changes between menu
items are costly to students inside and outside canteen.