The purposes of this research were to study the popularity of local dishes and to investigate the factors affecting popularity of local food preferences of residents of Chanthaburi Province. The research instruments used in this study were the mixed methods approaches of quantitative and qualitative research methods. A sample group of 400 residents of the Muang District of Chanthaburi Province responded to a questionnaire for the quantitative portion of the research. In-depth interviews were conducted with owners of local food restaurants in the Muang District area for the qualitative portion of the research. Participatory observations were also applied to the qualitative portion of this study. The results showed that the popularity of local foods was at the high level. Local foods were categorized as follows: 1) Fruit, such as: rambutan, mangosteen and longkong; 2) Desserts, such as: deep-fried dough sticks with dipping sauce, preserved durian, and durian chips; 3) Meat dishes, such as: cardamon pork, beef noodles, pork satay, and stir-fried pork with young pepper. The 6 factors affecting the popularity of local dishes were: 1) Familiarity when compared to other modern dishes; 2) Availability of dishes and ingredients in households, markets and restaurants; 3) Unique flavors due to traditional recipes; 4) Favorable balance of hot, sweet, salty, and spicy flavors; 5) Favorable image of delicate and elaborate food preparation; 6) Confidence in local food preparation
