Tasting More Than Just Food: Effect of Aesthetic Appeal of Plate Patterns on Food Perception

Abstract

Interest has been growing in the role of subjective aesthetics in the field of food. This study explored the mechanisms by which the aesthetic appeal of plate patterns influences consumers’ perceptions of food. Three experiments were conducted to compare whether different levels of beauty and types of plate pattern aesthetics (classical versus expressive) affected the perceptions of tastiness and healthiness of the food offered. Experiment 1 was carried out with 30 participants, and the results showed that participants perceived the food presented on more beautiful plates as tastier and healthier than the food on less beautiful plates. Experiment 2 was carried out with 128 participants; the results showed that, for expressively aesthetic plates, the participants experienced more positive emotions for very beautiful plates and more negative emotions for less beautiful plates. However, for classical aesthetic plates, participants’ emotions were not affected by the beauty of the plate. Experiment 3 was carried out with 149 participants, and the results showed that, for classically aesthetic plates, participants perceived the food placed in the middle to be tastier than food placed at the edge; however, for expressively aesthetic plates, food placement did not affect participants’ perceptions of food. These results demonstrate the importance of the subjective beauty of plate patterns in influencing consumers’ food perceptions, although this influence varies depending on the type of aesthetic design of the plate pattern.

Keywords

• aesthetic
• plate pattern
• plating
• food and health