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The Role of Business Ethics in the Success of the Fast Food
Chains in Quezon City
Richard Oliver Cortez Sergio S. Bainco
richardolivercortez@yahoo.com larry_ofue@yahoo.com.ph
Abstract
Fast food chains nowadays are ignoring the
fact that they have ethical responsibilities to their
stakeholders, namely, the employees, the consumers,
the government, the suppliers, and the general public.
They put more premium on their profit rather than on
customer satisfaction. They are not aware that being
ethical has a role in attaining more profit, and
ultimately in attaining more success in their
businesses.
It is in the above context that the researcher came
up with the study ”The Role of Business Ethics in the
success of the Fast Food Chain in Quezon City:
Towards a Guide”.
The researcher employed the Descriptive Method
of research in gathering the needed data because this
method of research is a fact-finding study with
adequate and accurate interpretation of the findings.
According to Zulueta and Costales (2004), its purpose
is to know “what exists” or what is about certain
phenomena. Since this study aimed to know the role
of business ethics in the success of the food chain
eateries in North Fairview, Quezon City towards a
guide, the Descriptive Method of research is the most
appropriate method to use in the hope of offering
recommendations based on the findings.
The respondents of this study are the 150
customers of the Three Fast food chains, fifty
customers from each food chain. The researcher
believed that the respondents came up with reliable
and valuable data needed in this study.
Keywords – Fast food, business ethics,
professional ethics, stakeholders, corporate social
responsibility,
I. Introduction
In business, ethics means examining principles on
problems that can be found in all types of business
environment. It covers all aspects of business that
Mary Jean M. Jayobo
mjayobo@yahoo.com
pertains to the conduct of the business owners and the
operations of business. It also covers the interaction of
success, profit motivation and customer satisfaction of
the owners. Today, some businesses promote their
commitment under such headings as corporate social
responsibility, ethical standards and code of ethics.
Business ethics should be monitored because the
government cannot do it always all the. Perhaps, an
agency should be established for the sole purpose of
monitoring of compliance to ethical standards. There
are large corporations that are not too keen in
establishing good relation to their stakeholders,
customers, suppliers, employees and other
stakeholders. In gaining profit, they should balance
all the interest off all the stakeholders involved.
Issues concerning suppliers for example, some
businesses do not pay their suppliers on time after
getting supplies from them. Some companies do not
pay their employees properly, some companies do not
make quality goods and services to their employees.
Some companies do not pay the right taxes to the
government. Some companies just copy the product
of their competitors.
Talking about the ethical standards, the paramount
concern of these business should its human resources,
among the resources of the business, the people
should be one to be taken care of. The business
should abide by all the labor laws. If the workers are
working overtime, proper overtime payment should be
given to them. Sometimes, the employee should also
grow with the company, they should be involved in
profit-sharing. The workplace should be free from
hazardous materials and any risk within the company.
The trend now is to for the employees that if they are
working, they should feel at home in their respective
workplaces and free from stressful environment.
There are difference in the practice of business
ethics. It varies from company to company, industry
to industry, region to region, and country to country.
For examples, in the Philippines, it is just alright to
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use ingredients using pork meat in the dish to be
prepared in restaurants and fast food. But in other
countries using pork meat is prohibited. In Japan,
sipping your soup without using spoon is not
unethical, but in European countries, it is already
unethical.
Business ethics also pertains to advertising. There
are times that you will enter a fast food because you
saw their delicious-looking advertisement. But when
you enter the counter, the product served to you does
not resemble the one being advertised. Some of the
problems of the fast food is they spend big amount of
money in advertisement to the point that they sacrifice
the actual taste, texture, appearance, and packaging of
the product. Another issue here is that they advertise
their products without the corresponding warning
about the ingredients used, without nutritional
information on the label and packaging of the
products. They should also be concerned about the
health benefits of the product to the consumers.
Another problem arising is that these companies
take advantage of the economic situation of the
workers. They know that some workers will just take
a small amount of salary just to survive. Majority of
the crew or employees of these fast food are part time
workers who are also studying. So just to have money
to finance their schooling, they will get a part time job
like working in a fast food that offer a very small
salary.
These Fast food chains, local are multinational just
ignore their responsibilities to their stakeholders,
namely, the employees, the consumers, the
government, the suppliers, and the general public.
They put more premium on their profit rather than on
customer satisfaction. They are not aware that being
ethical has a role in attaining more profit, and
ultimately in attaining more success in their
businesses.
It is in the above context that the researcher came
up with the study ”The Role of Business Ethics in the
success of the Fast Food Chain in Quezon City:
Towards a Guide”.
II. Material and Methods
The researcher employed the Descriptive Method
of research in gathering the needed data because this
method of research is a fact-finding study with
adequate and accurate interpretation of the findings.
The respondents of this study are 150 customers of
the Three Fast food chains, 50 customers from each
food chain. The researcher believed that the
respondents came up with reliable and valuable data
needed in this study.
The researcher made use of Purposive Sampling to
choose 50 respondents from each sampled Fast Food
or a total of 150 respondents to answer the
questionnaire. According to Crossman (2013),
“purposive sampling, also commonly called a
judgmental sample, is one that is selected based on the
knowledge of a population and the purpose of the
study. The subjects are selected because of some
characteristic”.
The instrument used by the researcher to collect
data is the survey questionnaire. It aimed on knowing
the customer’s perception if how effective are the
existing business ethics practices of the fast food
chain eateries in the following areas: Customer and
Employee Welfare, Quality of Food, Professionalism,
Compliance with Rules and Regulations on Health
and safety, and Community and Environmental
Involvement. The data collected from the respondents
were analyzed, organized, and interpreted.
This was personally, yet informally done by the
researcher to complement the answer on the
questionnaire and to give light on some matters not
clearly responded to by the interviewees. The
interview was done as a systematic way of talking and
listening to the respondents and as another way to
collect data from them through conversations. The
researcher used open questions, and data is collected
from the interviewee. The researcher needs to
remember the interviewer’s views about the topic of
business ethics as they are of utmost importance. The
respondents were also considered as the primary data
for the study because talking to them is a way to
collect data as well as to gain knowledge from them,
specifically on their perceptions about the role of
business ethics in the success of a business.
The researcher got the respondents involved and
talked about their views. In addition, the interviewees
were able to discuss their perception and interpretation
with regards to a given ethical situation in the daily
operation of the fast-food chain.
To formulate the concept and framework of the
study and to determine the variables and indicators to
be used, the researchers read the literature and studies
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related to the study. They prepared the initial draft of 1.1 As to Age
the questionnaire based on this readings. The The first Three (3) in rank are:
researchers considered all these suggestions when a. “25 and below” with 57
they revised the draft of the questionnaire. respondents or 38 percent;
The researcher sought the approval of the Store b. “26-30” with 24 respondents
Managers of the fast-food chains to float the or 16 percent; and
questionnaires. Having found the questionnaires valid c. “41-45” with 18 respondents
and reliable, copies were distributed to the or 12 percent.
respondents. With the help of some of his colleagues, 1.2 As to Gender
he personally administered the distribution to 150 The distribution is
respondent customers who were purposively selected. a. “Male”, 72 respondents or 48
After giving the respondents ample time to answer, percent; and
and having 100% retrieval, the data gathered from the b. “Female”,78 respondents or
survey were analyzed, organized, and interpreted. 52 percent.
The data that were yielded by the questionnaire 1.3 As to Civil Status
were tallied, tabulated, and subjected to statistical The first Three (3) in rank are:
treatment in order to ensure validity, reliability, and a. “Single” with 88 respondents
interpretation. or 59 percent;
To assess the roles of business ethics practices b. “Married” with 53
and to describe its effectiveness, the weighted mean respondents or 35 percent; and
was applied. The response of the respondents were c. “Separated” with 6
categorized into five and were given corresponding respondents or 4 percent.
weight. The weights were multiplied by the number 1.4 As to Highest Educational
of replies in each category and were added and then Attainment
divided from the sum of the product The first Three (3) in rank are:
To qualify the responses on the rating scale, the a. “College units” with 61
five-point Likert scale method of measuring attitudes respondents or 41 percent;
were used. Each statement has Five responses, which b. “College graduates” with 56
are classified under the degree of difficulty from “5” respondents or 38 percent; and
which means Strongly Agree down to “1” which c. “Vocational-technical
means Strongly Disagree. The respondents reacted to graduate” with 24 respondents or
every perception item by checking one out of five 16 percent.
possible answer or responses. Thus, the score was the
sum of the weight of the responses checked. 2. On the Existing Business Ethics
The equivalent point assigned to each item Practices that are Observed by the Fast
indicated the extent of existence of the conditions as Food Chains
perceived by the respondents was determined by
estimating weighted average which becomes the 2.1 On Customer and Employee welfare
verbal description. The first Three (3) in rank are:
a. “Good customer service”
III. Results with 106 respondents or 71
percent;
Based on the gathered data using questionnaire b. “Affordable pricing” with 97
and interview, the researcher came up with the respondents or 65 percent; and
following findings: c. “Convenient and comfortable
store setting” with 84
1. On How Respondents may be respondents or 56 percent.
described 2.2 On Quality of Food
The first Three (3) in rank are:

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a. “Food items are tasty and
served hot” with 94 respondents
or 63 percent;
b. “Healthy ingredients and
nutritional information” with 93
respondents or 62 percent; and
c. “Safe preparation methods”
with 89 respondents or 59
percent.
2.3 On Professionalism
The first Three (3) in rank are:
a. “Respectful and is aware of
customer’s feelings” with 99
respondents or 66 percent;
b. “Skillful Communication”
with 83 respondents or 55
percent; and
c. “Reliable, trustworthy, and
caring” with 81 respondents or
54 percent.
2.4 On Compliance with Rules and
Regulations on Health and Safety
The first Three (3) in rank are:
a. “Sanitized and safe store
operation” with 94 respondents
or 63 percent;
b. “Employees of legal working
age” with 88 respondents or 59
percent; and
c. “Safe cooking and practices
procedures” with 87 respondents
or 58 percent.
2.5 On Community and Environmental
Involvement
The first Three (3) in rank are:
a. “Proper waste disposal” with
120 respondents or 80 percent;
b. “Keep the environment safe
and clean” with 105 respondents
or 70 percent; and
c. “Proper recycling practices”
with 73 respondents or 49
percent.
3. On the Effectiveness of the Business Ethics
Practices of the Fast Food Chains
3.1 Effectiveness of the Business Ethics
Practices
The first Three (3) in rank are:
a. “Compliance with Rules and
Regulations on Health and safety”
with WX of 4.14 interpreted as
Effective;
b. “Professionalism” with WX
of 4.06 interpreted as Effective;
and
c. “Customer and Employee
Welfare” with WX of 4.04
interpreted as Effective.
4. On the Problems Encountered by the
Customer and Suggestions on How to Resolve
the Problems.
4.1 On Problems Encountered by Customers
The first Three (3) in rank are:
a. “Long customer line” with
respondents of 105 or 70 percent;
b. “Small dining areal” with 81
respondents or 54 percent; and
c. “Incomplete and slow serving
of food items” and “small dining
area” with 78 respondents each or
52 percent.
4.2 On the Suggestions on How to Resolve the
Problems at the Fast Food chains. The first Three (3)
in rank are:
a. “Respond to complaints
within minutes” with respondents
of 115 or 77 percent;
b. “Bigger dining areas for the
convenience of customers” with
105 respondents or 70 percent; and
c. “More counter persons
assigned” with 93 respondents or
62 percent.
5. On the Utilization of the Findings in Designing
a Guide to enhance the Business Ethics Practices of
the Fast food chains Towards Better Service.
The findings of the study may be utilized by the Fast
Food chains in designing a guide to serve as basis in
enhancing policies with regards to business ethics
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practices. The guide below may assist the Fast food
chains.
a. Review existing policies on
business ethics practices
b. Respond more effectively on
the welfare of employees and
customers by providing clean
restrooms, providing the right food
suggestions to the customers, and
good employer- employee
relationship
c. Assure food quality by
providing fresh ingredients, presence
of food expiry date, and proper
labeling and packaging
d. Display professional behavior
by having honesty in action, display
professional behavior all the time,
and practice appropriate dress code.
e. Comply with rules and
regulations like providing
environmentally-friendly packaging,
adherence to food safety standards,
and hiring medically-qualified
personnel.
f. Be involved more in
community and environmental
development such as charity
involvement, community feeding
program, and sports involvement in
the community.
IV. Discussion
The customers of the Three Fast Food chains may
be described as to age, gender, civil status, and
educational attainment and majority of them belong to
the 25 and below age bracket meaning that younger
generations are mostly patronizing fast food instead of
going to fine-dining restaurant. The study also shows
that majority of the customers of the Three Fast Food
chains are female and are single. It shows that female
and single persons love to hang it out with their
colleagues during their vacant times. Males maybe
have another way of spending their times together.
Males may come to other places such as bars, internet
or computer cafes or in any other outdoor places. The
customers of the fast food chains are also college
degree holders or at least have college units earned.
This shows that college students go to fast food chains
during breaks in their studies. For them it is better to
spend vacant times in these places to their
assignments and study their lessons. The places are
convenient and mostly are wi-fi enabled, browsing for
their lessons is easier and more fun. College degree
customers also means that customers have the means
or money to be spent on these places. Prices of fast
food products are relatively higher than prices of
street food, that is why customers should have at least
considerable amount of money to be spent.
The Fast Food chains showed ethical business
practices in the field of customer and employee
welfare, food quality, professionalism, compliance
with rules and regulations on health and safety, and
community and environmental
involvement. The business ethics practices are
effective in its role towards the success of the Three
Fast Food chains. There are business ethics problems
encountered and suggestions offered by the
respondents in the ultimate aim of providing better
service and quality food to the customers. .
The findings were utilized in designing a guide to
enhance the existing policies of the Fast Food chains
regarding its business ethics practices towards the
customers, employees, and society as a whole.
In the light of the findings and conclusions, the
following recommendations should also be taken into
consideration by the fast food businesses
1. The Fast Food chains should provide
clean restrooms for the convenience of the customers.
2. The Fast Food chains should enhance its
employer-employee relationship
3. The Fast Food chains should give more
information about the expiry time of its food items, as
well as there should be a presence of proper labeling
and packaging.
4. The Fast Food chains employees should
always observe professional-looking or appropriate
dress code all the time
5. The Fast Food chains should always
adhere to food safety standard and should always see
to it that all employees have proper health
certification.
6. The Fast Food chains should be always
involved in Sports development in the community
where they belong, as well as more community
feeding program and charity involvement.
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7. The Fast Food chains should devise a
plan on how to reduce the long customer line and
should assign more counter persons.
8. The Fast Food chains should always see to
it that the food item ordered are complete and be
served at the fastest possible time.
9. The Fast Food chains should respond
immediately within minutes to the complaints of the
customers. If they are customers who ordered the
food through delivery, they should be given a
telephone call within the day.
10. The Fast Food chains should provide a
bigger and convenient dining areas for the
convenience of the customers complete with more
amenities for children and the elderly.
11. Future researchers should explore other
areas that are not covered in the study.
13. The guide that was formulated by the
researcher need to be implemented to enhance the
existing policies.
V. Literature and Studies
This part deals with the findings made from
books, articles, magazines, web publications that are
related to the study.
Based on an internet article from Wikipedia
(2012), some of the largest fast food chains are
starting to put healthier food on the table. McDonald's,
for example said that they start placing nutritional
information on the packaging of their products. This
fast-food outlet has become popular with consumers
for several reasons. For one it become very popular
with the working group. Instead of cooking of their
own meal at homer, they can just grab a bag of food
from the counter to be taken out. It can be very
reassuring that even you are hungry, you have a place
to drop by anytime of the day.
McDonald's has a reputation for cleanliness,
good service, and quality environment where families
on a long vacation can quickly grab a quick meal to
break the routine of cooking at home. People now
have a choice between standard restaurant where you
have to wait for a long period of time and a fastfood
where it is more practical and sometime cheaper. Fast
food can now cater to all segment of society.
Eventhough, it is more popular to children. Working
mothers can now do their things on the table while the
children are playing in the playing area provide for
them.
According to Bagnoli (2013), Jollibee is now the
largest fast food chain in the country. It has more than
2,000 stores scattered all over the archipelago. Even
if they combine all the other fastfood chain including
the foreign-owned brand, Jollibee will still get the
lion share of the fast food market. Additionally, it
does not operate only in the country. It has several
branches in all corner of the globe including in Asia,
Middle East, and the US.
The reason for the success of Jollibee is the fact
that it is family-oriented, it consider the Filipino way
of life when it introduce a new product. They also
walk the talk, meaning what they are advertising, they
really put it on the table to be admired and
experienced by the dining public. They target their
consumer very well especially the children. They
know the how to tickle the imagination of the
children. As a result, Jollibee has been awarded
several awards for being the company and employer
of the year in the Philippines as it continues to be a
major international player within the fast food
industry here and a abroad.
Zwillich (2006), said that Kentucky Fried
Chicken (KFC) fast food restaurants being one the
best in the world is very keen in putting premium in
its corporate ethical standards both inside and outside
the company as being claimed by its customer
representatives. For example, in dealing with its
vendors, the company does not buy ingredients,
supply, crops from any other. It has a regular
suppliers wherein it sources all of its inventory to be
used inside their stores. They even require their
suppliers to comply instance the company with its
own standards for suppliers before they make
transaction with KFC. This means that the supplier
themselves should be vigilant within their own
organizations. For example, healthy products to be
given to KFC, their own employees should have the
proper documentation, they employees should be at
the right age, these employees should be paid the
proper wages, they must avoid harmful chemicals in
their products. These procedures have gained for KFC
a high regards from their customers and suppliers and
maintained its status as one of the leaders in the
industry.
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Another practices of the company is they look at
the welfare, health and safety of its employees. Being
a fastfood chain, KFC has busy employees, so the
company always look for detrimental hazards in the
workplace that can endanger the lives and safety of all
its employees. They protect them from those, they see
tp its that employees are working for the company
voluntarily without resorting to force labor. The
company practices fair disciplinary measure whenever
there are employees who commit mistakes. They
assure that no employees make complains about the
company when it comes to wages , rewards, benefits
and work situations.
Kentucky Fried Chicken does also discriminate
against individuals on the basis or sex, race, ethnic
origin, religion and social orientation. The
recruitment practices of the company is to just focus
on the capabilities, skills, educational background of
the would-be employees. The company also follow
the labor law of one particular country. They pay the
proper overtime pay of the employees. It also practice
shifting hours for the employees. No employees are
required to work beyond what is allowed by law.
They are given ample time rest and recharge their
energy to be more productive for their next shift.
KFC is also committed to giving what is due to
the effort of the employees. For example in Canada,
the company the wage mandated by law, they more
wages to their employees. They even allow the
establishment of labor union in some countries. It
only shows that KFC is really committed in providing
employees with good working conditions.
In an article written by Reynard (2013), entitled
“Maxis Reassures Customers on Ethical Food
Practices”, she said that there are news about those
practices wherein several fast food put different
species of meat in their products like meat of horse,
donkey, water buffalu, and alike. This prompted KFC
to reassure tha eating public that those are not true
when it comes to their products. Only genuine meat
can be found in the products being sold in their stores.
Customers should not be shortchanged when it comes
to what they for. To established credibility, several
tests were conducted to prove that what being
supplied, what being cooked, and what being served
have no trace of food contamination. The company is
just showing that they are truthful and transparent.
Irving ( 2012), said that it is hard for the
consumer to choose between what is natural and
artificial, organic and non-organic, local or imported.
So companies should improve their social
responsibility and environmental stewardship to cater
to the cravings of the customers when they are eating
in their fast food. They should remember that these
are hard earned money of the customers, they should
get what they pay for because one-third of the meal
being eaten by the consumers are being done in fast
food chains.
The business ethics of some chains are really
below the acceptable standards, there are also those
who embrace the idea of sustainability and social
responsibility on their businesses. There is one, for
example, that offers organic egg and milk for several
years. It promises healthy diet especially for children.
Another Fast food offers vegetarian meals and fish. It
practices marine conservation to promote the
responsible catching of fish to be used in menu being
served in their restaurants. It has a list enumerating all
the fish that should not be served to the consumers.
Bagnoli(2012), meanwhile said that some fast-
food collect vegetables, lamb etc direct from the
farmer to avoid the usual exploitation of primary
producers. Some chains like isinglass really think on
how to implement their business ethics and they think
that ethics should be implemented not only in fast
food sector but in all sectors of society.
Erlich (2013), talked about Chipotle Mexican
Grill. He said that this fast food chains has become
one of the fastest growing and largest restaurant
chains in the world. Its main business is to
communicate efforts and perceived brand personality.
To market itself as an environmentally-friendly
restaurant, it uses ingredients that are naturally raised.
O’ Brien(2012), asserted that with all the
achievements of these fast food chains, the issue of
their real impact on society is what really counts.
They should give back to society in an ethical way.
But some of them are giving back negatively. For
example, some consumers claim that that fast food
chains give obesity them obese children. The issue of
marketing food to children comes into focus. Too
much marketing to children is harmful, fast food
chains should be responsible in their advertising too.
Meanwhile, the CEO of McDonalds asserted
that the company has the right to free advertisement
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and freedom of expressions. They maintain that it is
now the responsibility of the parents to watch what are
being eaten by their children. The company should
not be blamed for their obesity.
Shaw ( 1999), said that business is interrelated
with society and they should go hand in hand.
Although business has a goal of earning profit for the
owners, employees and shareholders, it has also
responsibility to pursue as well. There is a contract
between society and business about their
responsibility and goals because society has also goals
on the quality and preservation of life that can be
degraded if businesses will not have ethical
operations. Businesses should grow more aware of
the possible effects of business to society and other
third party.
According to Lorenzana (2008), on her study of
a Jollibee fast food outlet, she said that consumers are
well-satisfied with the chains customer services.
Results show that consumers assessed their services as
very good. They are satisfied with the prompt
services in providing the needs of customers. From
accuracy of taking their orders to accommodating
every customers complaints were highly recognized
by the respondents. Customers find Jollibee Food
Chains as pleasant, worth revisiting, and worth
recommending to others.
The study also said that majority of the
respondents do not encounter some problems in terms
of parking services. However, with regards to
inadequacy of seats and slow services of crew, there
were number of consumers who experience such
problems. This should be given appropriate attention
in order to provide them the best services that will
exceed customer’s expectations and achieve an overall
continuing success
Plantilla (2010), said that the problems
encountered by non-food manufacturing firm in the
management of business ethics programs are the
following: 1. They do not have enough people 2.
They do not have CSR management systems and
processes 3. They do not have enough money to
finance the CSR programs 4. CSR is not of real
interest among employees 5. They do not have
enough time 6. Top management does not support
the program 7. CSR program do not have significant
benefit to the company 8. Organizational culture
does not suit to the values management and vice versa
9. Absence of ethical and legal grounds
He also added that companies with large number
of employees and considered as matured in the
industry were assessed to be better-off in the
performance of the corporate social responsibility as
well as those companies with large capitalization.
Non-food manufacturing firms performed their social
responsibility towards their stakeholders such as
employees, society and environment to a moderate
extent
Bulahan(1996), in her study, said that the service
rendered by Jollibee Cebu to its customers for Dine-in
and Take-out as well as its express delivery are very
good. She also said that the operations of Cebu City
Jolibee fast food chains can stand improvements in the
areas of: services, quality of the food, price, facilities,
and location as to meet full customer satisfaction
regarding the quality of food and service. He
concluded that Jollibee operations has conformed with
the expectations of its customers. Nevertheless, new
improvements needed are not very difficult to
implement if the management of Cebu city Jollibee
fast food chains will take into consideration the
importance of customer satisfaction for the success of
its business operations.
Domen ( 2005), said that the Zamboanga food
service entrepreneurs could be described as
particularly strong in persistence, commitment to
work, goal setting, information seeking systematic
planning and monitoring, self-confidence, and highly-
demanding in quality and efficiency of work. They
could also be said to be moderately possessing risk-
taking abilities, persuasion and networking.
She said that business success indicators used
were data on assets, sales volume, net income, and
increase in manpower and age of the business. Sales
volume as a business success indicator had significant
correlations with professional background, personality
traits on goal setting, and systematic planning and
monitoring.
The personal entrepreneurial characteristic which
has a correlation with success indicators was demand
for quality and efficiency. The value of these traits is
recognized in managing a business and maintaining
its profitability. Their hardworking traits, attempts to
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put quality in their businesses positively influenced
their income
Gadais(2004), said in her study that both Jollibee
and McDonalds fast-food restaurants are highly
patronized by the HRM students in Fairview, Quezon
City. Most of the respondents eat at these fast foods
restaurant twice a week and decided to eat there
because of its accessibility, good service, affordable
price.
Moreover, students are satisfied when it comes
to the level customer satisfaction in relation to
customer- service provided by both the two food
service establishments. The sanitation and cleanliness
was first when it comes to ranking the level of their
satisfaction. Students are more comfortable to go in
fast-food restaurants like Jollibee and McDonalds
because they see that these stores are practicing
standardized sanitation procedures that are very
important to health .
She also added that fast and efficient service,
providing superior security and clean dining areas are
the suggestions for improvement that will ensure the
continuous patronage of the respondents to both fast
food establishments McDonalds and Jollibee. They
choose the two establishments not only for their
popularity but also because of its customer service
that adapts to every student needs.
Based from a careful review of the findings and
analysis, the researcher came out with the following
recommendations that could serve as a guideline for
the continuous improvement of the food service.
They must continue to maintain fast and efficient
service and to comply with their standards to protect
their image because as we all know Jollibee and
McDonalds had already established its name in the
food service industry. The service crew must continue
to be always alert and attentive to the needs and wants
of their customers. They must be consistent on
providing friendly, courteous and helpful service to its
customers
According to Casuay ( 2005), Social
responsibility are composed of the following
indicators: professionalism, honesty, and
commitments. All were rated according to the honest
perception of the participating respondents. Whereas,
business ethics are comprised of the following
indicators: values, rights, duties, and relationship.
Respondents of the study comprised of the employees
in selected franchising touching the lives of the
employees and the selected franchising top
management who in their own humble job delivered
all the raw materials to be processed and served to the
general public/society. The customers are considered
as the backbone of any business establishments. For
as long as there are customers and households, the
producers and service delivery companies will always
be there to serve them with dedication and
commitment
According to Hartman ( 2008), the giant food
chain McDonalds focuses its efforts in four categories:
environment, community, marketplace, and people.
This is the reasons why McDonalds placed 14 th among
the world’s most respected companies when it comes
to environmental protection.
She also added that McDonalds is also a leader
when it comes to humane treatment of animals. It
commits itself to animal welfare in all countries that
McDonalds do business. McDonald’s will provide its
customers with safe food products as its number one
priority. It treats animals with care and respect. This
is an integral part of an overall quality assurance
programs that makes good business.
In an internet study published by the website
Ivythesis (2013). it said that business operations
should be in conformity with the norms, goals,
objectives and standards of the society where its
business operates. This includes moral obligation to
utilize all the resources of the business for the
common goals of all the stakeholders such as
employees, owners, suppliers, society, and customers.
One of the companies that are very profitable and at
the same time takes business ethics seriously is
Starbucks. Such practices earned for the company a
global awards pertaining to overall leadership award.
For example, Starbucks Canada, only buys coffee that
are naturally grown and no damage to the
environment when it was harvested. The source of
their coffee must be responsible and adherent to
ethical standards. Ethical sourcing also means that
Starbucks serves ethically traded coffee and should
create a more stable climate and better future for
farmers/suppliers.
Environmentalists applaud the globalization of
environmental stewardship, even when this
globalization sacrifices national identity. For
Starbucks Canada, environmental stewardship means
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minimizing the impact of their production or
operations to the environment, they also discuss the
issue of climate change, and inspiring other industries
to be more vigilant when it comes to ethical standards.
Moreover, using leadership skills, Starbucks also lured
other companies to be good in their operations and
minimize the impact of their operations to society and
environment, such as discussing the issue of climate
change. For Starbucks, community involvement
means adopting the community where they belong and
taking part in all of the activities of the community.
They are doing these by volunteering large hours for
community involvement and immersions.
The operation of Starbucks Canada is being done
within the bound s of the law, it does not go stray or
break any law in its operations, neither nor they ignore
the law. It also follow the provisions of the natural,
and that is to follow the rules of taking care of the
environment. Such strategies helped the firm gain
further growth, more profit, and the love of the
community where they belong.
In the study conducted by Baker (2010), the
number one focus of fast food abd restaurants and fast
food should be sanitation and should constitute a
major area of concern and concentration for restaurant
owners and ultimately for customers. For example,
the hair of the servers should be groomed, restrained,
and cleaned are tell-tale signs that the establishment
has the propensity for sanitation, hygiene and
wellbeing of the customers. In addition, employee’s
hands and clothes are also signs of the level of
sanitation and cleanliness for a fast food. The results
of this study only shows that the customers place a
high level of importance on sanitation, safety,
cleanliness and proper handling procedures of food in
the fast food business.
VI. References
1. Cragg, W. Business Ethics and Stakeholder Theory; Business
Ethics Review, Vol. 12, 2002.
2. Daft, Richard L. Management, 8th edition, Ohio: Thomson:
South-Western, 2008.
3. Guasch, Juan Martin, De Gracia, Erlinda Hoo & Esguerra
Cerila, Hotel and Restaurant Management: An Introduction,
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4. Hartman, Laura P. & Desjardins, Joe. Business Ethics:
Decision-making for Personal Integrity & Social Responsibility,
International Edition, New York: McGraw-Hill, 2008.
5. Shaw, William H. Business Ethics, 3rd Edition, California:
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2. Bulahan, Angelie, “An Assessment on the Existing Operations
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3. Casuay, Roberto T. “Social Responsibility and Business Ethics
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4. http://www.suite101.com/article/corporate-social-responsibility-
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