Isc 321 Final Project Report

ISC 321: Noodles & Company Analysis 1
Noodles & Company

Marketing Research Final Analysis
Katelyn Enyeart
Elizabeth Everett
Katie Gehrisch
Shelby Lykins
Jennifer O’Hagan
Table of Contents
I. Cover Letter Page 3
II. Secondary Research: Situation Analysis Page 3
III. Research Objectives Page 9
IV. Exploratory Research: Focus Group Interview Page 10
V. Primary Research: Survey Page 13
VI. Overall Research Findings Page 16
VII. Positioning Statement & Campaign Recommendations Page 17
VIII. References Page 18
IX. Appendix A: Focus Group Guideline Page 21
Appendix B: Survey Questionnaire Page 28
Appendix C: Codebook Page 33

I. Cover Letter
The purpose of our group’s research was to discover if Noodles & Company is reaching
the target audience of University of Kentucky students. Information was gathered and our group
researched how Noodles & Company could rise to their highest potential in reaching our target
audience. Our main goal was to find the best way possible for Noodles & Company to reach
University of Kentucky students. Based on what our research revealed, Noodles & Company has
many opportunities to increase their brand awareness within the university’s community.
Noodles & Company has a variety of fast-casual dining options to compete with and thus, has to
work harder to gain more loyal customers. Research shows that many students dine at fast-casual
restaurants such as Chick-fil-A or Panera versus Noodles & Company. Both Chick-fil-A and
Panera has a major advantage in brand awareness and is popular to sit down and dine in. Noodles
& Company should take notice of these two characteristics to improve their own image and gain
more popularity with the University of Kentucky’s campus. Also, both places are convenient for
most students and locations are well known. Noodles & Company’s location is not as well
known and as a result, hinders how well they do when trying to gain students business. It also
became apparent that Chick-fil-A’s and Panera’s menu were well known and favored by students
at UK. Noodles & Company’s menu is perceived to be unpopular and students are not familiar
with it. Our plan of action plans to improve Noodles & Company’s image among the University
of Kentucky students and help their brand awareness so that the target audience will be made
aware of this fast-casual dining option.Our goal is to improve the present perception of Noodles
& Company among the UK college student base and motivate them to dine at Noodles &
Company versus their competitors, such as Chick-fil-A or Panera.
II. Secondary Research: Situation Analysis

1. Executive Research
○ Our purpose of our secondary research is to understand how Noodles & Company
performed with the college student demographic. To accomplish this, we needed
to analyze the current brand and product to see if it would fit into the target
audience we were looking at. Also, we needed to identify some key factors of the
college students behavior. This includes identifying what casual food places they
currently eat at, why they choose those places, and how to make them aware of
Noodles & Company.
2. Product/Brand Analyses
○ Noodles & Company opened its doors in 1995 with two goals, serve fresh food
and do it fast (About Noodles & Company, 2016). Noodles & Company puts an
emphasis on serving fresh and healthy foods from all around the world. They
believe what sets them apart from other casual dining restaurants is that they
serve, “REAL food with REAL cooking and REAL flavors” (About Noodles &
Company, 2016). Their menu consists of a variety of dishes in addition to noodles
including, sandwiches, soups, and salads which allows practically everyone to
find something to eat (About Noodles & Company, 2016).
Noodles & Company would perform well among millennials for many
reasons. First, the restaurant strives to provide healthy choices but keep the tasty
flavor (Noodles & Company Provides ‘Fresh Start’ to New Year, 2016). This
option of food would be appealing to college students who are in search of
healthy options to keep fit and reduce the intake of unhealthy foods. Secondly,
Noodles & Company has a strong online presence. They have a new interactive
website which allows visitors to customize their orders and place their orders
online (Noodles & Company Provides ‘Fresh Start’ to New Year, 2016). The
restaurant also has an app that allows customers to order their food and pick it up
(About Noodles & Company, 2016). Noodles and Company has a lot of potential
to do well in a college setting. With the various healthy choices, there is sure to be
something for everyone no matter what their preference is.
Noodles & Company along with other fast-casual dining establishments
have room to grow within their branding (Fast Casual Dining, 2016). Fast-casual
dining has a good amount of room to grow along the national market (Fast Casual
Dining, 2016). Many are just in regional levels (Fast Casual Dining, 2016).
Noodles & Company are following the present trends of fast-casual dining. Quick
service, quality food, and customization are all important components of this area
of the industry (Innovation on the Menu, 2016). Noodles & Company does seem
to be more family oriented versus college student oriented but can certainly move
into the college student market.
3. Competition Analysis
○ Panera Bread is viable indirect competitor against Noodles & Company. The
casual restaurant provides a laid back atmosphere that allows college students to
stay and work on school assignments or catch up with friends. Panera also
promotes a healthy menu, stating that their food is “clean” and is made with the
best ingredients (We are Panera Bread, 2016). They also have an app and online
option to place order for a quick pick up (We are Panera Bread, 2016). Panera
Bread is popular among millennials because it provides a place that can be used
for multiple needs. It has options for actual meals or you can just get a coffee and
a bakery item depending on your desired length of stay. It also provides an
appropriate space to study and work on school work, which is something the
average college student is always in search of. If Noodles & Company wants to
strive in the college stage, it should look into providing the same atmosphere.
Another direct competitor is Nothing but Noodles (Dining Out: Nothing

But Noodles, 2005). Nothing but Noodles is very similar to Noodles & Company
in the sense that the foundation of the menu is based on noodle dishes. Their
menu also includes items such as salads and sandwiches (Dining Out: Nothing
But Noodles, 2005). They also promote quick service with quality food stating,
“Within 15 minutes of entering the store, customers are enjoying a wok-seared
bowl of noodles or a garden fresh salad served in one of our heavy ceramic china
bowls” (About Us: Nothing but Noodles, 2016). In addition to the atmosphere,
they strive to provide a menu that has global options so that consumers can pick a
variety of foods (About Us: Nothing but Noodles, 2016). One difference in the
two restaurants is Noodles & Company’s menu is more customizable versus
Nothing but Noodles (Dining Out: Nothing But Noodles, 2005). Thus, Noodles &
Company has a bit of an edge on Nothing but Noodles.
Chipotle is an additional competitor with Noodles & Company (Chipotle
Expands Beverage Program with Natural/Organic Sodas, 2016). Chipotle is
another fast-casual dining place that includes healthy items on their menu. They
claim to serve “food with integrity” (Chipotle Expands Beverage Program with
Natural/Organic Sodas, 2016). Chipotle wishes to be seen as the authentic
Mexican restaurant with fast service and trendy new dishes and drinks (Chipotle
Expands Beverage Program with Natural/Organic Sodas, 2016). Chipotle
traditionally does will with the college student audience because it provides
delicious dishes with a casual ambiance. Chipotle can be considered more trendy
versus Noodles & Company which is more family oriented.
4. Profiles of Target Market
○ Millennials are dining out in greater frequency than any other generation and
they’re not skimping on quality or experience. Across every restaurant segment,
Millennials are dining out with the greatest frequency, with the most notable
distinctions in the fast casual and fine dining sector (Millennials). Fast casual
dining is what millennials, or college students aged 18-24 are eating. Noodles &
Company is a good example of this because they have several options that are
affordable for young people to afford. When people go out and eat, they are
usually going with other people, and Noodles & Company provides options for
just about everyone. But even if people are going alone, fast dining provides
comfort for anyone as you can just grab something quickly and take it to go. Let’s
face it, most college students do not have a lot of money, and most would
consider themselves broke, so eating something cheap is usually what they do.
Noodles & Company provides quality meals and decent prices and it will not
leave you hungry, you’re getting what you pay for. Mintel says, Spending power
among college students aged 18-34 is estimated to have been $306 billion in
2010, which is a 13% increase from 2009. Mintel also says that there are more
women in college than men, women now represent the majority of college student
in the US. Noodles & Company’s main target audience is really anyone who
wants food fast because they do not want to make it at home. It targets singles and
the younger generation who are opting to eat out instead of making food
themselves. We think this is a good target audience but are going to focus more
on college students at the University of Kentucky to narrow it down even more
and see what we can find out by making them our target audience.
5. Previous Trends in ISC
○ Noodles & Company’s first sponsored outdoor and print ads began in 1997. These
types of advertisements ran until 2002, when Noodles & Company finally had a
larger advertisement budget. With $1.3 million in the budget, the franchise was
able to begin running commercials on major television networks. At this time, the
company’s advertisements included a noodles dish landing as an UFO with the
slogan “We’re going to get you” (Nation’s Restaurant News, 2002). These kind
of ads ran for a few years until Noodles & Company decided to reduced ad
spending before coming out with the slogan, “"Your World Kitchen"” in 2013
(Market Review, 2014). This slogan went with the campaign to show the
consumers that they could have any pasta dish from around the world. The
example of their 2013 advertisement is shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1, Example of the 2013 Advertisment:
Along with the around the world campaign, Noodles & Company began to
sell wines and beer at certain locations. The new products launching within the
restaurants at the same time as the new campaign was a smart advertising decision
to create more buzz on all forms of advertising. Not only did this campaign have
billboards but the company also invested in announcing their campaign via digital
media, news sites, and radio (Lukovitz, 2013). Since 2013, Noodles & Company
has not come out with any major campaigns, which presents the perfect
opportunity now for the company to expand their horizons in college towns and
advertise to attract more of the new target audience: college students.
6. S.W.O.T. Analysis
Figure 2. S.W.O.T. Analysis of Noodles & Company
○ Strengths:
The strengths of this company are strong as Noodles & Company is

featured in many positive publications. Noodles & Company is portrayed to the
public as one of the healthiest fast casual dining restauraunts after being labeled in
“Eat This Not That’s 35 Hottest Healthy Rstauraunts in America” by MSN.com in
2016. In 2016, Noodles & Company was also listed as one of the most
trustworthy companies in America. Noodles & Company is listed in the small cap,
making between 250 million- 1 billion dollars with the reputation of being a
honest company with financial stability, strong stock performance, and provides
shareholders with greater levels of transparency. As a nation wide chain there are
over 300 plus locations around America providing over seven thousand
employees with jobs which is a high number of employees considering the
company has much room to expand still. Noodles & Company creates a nation
wide brand loyalty between customers and employees. Creating so many jobs
with a company that moves up within the company making employees want to
stay in the company and move up. Having so many chains nationwide is a
strength due to the ongoing brand development and growth for Noodles &
Company.
○ Weaknesses:
Noodles & Company having three hundred locations is considered a

strength for it is considerable growth from when the company began but it is also
a weakness due to the amount of restaurants their competitors have; making
competitors a more convenient option. No food diversity and only serving
different types of noodles also plays a weakness in the company because of the
lack of market penetration. In America, fast food restaurants provide customers
with many different food options such as salad, pizza, fries, burgers, chicken,
tacos, etc. all from the same place while Noodles & Company lacks the food
diversity options creating a more specialized eating experience for the public.
○ Opportunities:
Noodles & Company has the opportunity as a growing company to bring

in more customers by creating loyalty programs and incentives to eat at Noodles
& Company. For example, a “Noodle Card” to use every time you eat a Noodles
& Company to earn points that eventually will lead you to a free meal of your
choice. With the new regimented training program Noodles & Company has
instilled into their three hundred plus locations to create more successful
procedures they are already on their way to beginning the rebrand and market
themselves to boost the company’s brand image to the public.
○ Threats:
Noodles & Company is a fast casual dining restaurant where the consumer
is able to enjoy a meal of noodles for under $10. The price of the noodle creates
slight instability due to the increasing price of the noodle, which may mean price
increase for Noodles & Company. Growing consumer concern for health impacts
of the noodle are also a major threat to the noodle focused company. Concerns
over dishes containing high amounts of sodium, carbohydrates and gluten have
caused diners to move away from traditional pasta dishes and noodle soups.
7. Identification of major marketing problems and opportunities related to targeting

college students (Gen Y)
○ Marketing Problems:
Many Millennials are currently college students across the country. With
that being said, we need to find ways to entice them to eat our restaurant. Ratings
and reviews are a powerful source to Millennials (Macke, 2016; Lister, 2016). If
the restaurant has bad online, or word of mouth, reviews there’s a good chance
that will discourage our target audience from eating at the Noodles & Company
on Limestone. Another problem is the lack of brand awareness, not just on
campus but across the country (Kell, 2015). Noodles & Company sells a
multitude of dishes, which is the company’s main selling point. With such a
diverse menu of dishes, Millennials should be wanting to eat at Noodles &
Company (Bryant, 2016). We need to do a better job at promoting our wide array
of dishes, and become a leader within our target market.
○ Marketing Opportunities:
Millennials enjoy seeing advertisements that are funny (Macke, 2016). We

need to come up with a campaign for the Limestone location that will catch the
attention of college students through humor. We also need to utilize social media
to attract UK students to the Limestone location (Lister, 2016). Millennial college
students tend to be very involved on social media and finding ways to incorporate
a local campaign on social media would be a great way to reach them (Lister,
2016). Also, Millennials tend to check-in to places on social media, and the more
people to check in the better your ratings and reviews may be. We need to find a
way to show UK students that Noodles & Company is where they should eat, and
give them reasons as to why it’s the best for them. Millennials tend to pick and
choose what is worth their money and what is not, and we need to show them
Noodles & Company is worth it (Macke, 2016).
III. Research Objectives
The research objective of this project is to determine a new multi-strategy program for
Noodles & Company when targeting college students. We hope to institute reasoning as to why
consumers should choose Noodles & Company over any competitors. Additionally, we want to
gain further insight into the brand and how the students at University of Kentucky view Noodles
& Company. We will conduct focus groups and questionnaires that will be used to better
understand college student’s opinions of the brand and gain further insight into their decision
making. It will be fundamental to figure out how often students consume Noodles & Company
and how they view the brand as well. Understanding how word gets around through social
media and word of mouth on campus will help us to create stronger recommendations for further
campaigns for the client. Additionally, considering all the competition that Noodles & Company
face around campus from similar chain restaurants, such as Chipotle and Blaze, will be crucial in
figuring out how to bring students into Noodles & Company restaurant. This will help us to
further refine upcoming campaign strategies. By understanding customer motivations,
competition and trends, we will be able to better the strategic and integrated marketing
communication recommendations we make for our client in the future.
IV. Exploratory Research: Focus Group Interview
1. FGI Objectives:
a. To gain an understanding of UK students eating out habits.

b. Their opinion to Noodles and Company compared to its competition.
c. How many times they visit fast-casual dining versus drive through restaurants.
d. Their opinions of Noodles and Company.
2. FGI Sampling Methods:
a. As a group we will book a study room where we will conduct the focus group
interview. The focus group will contain 8 to 12 participants and will be lead by a
group member who leads the discussion with a list of set questions. The rest of the
group will be observing the focus group interview and making notes about the
participant's response. The participants will be UK students.
3. Design:
The setup of this research was held in the kitchen of our group member,
Elizabeth’s home. As each participant entered the home they were greeted by Elizabeth,
offered a water bottle, given a name tag, and asked to take a seat at the table. Overall,
there were ten participants involved in the focus group interview. Katie served as the
moderator, asking the interviewees the questions while the other group members
observed the focus group interview. It was clear to see that all of the participants felt
comfortable having an open conversation about their dining experiences at Noodles &
Company because they were all college aged students. We asked thirteen questions
during the FGI which can be found in Appendix A. From beginning to end of the focus
group interview it took 57 minutes. We thanked the ten participants for their time and
contribution to our research by giving them a little bag of candy on their way out the
door.
4. Data Analysis
After grouping our data together once our Focus Group Interview was completed,
our group was able to analyze the interviewees answers. We did this by classifying the
interviewee’s answers into different categories such as “Fast-Casual Dining Current
Customers”, “Fast-Casual Dining Potential Customers”, “Frequent Noodles & Company
Customers”, “Occasional Noodles & Company Customers”, and “Potential New Noodles
& Company Customers”. These categories are a brief example of how we were able to
evaluate the information to answer our research objectives.
5. Results
The major key findings in the Noodles & Company Focus Group Interview were that
40% of the FGI are frequent customers, 40% go occasionally, and 20% have never eaten there
that is visualized in the Figure 3. It was discovered that a majority of the FGI chose Panera over
Noodles & Company due to the diverse food options as seen in Figure 4.
Figure 3
Figure 4
6. Conclusions
In reflecting on our research from our focus group and survey, Noodles &
Company is in a great position to grow into a popular dining option for UK students. At
this present time, Noodles & Company has a lukewarm presence at the University of
Kentucky. Students are aware of its existence but are not familiar enough with it to
identify Noodles & Company as a first choice to eat at. Results show that those who have
eaten there overall had a good experience and enjoyed their time there. The obstacle to
overcome is the inconsistency in visiting Noodles & Company and students having a
unpopular perception of the fast-casual dining restaurant. To change the perception of
Noodles & Company among University of Kentucky students, we need to build on top of
the reputation it already has. Overall, when UK students were asked about their
experience and thoughts on Noodles & Company, there was a positive response. What is
lacking is brand awareness. To build on top of the positive opinions and strengthen
Noodles & Company’s brand awareness we will promote the restaurant’s diverse menu
by sponsoring school events and giving out coupons for a free entree. We would also
have samples of Noodles & Company dishes at these events to give out to the students so
they get a taste of what Noodles & Company serves. In handing out samples at these
events, it also starts to fill in the gap of students being unfamiliar with Noodles &
Company food options. By doing this, it will allow the students to realize that they have
another dining option that can satisfy a specific craving that the more popular choices
cannot fill, such as Chick-fil-A or Panera.
Noodles & Company’s best asset is their menu. Due to their menu being different
than the majority of top choices, Noodles & Company can showcase their options of
noodles, soups, and salads communicating that they can provide a delicious meal that is
both healthy and tasty versus their competitors. Noodles & Company could also start a
loyalty program that allows customers to gain points with every visit they make, and once
they reach a certain amount of points they can get a free drink, side, or meal. This will
motivate students to eat at Noodles & Company on a consistent basis. As students begin
to start frequenting Noodles & Company more regularly, they will bring their friends who
will then become aware of this dining option and will start suggesting to others in their
circles. Thus, word of mouth from simply becoming more involved in school activities
and loyalty programs is a crucial part of increasing foot traffic within Noodles &
Company at the University of Kentucky.
A large part of why Noodles & Company’s competitors have an advantage on
UK’s campus is because the students know who they are and what they are offering.
Survey results showed that many times students got to familiar dining options when they
are eating out versus trying new places. Results also stated that Noodles & Company
ranked low on student’s top choices of where to eat. Students do not know Noodles &
Company and thus, are less likely to pick it. With sponsoring school events, handing out
samples at school events, starting a loyalty program, and word of mouth from a growing
customer base, then Noodles & Company will overcome their largest problem of not
having a constant and familiar choice with UK students.
V. Primary Research: Survey
1. Survey Objectives
a. To understand college student consumption patterns of fast-casual dining food
and/or restaurants
b. To explore college student's experience and evaluation of Noodles & Company
as a fast-casual dining option
c. To understand the spending patterns of UK students at fast-casual dining
restaurants
2. Sampling Methods
a. Sample Size: we had 53 people answer the survey all the way through
b. Sample Characteristics: both male and female, UK students over the age of 18, all
different class standings and students who live on and off campus
c. We went to the library and passed out the survey to people sitting at different
tables in the library
3. Design
We did a paper-and-pencil survey after coming up with all the questions and ways
to answer them. We printed out 60 survey questionnaires, each took 12 and went to
different parts of the library and passed them out to different people. A lot of people said
no because they were too busy, but we ended up each passing out all of our surveys. We
had to throw 7 out because 5 of the people didn’t finish their survey, one wasn’t a UK
student and one was under the age of 18. We offered them some candy in exchange for
answering the questionnaire. It took around 1 hour to get all of the responses, with each
person taking an average of 6 minutes to complete the questionnaire. We targeted groups
of students sitting together so that we could complete it in the shortest amount of time
possible.
4. Data Analysis:
In order to create the codebook for our survey, we used Microsoft Excel. We
created this by assigning numbers for the answers for each question. For questions that
used the ordinal scaling technique we had to use reverse coding. Once the codebook was
put together, we were able to input the answers using their assigned number code.
Although this step was not very difficult, it was very time consuming and tedious because
there was a large amount of data. After the Excel sheet was complete, we were able to
find the number of answers, and the mode, for each question, including questions that
used the nominal scale. For questions that used ratio and interval scaling we found the
average and standard deviation in addition to the mode and number of overall answers to
the question. For questions that used ordinal scaling we found the sum of all the answers
to each option for the questions along with the number of answers and mode. Putting
together the excel file was not as difficult once we discussed in class the different
functions we had to do, and made it easier to interpret our data. As a result, putting
together the codebook and Excel chart was not a difficult task, and through this we were
able to interpret our data much easier.
5. Results
Figure 5
Figure 5 illustrates that 46 percent of our respondents prefer fast casual dining to fast
food or sit down dining. 32 percent of respondents prefer sit down dining, 14 percent had no
preference and 8 percent preferred fast food.
Figure 6
Figure 6 graph shows data from Question 20 of our survey which gathered
information about the respondent’s first ranking of where they would most likely eat. Chick-fil-a
received 17 first ranking, Panera Bread received 12 first ranking, Noodles & Company was the
third most popular choice with 10 respondents choosing it first. Chipotle had 18% of respondents
choosing their restaurant first with 9 respondent’s ranking them number one and Subway had 1
person rank their restaurant as their first choice to most likely eat at that restaurant.
Figure 7
Figure 7 illustrates the data from Question 9 revealing how important restaurant location
is while deciding where to eat. 38 percent of respondents felt it was Important during their
decision making process, 12 people believed it was Very Important, 14 people decided it was
Average not too important and not really important. 2 people felt the location was Less Important
and 3 respondents decided the location is Unimportant at all.
Figure 8
Figure 8 illustrates the data from Question 12 in the survey that asked if the participants
think that fast-casual dining is reasonably priced. 86% of students answered yes, meaning they
believe that fast-casual dining is reasonably priced. Only 14% of the students believe that
fast-casual dining is not reasonably priced. Overall, there was a greater amount of students who
thought that fast-casual dining was reasonably priced over students who thought that it is not.
Figure 9
Figure 9 displays the data collected from Question 32 of our survey which asks
respondents to decide if they like the food at Noodles & Company from Strongly Agree to
Strongly Disagree. The majority of respondents, 66 percent, decided they Agreed with the
statement while 17 percent chose Uncertain while the other 17 percent of respondents Strongly
Agreed. No respondents responded Disagree or Strongly Disagree giving Noodles & Company a
good stance on the likability of their speciality food options.
6. Conclusions
We found by doing this survey that many college students do eat out a lot, but
most of them choose restaurants other than Noodles & Company. We learned that when
students do go to Noodles & Company they usually like the service, atmosphere, and the
quality of food. Price and location are the some of the biggest aspects to a college student
when they are deciding where they are going to eat out, and Noodles & Company falls
into both of those aspects very well. It is in a location where a lot of students have easy
access, although some said they wish there was more parking and it is in the right price
range for an average meal. We think there needs to be more awareness of Noodles &
Company on UK’s campus to bring more students into the store. Noodles & Company
needs to do something to get the attention of more students and make them one of the top
places people think of when deciding where they want to eat. The findings from this
survey matched and went alongside of the findings from the focus group interview
findings.
VI. Overall Research Findings
When conducting our research on Noodles & Company, we held a focus group interview
and handed out a survey to gather our research findings. We first did the focus group interview,
where we were able to talk to 10 people to gather insight regarding their opinions on fast-casual
dining, as well as their thoughts on Noodles & Company and overall experience at the restaurant.
The focus group was extremely beneficial to our research findings because we were able to
gather in depth and personal opinions on the company. Additionally, we found perceptive
information on their thoughts about the food, quality and service at Noodles & Company. After
the focus group interview, we passed out a 50 question paper survey at the UK library. We were
able to get 53 students to take the survey. By giving out the survey to various UK students at the
library, we were able to receive a wide range of responses. When writing the 50 questions we
asked on the survey, we made sure to ask an assortment of questions ranging from how often
they eat out to what they value most when dining out. Lastly, we asked specifically about
Noodles & Company and their thoughts on the food. The 50 question survey allowed us to get a
structured, yet broad mixture of answers and different opinions in a short amount of time.
VII. Positioning Statement & Campaign Recommendation
In analyzing our research on Noodles & Company, we found that it has great potential in
reaching University of Kentucky students. There are many opportunities for Noodles &
Company to grow brand awareness and gain more business from UK students. Many students
know of a Noodles & Company that is on UK’s campus but, they rarely visit that location. Also,
the Noodles & Company on campus is not the student's first choice and usually is not in their
regular selection of where they would like to eat. This presents a problem because if Noodles &
Company is not often visited or thought of among UK students, then it will not thrive as a
fast-casual dining restaurant.
To change the issues of low recognition and awareness, we would become increasingly
active within University of Kentucky events so that more students become familiar with Noodles
& Company. By participating in events within the university, it gives Noodles & Company the
opportunity to give out samples and promotional coupons so that students are motivated to visit
and dine there. We will also plan to sponsor specific student activities in hopes that Noodles &
Company becomes present in the student’s mind as a place to eat frequently. By doing this, there
is also a good chance that the event would be promoted through social media which would add
another platform of advertising. As a result of becoming more involved in the campus life,
students will start to visit Noodles & Company and come to know and think of it as a regular
place to dine. This will also start word of mouth recommendations which further spreads the
knowledge of Noodles & Company’s presence at the University of Kentucky. With these
methods, we will gain a better presence with UK students and they will become more familiar
with who Noodles & Company is and challenge the present fast-casual dining leaders such as,
Chick-fil-A and Panera, that are popular choices with UK students.
VIII. References
(2016) About Noodles and Company. Retrieved from: http://www.noodles.com/about/
(2016) Panera: Our History. Retrieved from:
https://www.panerabread.com/en-us/company/about-panera.html
Deseret, S. K. (2005). Dining Out: Nothing but Noodles. Lexus Nexus. (2016) About Us:
Nothing but Noodles. Available from
http://www.lexisnexis.com.ezproxy.uky.edu/hottopics/lnacademic/ (accessed September 24,
2016).
Kell, J. (2015, March 11). A warning to Shake Shack: Beware Noodles & Co. Retrieved October
14, 2016, from http://fortune.com/2015/03/11/shake-shack-noodles-potbelly/
Lexus Nexus. (2016) Noodles and Company Provide a ‘Fresh Start’ to the New Year. India
Retail News. http://www.lexisnexis.com.ezproxy.uky.edu/hottopics/lnacademic/
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http://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2016/09/28/generational-marketing-tactics
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MediaPost Communications. Retrieved September 14, 2016.

Millennials find value in smaller, everyday indulgences.
http://academic.mintel.com.ezproxy.uky.edu/display/785300/
Mintel (2016). Category Overview: Foodservice. Report: Dining Out: A 2016 Look Ahead - US
- January 2016. By Caleb Bryant.
Mintel (2016). Category Overview: Lifestyles. Report: Marketing to Millennials - US - May
2016. By Dana Macke.
Mintel. (2016). Chipotle Expands Beverage Program with Natural/Organic Sodas. Available
from
http://academic.mintel.com.ezproxy.uky.edu/search/?q=Fast-casual+restaurants+branding&go=#
(accessed September 24, 2016).
Mintel. (2016). Fast Casual Dining. Available from:
http://academic.mintel.com.ezproxy.uky.edu/display/763050/?highlight (accessed September 24,
2016).
Mintel. (2016). Innovation on the Menu. Available from:
http://academic.mintel.com.ezproxy.uky.edu/display/752376/?highlight (accessed September 24,
2016).
"Noodles & Company takes to airwaves, rolls 1st TV spots". Nation's Restaurant News. 36 (44).
November 4, 2002. p. 14. ISSN 0028-0518. Retrieved September 14, 2016 – via EBSCO.
IX. Appendix A: Focus Group Guideline
Company: Noodles and Company
FGI Objectives:
1. To gain an understanding of UK students eating out habits.

2. Their opinion to Noodles and Company compared to its competition
3. How many times they visit fast-casual dining versus drive through restaurants.
4. Their opinions of Noodles and Company.
FGI Sampling Methods:
As a group we will book a study room where we will conduct the focus group interview.
The focus group will contain 8 to 12 participants and will be lead by a group member who leads
the discussion with a list of set questions. The rest of the group will be observing the focus group
interview and making notes about the participant's response. The participants will be UK
students.
Questions asked during Focus Group:
1. Fast casual dining is a restaurant without full table service, but has higher quality food
products than regular fast food establishments. What are your opinions about fast-casual
dining?
2. Would you say you enjoy fast-casual dining compared to fast food/drive through places?
If so, why?
3. What do you think of the food quality of fast-casual dining? Why?
4. When you want a fast-casual dining experience, where do you go? How often do you go
there? Why?
5. Noodles and Company nearest location for UK students is located on South Limestone.
How many people have been to Noodles and Company? How often have you visited?
6. Why do you visit Noodles and Company? If you haven’t visited, why haven’t you?
7. Who here prefers Panera over Noodles and Company? Why or why not?
8. Is there something special about Noodles and Company’s menu that sets it apart?
9. In your opinion, what was their best menu item? Why?
10. What was most impressive about your visit and their restaurant? Why?
11. Compared to its competitors, such as Panera, how does the price of Noodles and
Company’s food influence your decision to eat there?
12. How does the price deter you from eating there?
13. Do you think Noodles and Company is too expensive or fairly priced?
Question Responses
QUESTION 1
● “It is a nice atmosphere to visit when you want to meet with friends but need a quick and
affordable place to meet.”
● “I really like it because I think I get higher quality food at a reasonable price without all
the fuss of actual sit down restaurants.”
● “I enjoy and frequent fast casual dining restaurants. They are usually in my price range
and are quick which fits my schedule.”
● “I like fast casual dining compared to other types of dining. It’s relaxed, but isn’t too low
quality.”
● “I really enjoy this type of dining.”
● “I enjoy fast-casual dining because I can spend less with higher quality food in
comparison to an actual fast-food restaurant.”
● “I think fast casual dining is a convenient way to get reasonably priced and good quality
food quickly.”
● “I enjoy fast casual food almost every week.”
● “I like how it is convenient and fast. It makes going out to get food an easy and
affordable process.”
● “Being a college student, having cheap and easily accessible options for food is key.”
QUESTION 2
● “For me, it is depends on what my plans are. Overall, yes I enjoy fast-casual dining
compared to fast food. But, the convenience of fast food is nice when I need quicker
service.”
● “I like it because it provides a good in between of affordable food and quick service
while still being able to sit down and enjoy a good meal with others.”
● “Yes, the food is generally better yet still for a good price. Not to mention that the wait
usually isn’t that long.”
● “The food is better quality than fast food, but still quick enough.”
● “I enjoy fast casual dining more because the food is better quality and I enjoy sitting
down to eat and talk to people.”
● “Yes, because they often have higher quality options”
● “Yes, because it usually does not take long to go inside and order it to go or eat it there.”
● “I like fast casual food much more than drive thru options because it feels less like fast
food but more like restaurant I can afford that tastes good.”
● “It depends on the day and time, but I typically like enjoy fast-casual dining better
because the quality of food is usually better.”
● “I like fast food better because you can go through a ‘drive-thru’ and I enjoy that
convenience. Additionally, the meals are usually cheaper and you get more food for the
amount of money you spend.”
QUESTION 3
● “I think it is pretty equal to fast food restaurants at times. The bigger difference for me is
that I am able to sit down in a nicer atmosphere and not feel rushed. I like the ability to
take time and eat my meal and visit with friends.”
● “I actually think the food quality is better at fast-casual dining because they take more
time to prepare it. They are not so rushed to get the food out and quick. They are able to
cook the food with a little extra time because we are not driving through.”
● “I think the quality is good for the price.”
● “The quality is much better, especially if it’s Chipotle, Noodle & Co., or Panera.”
● “I think the quality of the food is good for what you’re paying for.”
● “It's no where near as good as an actual restaurant, but it is better than a traditional fast
food restaurant.”
● “ It depends on what you order but fast casual food does not need to mean unhealthy
when there are more options than just greasy fatty foods.”
● “I think at most places they are good quality.”
● “I think the quality of fast-casual dining is better than fast food and typically very good.”
● “I love fast-casual dining and think the quality of the food is excellent.”
QUESTION 4
● “I generally go to Panera because it is a good place to meet friends, but it is also a good
place to work on school work, which is why I usually go there. I enjoy their menu
because they have something for whatever mood I am in. I’d say I usually go there once
or twice every other week because I am always able to get work done but also visit
friends. It depends on how much work I have to do.”
● “I go to Mcalister's every once in awhile. It is close to campus and is easy to meet with
friends there. I really only go when there is a large group of friends. I don’t go that often,
maybe once or twice a month because I enjoy cooking my own meals.”
● “Steak n shake or noodles and company, usually once every couple weeks. It’s easier and
faster than cooking, and is
good food.”
● “Usually I got to Five Guys when I’m craving their fries. So I’d say it’s pretty randomly.”
● “I tend to go to fast casual dining probably once a week. Normally I go to Panera because
it’s right across from where I work.”
● “Noodles and Company, Local Taco, Panera”
● “Chipotle, Noodles, Blaze, Jimmy Johns. They are close to campus and easier to get than
to cook myself and it is not too expensive.”
● “Blaze, Panera or Jersey Mikes. I would I say I eat more on weekends.”
● “I typically eat at Panera and Chipotle at least once a week. They are my favorite!”
● “I love Blaze and Jimmy Johns. I usually get Jimmy John's more than once a week
because they deliver and have great sandwiches.”
QUESTION 5
● “I have never visited before. It isn’t something that often comes to my mind when I think
of eating out.”
● “I have been a handful of times. I also don’t really think of it when wanting to pick a
place to eat at.”
● “I often eat noodles and company, I visit once every couple weeks. I also often order
delivery from here.”
● “I’ve been there a ton of times.”
● “I’ve only been to this location once.”
● “I don't know how many people have been there, but I have been there only five times”
● “I have been to Noodles & Co. many times”
● “I am sure lots of people go there but I have only gotten it delivered before.”
● “I have been there around 10 times. I love how it’s right by campus. I would go after my
class from time to time last year.”
● “I have been there about 5 times, I love the location near campus.”
QUESTION 6
● “I haven’t visited before because I am overall not a big fan of noodles. I enjoy
sandwiches or salads etc. I’m not sure if I could find something on the menu that I liked.”
● “I go there when I want something different than the usual hamburger, sandwich, salad
option. I enjoy the different menu items they offer. It provides a nice break from the
everyday meal.”
● “I really like their Japanese Pan noodles. The food doesn’t take long to come out and is
delicious.”
● “Because I really love their food. It’s also different from all the other burger and pizza
places around here.”
● “I went there because my friend wanted to go there, but I really liked the food and plan to
go back soon.”
● “I eat there when I am on campus for the day mostly and have a large break.”
● “I go there because it is close to where I live and good food at a nice price. I can pick it
up to go, delivery, or eat in the restaurant.”
● “I just have never wanted to eat in at Noodles, I have not been there many times.”
● “I went a lot last year with my roommates after classes in the afternoon. It’s nice how it is
so close to class.”
● “I go because it is not your typical ‘fast food.’ I have always been a big pasta fan and
love the variety Noodles and Co has.”
QUESTION 7
● “I prefer Panera over Noodles and Company because I like the menu items and the ability
to work there and socialize at the same time. I think Panera provides a better option to be
a place to fulfill the diverse needs of their customers. They can get a snack, a meal, stay
and work for a long period, visit with others etc.”
● “I would also say Panera only because I overall enjoy their food on a more consistent
basis. I like Noodles and Company but I have to be in the mood for their food. Panera
offers a wide variety that hits what I want at that moment all the time.”
● “I enjoy both, but get noodles and company more because of the location.”
● “No, I like Noodle’s menu better.”
● “I prefer Panera because because I think they have more options than Noodles & Co. At
Panera I can get salads, sandwiches, soups, etc and at Noodles I can really only get
noodles/pastas.”
● “I prefer Panera”
● “Yes, there are more food options at Panera.”
● “Panera because I like their food more.”
● “I love Panera and definitely go there more than Noodles and Co. They have more
options that I like.”
● “I like noodles better because I am a big pasta fan”
QUESTION 8
● “I like the unique items that you can get at Noodles and Company. I enjoy the wide
variety that you can pick from. It’s nice to have options that are not limited to American
food.”
● “They have lots of different types of food.”
● “It’s culturally diverse so you can get something that’s ‘American’ or ‘ethnic’.”
● “I think it’s pretty interesting that they’ve been able to make a name selling only pastas
and noodle dishes.”
● “Noodles has a diverse array of cuisines included.”
● “I personally enjoy only a few dishes at Noodles but it is unique because it serves so
many different kinds of pastas.”
● “Nothing about their menu stands out to me.”
● “I like the variety of pastas they offer, but nothing really stands out”
● I have always love Noodles and Company mac and cheese. I always get it when I go
there and it is unlike any other.”
QUESTION 9
● “I like their Japanese Pan Noodles because it is something different than the everyday
options. It is prepared well and tastes good despite not being a primarily Asian food
restaurant.”
● “Japanese Pan noodles because the sauce is amazing.”

● “Mac and cheese, it’s just so good.”
● “The penne rosa was amazing when I went. That’s probably what I’ll get the next time I
go.”
● “Mac n cheese because it's quality mac n cheese.”
● “Penne Rose Pasta with chicken is my favorite meal to get at Noodles.”
● “Mac N Cheese was very good when I ate it.”
● “I love the Pad Thai noodles. The peanut sauce is so good.”
● “The Mac and cheese is my all time favorite.”
QUESTION 10
● “I thought their service was really good. I also thought it was a good place to meet with
friends and have a nice meal with everyone. It was a nice place for affordable quality
food without being too over the top and overpriced.”
● “The speed of the food, it comes out quickly yet is still really good.”
● “They have a Coke freestyle machine. It just provides so many options.”
● “The restaurant was super busy, but they were able to get the food out to us quickly.”
● “I enjoy the atmosphere as well as their ever present charity contributions.”
● “They quick and efficient way of delivering my food.”
● “They delivered it quickly- have never eaten at Noodles restaurant.”
● “They have great customer service and care a lot about customer happiness. One time my
friend and I were eating there and our food took long and they messed up our order, so
they gave us gift cards for the inconvenience and apologized.”
● “They are always quick and make the food quickly. The servers are also so nice and
friendly.”
QUESTION 11
● “If I am getting a full meal at Panera I would say the price is about the same. Although
Noodles and Company would be a bit pricier if I am just getting a bakery item or a coffee
drink at Panera.”
● “The price of noodles makes it more likely for me to eat there than other places.”
● “It’s not terribly expensive, so it’s okay.”
● “I feel like the price difference between Panera and Noodles & Co. is not very different
and the price reflects the quality of their food.”
● “Noodles is more expensive than I am normally wanting to pay.”
● “It is cheaper than most competitors or at same price for good food so I am inclined to eat
there.”
● “The price has nothing to do with my reasoning to eat at Panera over Noodles.”
● “The pricing does not influence my decision at all.”
● “The prices of Noodles & Co and their competitors are pretty comparable. The pricing
has no effect on my decision.”
QUESTION 12
● “The price doesn’t necessarily deter me from eating there. It just depends on if I want to
eat out and how much I want to spend.”
● “It is cheaper to eat at home, so sometimes I don’t want to spend the money.”
● “It doesn’t deter me from eating there.”
● “I think Noodles is fairly priced based on the quality and quantity of food you receive.”
● “I normally don't want to spend $10 on lower quality food.”
● “ The price does not affect me not going there that much as opposed to other places.”
● “The price does not have anything to do with why I do not eat there either.”
● “The pricing has no effect”
● “The pricing has no effect on my decision, I think it is all fairly priced.”
QUESTION 13
● “I think it is fairly priced. I don’t have a problem with how much they charge for their
meals.”
● “I think it is fairly priced.”
● “I think it’s pretty fairly priced.”
● “It’s fairly priced”
● “I think it's a little too expensive for pasta.”
● “Fairly Priced.”
● “I think Noodles & Co. is fairly priced.”
● “I think it is very fairly priced.”
● “I think Noodles and Co has fair prices. It is nice for college students that are looking for
a good meal for a reasonable price.”
Appendix B: Survey Questionnaire
The focus of this study is to get UK students opinion of their experience at Noodles & Company. This survey
should take no more than 20 minutes. Please answer honestly, as there are no right or wrong answers. We
value you taking this survey and all answers will be kept confidential and your identity will be kept
anonymous.
The following questions pertain to your dining out habits. Please circle one answer.
1. Do you eat out a lot?

a. Yes
b. No
2. Is it important for you to know the nutritional facts of the food at restaurants?
a. Yes
b. No
3. What is a reasonable amount of money to spend on for a meal for one person?
a. $5 or less
b. $6-$9
c. $10-$12
d. $13 or more
4. When eating out, do you normally eat:

a. Alone
b. With others
5. Eating healthy is a concern when going out to eat?
Strongly Disagree Disagree Uncertain Agree Strongly Agree
6. Since being in school, do you eat out now more than you did before you came to college?
Less than before 1 2 3 4 5 More than before
7. When eating out, do you tend to:

a. Stick with my usual restaurants
b. Try different restaurants
8. Please rank the following with 1 being what you are most likely to do when eating out and 3 being what
you are less likely to do.
a. Eat at the restaurant ___
b. Take it to go ___
c. Get it delivered ___
9. How important is location to you when deciding where you are going to eat?
Unimportant 1 2 3 4 5 Very Important
The following questions pertain to fast-casual dining. Fast casual dining is a restaurant without full table
service, but has higher quality food products than regular fast food establishments.
10. Before reading the definition above, had you heard of the term “fast-casual dining” before?
a. Yes
b. No
11. Did you know what fast-casual dining was?

a. Yes
b. No
12. Do you think that fast-casual restaurants are reasonably priced?

a. Yes
b. No
13. Do you eat at fast-casual restaurants more than other types of restaurants (i.e. fast food, sit down, etc.)?
a. Yes
b. No
14. Which do you prefer?

a. Fast-food
b. Fast-casual dining
c. Sit down dining
d. No preference
How would you rank the following based your most recent fast-casual dining experience? (please use this question
to answer 15-17)
15. Poor Service 1 2 3 4 5 Outstanding Service
16. Unpleasant experience 1 2 3 4 5 Pleasent experience
17. Low Quality Food 1 2 3 4 5 High Quality Food
18. How many times a week would you say you eat at fast-casual dining restaurants?
a. 1-2 times a week
b. 3-5 times a week
c. 6-7 times a week
d. Never
19. Please rank which is most important to you, a student, when deciding where to go? (1 being most important
and 5 being least important)
a. Price ___
b. Location ___
c. Good Quality ___
d. Taste of Food ___
e. Service ___
20. Please rank the reataurants in order of how likely you are to eat there. (1 being most likely and 5 being least
likely)
a. Chipotle ___
b. Noodles & Company ___
c. Chick-fil-a ___
d. Panera Bread ___
e. Subway ___
The following questions have to do with Noodles & Company, please circle the one.
21. Have you ever eaten at Noodles & Company?

a. Yes
b. No
22. When was the last time that you ate at Noodles & Company?
a. Within the last day
b. Within the last week
c. Within the last month
d. Within the last year
e. Never
23. How often do you eat at Noodles & Company?
Never 1 2 3 4 5 Regularly
24. Did you know there was a Noodles & Company on UK’s campus?
a. Yes
b. No
25. How many times have you eaten at Noodles & Company on UK’s campus? If you are not sure, please just
do your best to guestimate.
a. 1-5 times
b. 6-10 times
c. 11-20 times
d. 20+ times
e. Never
26. Have you eaten Noodles & Company at another location besides the one on campus?
a. Yes
b. No
27. Did you know that they have recently updated their menu and added new menu items?
a. Yes
b. No
28. Do you have a favorite menu item?

a. Yes (if so, what is it? ____________________________)
b. No
29. Do you think Noodles & Company prices are fair compared to other fast-casual restaurants?
a. Yes
b. No
30. Have you ever seen an advertisement for Noodles & Company?
a. Yes (if yes, where did you see it? _______________________)
b. No
31. Do you follow Noodles & Company on any social media sites?
a. Yes
b. No
32. I like the food at Noodles & Company

33. Price does not influence my purchasing decision for Noodles & Company.
34. I’ve had a positive experience at Noodles & Company.
35. Noodles & Company has kind and helpful staff.
36. The menu has a good amount of options.
Below are sets of word pairs. Please choose the closest word which best represents your overall feeling about
Noodles & Company. Please circle one.
37. Old --- New

38. Unpopular --- Popular
39. Not college student friendly --- College student friendly
40. Unfavorable --- Favorable
41. Have you ever gotten Noodles & Company delivered? (If yes, continue to question 42. If no, skip to
question 45.)
a. Yes
b. No
42. How was the delivery experience:
Terrible 1 2 3 4 5 Excellent
43. If you have had Noodles & Company delivered, what menu item did you order?
a. Noodle
b. Salad
c. Soup
44. How fast was the Noodles & Company delivery service?
a. Very Fast
b. Average amount of time
c. Very Slow
45. How likely are you to recommend Noodles & Company to others?
Unlikely 1 2 3 4 5 Likely
46. How likely would Noodles & Company be your first choice when choosing where to eat?
Unlikely 1 2 3 4 5 Likely
47. Below are five characteristics of Noodles & Company (or fast-casual dining). Please allocate 100 points
among the characteristics.
a. Convenient _____
b. High Quality _____
c. Reasonably Priced _____
d. Quality Service _____
_____ = 100 points
48. Have you ever had a bad experience at Noodles & Company?
a. Yes (If so, breifly explain: _________________________________________________________)
b. No
49. Do you think Noodles & Company has a good seating area to visit with friends?
a. Yes
b. No
50. I am a student at the University of Kentucky.

a. Yes
b. No
51. What do you identify as?

a. Male
b. Female
c. Other
d. Prefer not to say
52. I am a
a. Freshman
b. Sophomore
c. Junior
d. Senior
53. How old are you?

a. Younger than 18
b. 18-21
c. Older than 21
54. I live
a. On campus
b. Off campus
Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to complete this survey, we really appreciate it!
Appendix C: Codebook
Codebook
Question Variable Numeric Code
1 Eating out habits (0) No (1) Yes
2 Know nutrition (0) No (1) Yes
3 Reasonable spending (1) $5 or (2) $6 - $9 (3) $10 - (4) $13 or

amount per meal less $12 more
4 Eat alone or with (0) Alone (1) With others

others
5 Concern with (1) Strongly (2) Disagree (3) (4) Agree (5) Strongly
healthiness when Disagree Uncertain Agree
eating out
6 Eating out since being (1) 1 Less (2) 2 (3) 3 (4) 4 (5) 5 More
in college than before than before
7 Trying new places (0) Usual (2) Try new

when eating out restaurants places
8 Most likely to eat at (1) Most (2) Neutral (3) Least

restaurant likely Likely
Most likely to order (1) Most (2) Neutral (3) Least

food to go likely Likely
Most likely to get (1) Most (2) Neutral (3) Least

food delivered likely Likely
9 Importance of location (1) (2) 2 (3) 3 (4) 4 (5)

Unimportan Important
t
10 Heard the term (0) No (1) Yes

fast-casual dining
11 Know what (0) No (1) Yes

fast-casual dining is
12 Fast-casual dining is (0) No (1) Yes

reasonably priced
13 Eating at fast-casual (0) No (1) Yes

dining compared to
others
14 Dining preference (1) (2) Fast-casual (3) (4) No

Fast-food dining Sit-down preference
dining
15 Ranking service (1) Poor (2) 2 (3) 3 (4) 4 (5)

service Outstanding
service
16 Ranking experience (1) (2) 2 (3) 3 (4) 4 (5) Very

Unpleasant Pleasant
experience experience
17 Ranking quality (1) Low (2) 2 (3) 3 (4) 4 (5) High

Quality Quality
18 Frequency of eating at (1) 1-2 (2) 3-5 times a (3) 6+ (4) Never
fast-casual dining times a week times a
week week
19 Rank importance (1) 5 Least (2) 4 (3) 3 (4) 2 (5) 1 Most

when choosing Important Important
restaurant (Price)
Rank importance (1) 5 Least (2) 4 (3) 3 (4) 2 (5) 1 Most

restaurant (Location)

restaurant (Quality)

restaurant (Taste)

restaurant (Service)
20 Rank where most (1) 5 Least (2) 4 (3) 3 (4) 2 (5) Most
likely to eat: Chipotle likely Likely
Rank where most (1) 5 Least (2) 4 (3) 3 (4) 2 (5) Most
likely to eat: Noodles likely Likely
& Company
likely to eat: likely Likely
Chick-fil-a
likely to eat: Panera likely Likely
Bread
likely to eat: Subway likely Likely
21 If they've eaten at (0) No (1) Yes

Noodles & Company
before
22 Last time at Noodles (1) Within (2) Within the (3) (4) Within (5) Never
& Company the last day past week Within the past
the past year
month
23 Frequency at Noodles (1) Never (2) 2 (3) 3 (4) 4 (5)

& Company Regularly
24 Know about Noodles (0) No (1) Yes

& Company at UK
25 Frequency at Noodles (1) 1-5 (2) 6-10 times (3) 11-20 (4) 20+ (5) Never
& Company on UK's times times times
campus
26 Eaten at other Noodles (0) No (1) Yes

& Companys
27 Know about updated (0) No (1) Yes

menu
28 Favorite menu item (0) No (1) Yes
29 Noodles & Company (0) No (1) Yes

fairly priced compared
to others
30 Seen Noodles & (0) No (1) Yes

Company ads
31 Follow Noodles & (0) No (1) Yes

Company on social
media
32 Like the food at (1) Strongly (2) Disagree (3) (4) Agree (5) Strongly
Noodles & Company Disagree Uncertain Agree
33 Price does not (1) Strongly (2) Disagree (3) (4) Agree (5) Strongly
influence buying Disagree Uncertain Agree
decision at Noodles &
Company
34 I've had a positive (1) Strongly (2) Disagree (3) (4) Agree (5) Strongly
experience at Noodles Disagree Uncertain Agree
& Company
35 Noodles & Company (1) Strongly (2) Disagree (3) (4) Agree (5) Strongly
has nice/helpful staff Disagree Uncertain Agree
36 Menu has good (1) Strongly (2) Disagree (3) (4) Agree (5) Strongly
number of options Disagree Uncertain Agree
37 Noodles & Company (0) Old (1) New

word association: Old
vs New
38 Noodles & Company (0) (1) Popular

word association: Unpopular
Unpopular vs Popular
39 Noodles & Company (0) Not (1) College

word association: Not college friendly
college friendly vs friendly
College friendly
40 Noodles & Company (0) (1) Favorable

word association: Unfavorable
Unfavorable vs
Favorable
41 Gotten Noodles & (0) No (1) Yes

Company delivered
42 Delivery experience (1) Terrible (2) 2 (3) 3 (4) 4 (5)

Excellent
43 What was ordered (1) Noodles (2) Soup (3) Salad

through delivery
44 Delivery Service (1) Fast (2) Average (3) Slow
45 Likeliness to (1) Unlikely (2) 2 (3) 3 (4) 4 (5) Likely

recommend Noodles
& Company
46 Likeliness Noodles & (1) Unlikely (2) 2 (3) 3 (4) 4 (5) Likely
Company is first
choice for where to

eat
47 Allocate 100 points
48 Had bad experience at (0) No (1) Yes

Noodles & Company
49 Noodles & Company (0) No (1) Yes

has good atmosphere
to eat with friends
50 UK student (0) No (1) Yes
51 Identify as (0) Male (1) Female (2) Other (3) Prefer

not to
answer
52 Class (1) (2) Sophomore (3) Junior (4) Senior (5) Grad
Freshman Student
53 Age (1) Younger (2) 18-21 (3) 22+

than 18
54 Live on campus or off (0) Off (1) On campus

campus Campus

Isc 321 Final Project Report

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Isc 321 Final Project Report

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ISC 321: Noodles & Company Analysis 1

Noodles & Company

I. Cover Letter Page 3

II. Secondary Research: Situation Analysis Page 3

III. Research Objectives Page 9

IV. Exploratory Research: Focus Group Interview Page 10

V. Primary Research: Survey Page 13

VI. Overall Research Findings Page 16

VII. Positioning Statement & Campaign Recommendations Page 17

VIII. References Page 18

IX. Appendix A: Focus Group Guideline Page 21

Appendix B: Survey Questionnaire Page 28

Appendix C: Codebook Page 33

II. Secondary Research: Situation Analysis

Another direct competitor is Nothing but Noodles (Dining Out: Nothing

4. Profiles of Target Market

5. Previous Trends in ISC

Figure 2. S.W.O.T. Analysis of Noodles & Company

The strengths of this company are strong as Noodles & Company is

Noodles & Company having three hundred locations is considered a

Noodles & Company has the opportunity as a growing company to bring

7. Identification of major marketing problems and opportunities related to targeting

Millennials enjoy seeing advertisements that are funny (Macke, 2016). We

III. Research Objectives

IV. Exploratory Research: Focus Group Interview

a. To gain an understanding of UK students eating out habits.

2. FGI Sampling Methods:

V. Primary Research: Survey

VI. Overall Research Findings

VII. Positioning Statement & Campaign Recommendation

(2016) About Noodles and Company. Retrieved from:​ ​http://www.noodles.com/about/

(2016) Panera: Our History. Retrieved from:

Nothing but Noodles. Available from

http://www.lexisnexis.com.ezproxy.uky.edu/hottopics/lnacademic/​ (accessed September 24,

14, 2016, from​ ​http://fortune.com/2015/03/11/shake-shack-noodles-potbelly/

Retail News.​ ​http://www.lexisnexis.com.ezproxy.uky.edu/hottopics/lnacademic/

MediaPost Communications​. Retrieved September 14, 2016.

Millennials find value in smaller, everyday indulgences.

- January 2016. By Caleb Bryant.

Mintel (2016). Category Overview: Lifestyles. Report: Marketing to Millennials - US - May

2016. By Dana Macke.

(accessed September 24, 2016).

Mintel. (2016). ​Fast Casual Dining. ​Available from:

http://academic.mintel.com.ezproxy.uky.edu/display/763050/?highlight​ (accessed September 24,

Mintel. (2016). ​Innovation on the Menu. ​Available from:

http://academic.mintel.com.ezproxy.uky.edu/display/752376/?highlight​ (accessed September 24,

IX. Appendix A: Focus Group Guideline

Company: Noodles and Company

1. To gain an understanding of UK students eating out habits.

FGI Sampling Methods:

Questions asked during Focus Group:

● “Japanese Pan noodles because the sauce is amazing.”

Appendix B: Survey Questionnaire

1. Do you eat out a lot?

4. When eating out, do you normally eat:

5. Eating healthy is a concern when going out to eat?

Strongly Disagree Disagree Uncertain Agree Strongly Agree

Less than before 1 2 3 4 5 More than before

7. When eating out, do you tend to:

Unimportant 1 2 3 4 5 Very Important

11. Did you know what fast-casual dining was?

12. Do you think that fast-casual restaurants are reasonably priced?

14. Which do you prefer?

(2016) About Noodles and Company. Retrieved from: http://www.noodles.com/about/

http://www.lexisnexis.com.ezproxy.uky.edu/hottopics/lnacademic/ (accessed September 24,

14, 2016, from http://fortune.com/2015/03/11/shake-shack-noodles-potbelly/

Retail News. http://www.lexisnexis.com.ezproxy.uky.edu/hottopics/lnacademic/

MediaPost Communications. Retrieved September 14, 2016.

Mintel. (2016). Fast Casual Dining. Available from:

http://academic.mintel.com.ezproxy.uky.edu/display/763050/?highlight (accessed September 24,

Mintel. (2016). Innovation on the Menu. Available from:

http://academic.mintel.com.ezproxy.uky.edu/display/752376/?highlight (accessed September 24,