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Looks Good Enough to Eat

Food is central to cross-cultural studies of behavior, thought, and symbolism. The way it is presented to people, however, can have a dramatic influence on how palatable it is perceived and what is eaten. Because of this, issues of food plating and presentation are of applied interest to anyone who wishes to influence the perceptions and consumption of prepared food. This includes chefs, marketers, and parents. This study examines two questions: (a) What are these visual preferences of plating, and (b) How do they vary across cultures? To explore these questions, we presented a wide range of meal photos to adults from the United States, Italy, and Japan to assess preferences for various plating arrangements. Across six visual dimensions of food, there was a consistent preference for the number of colors on a plate (three), components on a plate (three to four) and the fill level of a plate; however, there were diverging preferences regarding the preferred position of the featured main course, how the items should be organized, and whether they should be casually presented. We discuss the implications of our findings for cross-cultural researchers as well as those who wish to influence the perceptions and food consumption of others.