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Factors affecting customer satisfaction in fast food restaurant “jollibee” during the covid-19 pandemic.

1. Introduction

2. theoretical framework, 3. methodology, 3.1. participants, 3.2. questionnaire, 3.3. statistical analysis: structural equation modeling, 5. discussion, limitations and future research, 6. conclusions, author contributions, institutional review board statement, informed consent statement, data availability statement, acknowledgments, conflicts of interest, appendix a. instruments.

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Ong, A.K.S.; Prasetyo, Y.T.; Mariñas, K.A.; Perez, J.P.A.; Persada, S.F.; Nadlifatin, R.; Chuenyindee, T.; Buaphiban, T. Factors Affecting Customer Satisfaction in Fast Food Restaurant “Jollibee” during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Sustainability 2022 , 14 , 15477. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142215477

Ong AKS, Prasetyo YT, Mariñas KA, Perez JPA, Persada SF, Nadlifatin R, Chuenyindee T, Buaphiban T. Factors Affecting Customer Satisfaction in Fast Food Restaurant “Jollibee” during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Sustainability . 2022; 14(22):15477. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142215477

Ong, Ardvin Kester S., Yogi Tri Prasetyo, Klint Allen Mariñas, Jehorom Px Alegre Perez, Satria Fadil Persada, Reny Nadlifatin, Thanatorn Chuenyindee, and Thapanat Buaphiban. 2022. "Factors Affecting Customer Satisfaction in Fast Food Restaurant “Jollibee” during the COVID-19 Pandemic" Sustainability 14, no. 22: 15477. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142215477

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Customer Satisfaction in the Restaurant Industry; Examining the Model in Local Industry Perspective

Customer satisfaction plays a pivotal role in success of every business organization whether it is meant for a product or a service. Every business needs not only to retain its current customers but also to expand customer’s base significantly and it is possible only when target customer is fully satisfied from company on some parameters. The objective of study is to construct comprehensive model of customer satisfaction in fast growing restaurant industry covering all the major dimensions of concept.. Secondary research and Quantitative techniques were used to explain the concept of customer satisfaction. Stratified random sampling was used for this purpose for data analysis purpose, Correlation and multiple regressions while using SPSS-16 were used to test the model. This research will add in existing base of knowledge on vast topic of customer satisfaction while focusing on local restaurant industry.

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Satisfaction and revisit intentions at fast food restaurants

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This study is to identify the positive association of food quality, restaurant service quality, physical environment quality, and customer satisfaction with revisit intention of customers at fast food restaurants. Additionally, word of mouth is investigated as moderator on the relationship of customer satisfaction with revisit intentions of customers at fast food restaurants. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey from 433 customers of fast food restaurants through convenience sampling. Hypotheses of proposed model were tested using structural equation modeling with partial least squares SEM-PLS in SMART PLS 3. The results confirmed the positive association of food quality, restaurant service quality, physical environment quality, and customer satisfaction with revisit intentions of customers at fast food restaurants. However, word of mouth does not positively moderate the relationship of customer satisfaction with revisit intentions of customers at fast food restaurants. This study emphasizes the importance of revisit intention as a vital behavioral reaction in fast food restaurants. This study reveals revisit intention’s positive association with food quality, restaurant service quality, physical environment quality, and customer satisfaction based on stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) theory. Furthermore, it is identified that social conformity theory does not hold its assumption when consumers experience quality and they are satisfied because word of mouth does not moderate the relationship of customer satisfaction with revisit intention of customer.

Introduction

Background of the study.

Hospitality industry is observing diversified changes in highly competitive environment for restaurants [ 1 ]. Consumers are becoming conscious of food quality (FQ), restaurant service quality (RSQ), and physical environment quality (PEQ) of the fast food restaurants. Consumers switch easily in case of just one evasive experience [ 2 , 3 ]. Fast food restaurants must attract new customers and retain the existing customers. There is a growing trend in Pakistani culture to dine out at fast food restaurants with family, friends, and colleagues [ 4 ]. Restaurants focus to provide a dining experience by combining tangible and intangible essentials [ 5 ]. Decisive objective is to achieve customer satisfaction (CS), word of mouth (WOM), and future revisit intention (RVI) at fast food restaurant.

Restaurants differ in offerings, appearance, service models, and cuisines; this classifies restaurants as downscale and upscale [ 6 , 7 ]. Revisit intention is the willingness of a consumer to revisit a place due to satisfactory experience. Customer satisfaction generates a probability to revisit in presence or absence of an affirmative attitude toward the restaurant [ 8 ]. Revisit intention is a substantial topic in hospitality research [ 8 , 9 , 10 ]. To date there has been little agreement on that word of mouth can affect revisit intention after experience of customer satisfaction. For instance, when a customer is satisfied at a fast food restaurant experience, however, the customer’s family and friends do not share the same satisfying experience. Will this word of mouth affect the customer’s revisit intention? Food quality is acknowledged as a basic component of the restaurant’s overall experience to affect consumer revisit intention. Fast food quality is substantially associated with customer satisfaction and it is an important predictor of behavioral intention [ 11 ]. Service quality is an essential factor to produce consumers’ revisit intentions [ 12 ]. Furthermore, physical environment quality affects behavior of consumers at restaurants, hotels, hospitals, retail stores, and banks [ 13 ]. Physical environment quality is a precursor of customer satisfaction [ 9 ]. This suggests that customer satisfaction is associated with fast food quality, restaurant service quality, physical environment quality, and revisit intention.

Aims of the study

This study is to investigate the association of fast food quality, restaurant service quality, physical environment quality with customer’s revisit intention through mediation of customer satisfaction using S-O-R theory and moderation of word of mouth on the relationship of customer satisfaction with revisit intention based on social conformity theory. This study empirically tests a conceptual research framework based on S-O-R and social conformity theory adding value to the knowledge. Objectives of the study are given below.

To investigate the association of fast food quality, restaurant service quality, and physical environment quality with revisit intention through customer satisfaction based on S-O-R theory in the context of Pakistani fast food restaurants.

To investigate moderation of WOM on relationship of customer satisfaction with revisit intention based on social conformity theory in the context of Pakistani fast food restaurants.

Furthermore, little empirical evidence is present about customer satisfaction with respect to fast food restaurant service quality [ 14 ]. Customer satisfaction is a post-consumption assessment in service industry. Customer satisfaction acts as the feedback mechanism to boost consumer experience [ 15 ]. Customer satisfaction brings competitive advantage to the firm and produces positive behavioral revisit intention [ 16 ]. Marketing literature emphasizes customer satisfaction in anticipation of positive word of mouth, revisit intention, and revisit behavior [ 5 ]. Behavioral intention is assessed through positive WOM, and it is important in service industry [ 15 ], whereas social influence in shape of WOM affects the behavior of individuals toward conformity leading to a driving effect based on social conformity theory [ 17 ].

• Food quality

Food quality plays a central role in the restaurant industry. Food quality is essential to satisfy consumer needs. Food quality is a substantial condition to fulfill the needs and expectations of the consumer [ 18 ]. Food quality is acknowledged as a basic component of the restaurant’s overall experience. Food quality is a restaurant selection’s most important factor, and it is considerably related to customer satisfaction [ 11 ]. Food quality affects customer loyalty, and customer assesses the restaurant on the basis of food quality [ 19 ]. Food quality entails food taste, presentation, temperature, freshness, nutrition, and menu variety. Food quality influences customers’ decisions to revisit the restaurant [ 20 ]. Academic curiosity is increasing in the restaurant’s menus, as variety of menu items is considered the critical characteristic of food quality [ 11 ]. Taste is sensual characteristic of food. Taste is assessed after consumption. Nonetheless, customers foresee taste before consumption through price, quality, food labels, and brand name. Taste of food is important to accomplish customer satisfaction. Presentation of food enhances dining customer satisfaction [ 21 , 22 ]. Customer’s concerns of healthy food substantially affect customer’s expectations and choice of a restaurant [ 23 ]. Freshness is assessed with the aroma, juiciness, crispness, and fresh posture of the food. Food quality enhances customer satisfaction [ 24 ].

• Restaurant service quality

Quality as a construct is projected by Juran and Deming [ 25 , 26 ]. Service quality is comparatively a contemporary concept. Service quality assesses the excellence of brands in industry of travel, retail, hotel, airline, and restaurant [ 27 ]. Restaurant service quality affects dining experiences of customers. Service quality creates first impression on consumers and affects consumers’ perception of quality [ 28 ]. Service industry provides good service quality to the customers to attain sustainable competitive advantage. Customer satisfaction depends on quality of service at the restaurant [ 29 ]. Service quality entails price, friendliness, cleanliness, care, diversity, speed of service, and food consistency according to menu. Customer satisfaction also depends on communication between restaurant’s personnel and the customers [ 30 ]. Consumer’s evaluation of service quality is affected by level of friendliness and care. Service quality leads to positive word of mouth, customer satisfaction, better corporate image, attraction for the new customers, increase revisits, and amplified business performance. Service quality increases revisits and behavioral intentions of customers in hospitality industry [ 12 ].

• Physical environment quality

PEQ is a setting to provide products and services in a restaurant. Physical environment quality contains artifacts, decor, spatial layout, and ambient conditions in a restaurant. Customers desire dining experience to be pleasing; thus, they look for a physical environment quality [ 31 ]. Physical environment quality satisfies and attracts new customers. PEQ increases financial performance, and it creates memorable experience for the customers [ 9 ]. Consumers perceive the quality of a restaurant based on cleanliness, quirky, comfortable welcoming, physical environment quality, and other amenities that create the ambiance [ 32 ]. Effect of physical environment quality on behaviors is visible in service businesses such as restaurants, hotels, hospitals, retail stores, and banks [ 33 ]. Physical environment quality is an antecedent of customer satisfaction [ 34 ]. Thus, restaurants need to create attractive and distinctive physical environment quality.

• Customer satisfaction

Customer satisfaction contains the feelings of pleasure and well-being. Customer satisfaction develops from gaining what customer expects from the service. Customer satisfaction is broadly investigated in consumer behavior and social psychology. Customer satisfaction is described “as the customer’s subjective assessment of the consumption experience, grounded on certain associations between the perceptions of customer and objective characteristics of the product” [ 35 ]. Customer satisfaction is the extent to which an experience of consumption brings good feelings. Customer satisfaction is stated as “a comparison of the level of product or service performance, quality, or other outcomes perceived by the consumer with an evaluative standard” [ 36 ]. Customer satisfaction constructs as a customer’s wholesome evaluation of an experience. Customer satisfaction is a reaction of fulfilling customer’s needs.

Customer satisfaction brings escalated repeat purchase behavior and intention to refer [ 37 ]. Dissatisfied consumers are uncertain to return to the place [ 38 ]. Satisfactory restaurant experience can enhance revisit intention of the consumer. Positive WOM is generated when customers are not only satisfied with the brand but they demand superior core offering and high level of service [ 15 ].

• Word of mouth

Word of mouth is described as “person-to-person, oral communication between a communicator and receiver which is perceived as a non-commercial message” [ 39 ]. WOM is also defined as “the informal positive or negative communication by customers on the objectively existing and/or subjectively perceived characteristics of the products or services” [ 40 ]. Moreover, [ 41 ] defines it as “an informal person to person communication between a perceived non-commercial communicator and a receiver regarding a brand, a product, an organization or a service”. WOM is described as a positive or negative statement made by probable, actual or former customers about a product or a company, which is made available through offline or online channels [ 42 , 43 ]. WOM is an important and frequent sensation; it is known for long time that people habitually exchange their experiences of consumptions with others. Consumers complain about bad hotel stays, talk about new shoes, share info about the finest way of getting out tough stains, spread word about experience of products, services, companies, restaurants, and stores. Social talks made more than 3.3 billion of brand impressions per day [ 44 ].

WOM has substantial impact on consumer’s purchasing decision; therefore, a vital marketing strategy is to initiate positive WOM [ 45 ]. However, negative WOM is more informative and diagnostic where customers express their dissatisfaction [ 38 ]. Word of mouth communications are more informative than traditional marketing communications in service sector. WOM is more credible than advertisement when it is from friends and family [ 46 ]. WOM is a vital influencer in purchase intention. WOM escalates affection that enhances commitment of consumer purchase intention. WOM is generated before or after the purchase. WOM helps the consumers to acquire more knowledge for the product and to reduce the perceived risk [ 47 ]. WOM in the dining experience is very important. People tend to follow their peers’ opinions when they are to dine out.

• Revisit intention

To predicting and to explain human behavior is the key determination of consumer behavior research. Consumer needs differ and emerge frequently with diverse outlooks. Revisit intention is to endorse “visitors being willing to revisit the similar place, for satisfactory experiences, and suggest the place to friends to develop the loyalty” [ 48 ]. Consumer forms an attitude toward the service provider based on the experience of service. This attitude can be steady dislike or like of the service. This is linked to the consumer’s intention to re-patronize the service and to start WOM. Repurchase intention is at the core of customer loyalty and commitment. Repurchase intention is a significant part of behavioral and attitudinal constructs. Revisit intention is described as optimistic probability to revisit the restaurant. Revisit intention is the willingness of a consumer to visit the restaurant again. Furthermore, the ease of visitors, transportation in destination, entertainment, hospitability, and service satisfaction influence visitor’s revisit intention.

Consumer behavior encircles the upcoming behavioral intention and post-visit evaluation. Post-visit evaluation covers perceived quality, experience, value, and the satisfaction. Restaurant managers are interested to understand the factors of consumer revisit intention, as it is cost effective to retain the existing customers in comparison with attract new customers [ 49 ]. Substantial consideration is prevailing in literature for the relationship among quality attributes, customer satisfaction, and revisit intention. There is a positive association between customer satisfaction and revisit intention. Indifferent consumer, accessibility of competitive alternatives and low switching cost can end up in a state where satisfied consumers defect to other options [ 2 ]. Consumer behavior varies for choice of place to visit, assessments, and behavioral intentions [ 50 ]. The assessments are about the significance perceived by regular customers’ satisfactions. Whereas, future behavioral intentions point to the consumer’s willingness to revisit the similar place and suggest it to the others [ 51 ].

S-O-R model is primarily established on the traditional stimulus–response theory. This theory explicates individual’s behavior as learned response to external stimuli. The theory is questioned for oversimplifying ancestries of the behaviors and ignoring one’s mental state. [ 52 ] extended the S-O-R model through integrating the notion of organism between stimulus and response. S-O-R concept is embraced to reveal individual’s affective and cognitive conditions before the response behavior [ 53 ]. S-O-R framework considers that environment comprises stimuli (S) leading changes to the individual’s internal conditions called organism (O), further leading to responses (R) [ 52 ]. In S-O-R model, the stimuli comprise of various components of physical environment quality, organism indicates to internal structures and processes bridging between stimuli and final responses or actions of a consumer [ 9 ]. Behavioral responses of an individual in a physical environment quality are directly influenced by the physical environment quality stimulus [ 54 ]. S-O-R framework is implemented in diverse service contexts to examine how physical environment quality affects customer’s emotion and behavior [ 55 ]. The effect of stimulation in an online shopping environment on impulsive purchase is investigated through S-O-R framework [ 56 ]. The effects of background music, on consumers’ affect and cognition, and psychological responses influence behavioral intentions [ 57 ]. Perceived flow and website quality toward customer satisfaction affect purchase intention in hotel website based on S-O-R framework [ 58 ]. Therefore, this study conceptualizes food quality, restaurant service quality, and physical environment quality as stimuli; customer satisfaction as organism; and revisit intention as response.

Moreover, social conformity theory (SCT) is to support the logical presence of WOM in the conceptual framework as a moderator on the relationship of customer satisfaction and revisit intention. Social conformity influences individual’s attitudes, beliefs and behaviors leading to a herding effect [ 17 , 59 ]. Thus, social influence (WOM) moderates the relationship of customer satisfaction and revisit intention. Following hypotheses are postulated, see Fig.  1 .

Conceptual research framework

Food quality is positively associated with customer satisfaction in fast food restaurant.

Restaurant service quality is positively associated with customer satisfaction in fast food restaurant.

Physical environment quality is positively associated with customer satisfaction in fast food restaurant.

Customer satisfaction is positively associated with revisit intention of customer in fast food restaurant.

Customer satisfaction mediates between food quality and revisit intention of customer in fast food restaurant.

Customer satisfaction mediates between restaurant service quality and revisit intention of customer in fast food restaurant.

Customer satisfaction mediates between physical environment quality and revisit intention of customer in fast food restaurant.

WOM positively moderates the relationship between customer satisfaction and revisit intention of customer in fast food restaurant.

There are two research approaches such as deductive (quantitative) and inductive (qualitative). This study utilized the quantitative research approach as it aligns with the research design and philosophy. Quantitative research approach mostly relies on deductive logic. Researcher begins with hypotheses development and then collects data. Data are used to determine whether empirical evidence supports the hypotheses [ 60 ]. The questionnaires survey is used. This study chose the mono-method with cross-sectional time horizon of 6 months. Deductive approach is utilized in this study. Cross-sectional time horizon also known as “snapshot” is used when investigation is related with the study of a specific phenomenon at a particular time [ 61 ]. Questionnaire survey is mostly used technique for data collection in marketing research due to its effectiveness and low cost [ 62 ]. Data are collected through self-administered questionnaires. Following the footsteps of Lai and Chen [ 63 ] and Widianti et al. [ 64 ] convenience sampling is applied. Famous fast food restaurants in twin cities (Rawalpindi and Islamabad) of Pakistan were chosen randomly. Furthermore, 650 questionnaires (with consideration of low response rate) were distributed to the customers at famous fast food restaurants. Moreover, researchers faced difficulty in obtaining fast food restaurant’s consumers data.

It yielded a response rate of 68.92% with 448 returned questionnaires. Fifteen incomplete questionnaires are not included; thus, 433 responses are employed for data analysis from fast food restaurant customers. The obtained number of usable responses was suitable to apply structural equation modeling [ 65 , 66 , 67 , 68 ].

Sample characteristics describe that there are 39.7% females and 60.3% males. There are 31.4% respondents of age group 15–25 years, 48.3% of age group 26–35, 12.2% of age ranges between 36 and 45, 6.7% of age ranges between 46 and 55, and 1.4% of age group is above 56 years. The educational level of the respondents indicates that mostly respondents are undergraduate and graduate. Occupation of respondents reflects that 28.6% work in private organizations and 24.9% belong to student category. Monthly income of 29.3% respondents ranges between Rupees 20,000 and 30,000 and 25.6% have monthly income of Rupees 41,000–50,000. Average monthly spending in fast food restaurants is about Rupees 3000–6000, see Table  1 .

Measures of the constructs

Food quality is adopted from measures developed by [ 69 ]. Food quality contains six items such as: food presentation is visually attractive, the restaurant offers a variety of menu items, and the restaurant offers healthy options. Restaurant service quality is adopted with six items [ 70 ]. This construct contains items such as: efficient and effective process in the welcoming and ushering of the customers, efficient and effective explanation of the menu, efficient and effective process in delivery of food. Physical environment quality is adopted with four items [ 71 ], and one item is adopted from measures developed by [ 70 ]. The items are such as: the restaurant has visually striking building exteriors and parking space, the restaurant has visually eye-catching dining space that is comfortable and easy to move around and within, and the restaurant has suitable music and/or illumination in accordance with its ambience. Revisit intention is measured through four adapted items [ 8 ]; such as: I would visit again in the near future and I am interested in revisiting again. Customer satisfaction is measured by three adopted items [ 29 ]; such as: I am satisfied with the service at this restaurant, and the restaurant always comes up to my expectations. Word of mouth is measured with four adopted items such as: my family/friends mentioned positive things I had not considered about this restaurant, my family/friends provided me with positive ideas about this restaurant [ 72 ]. Each item is measured on 5-point Likert scale, where 1 = strongly disagree, 3 = uncertain, and 5 = strongly agree.

Results and discussion

Validity and reliability.

Validity taps the ability of the scale to measure the construct; in other words, it means that the representative items measure the concept adequately [ 73 ]. The content validity is executed in two steps; firstly, the items are presented to the experts for further modifications; secondly, the constructive feedback about understanding of it was acquired by few respondents who filled the questionnaires. Each set of items is a valid indicator of the construct as within-scale factor analysis is conducted.

The factor analyses allotted the items to their respective factor. Fornell and Lacker’s [ 74 ] composite reliability p is calculated for each construct using partial least squares (PLS) structural equation modeling and Cronbach’s coefficient α [ 75 ]. Cronbach’s α is used to evaluate the reliability of all items that indicates how well the items in a set are positively related to one another. Each Cronbach’s α of the instrument is higher than .7 (ranging from .74 to .91); see Table  2 .

Common method bias

Same measures are used to collect data for all respondents; thus, there can be common method bias [ 76 ]. Firstly, questionnaire is systematically constructed with consideration of study design. Secondly, respondents were assured for the responses to be kept anonymous [ 77 ]. Common method bias possibility is assessed through Harman’s single factor test [ 78 , 79 , 80 , 81 , 82 , 83 ]. Principal axis factor analysis on measurement items is exercised. The single factor did not account for most of the bias and it accounted for 43.82% variance that is less than 50%. Thus, common method bias is not an issue [ 80 , 81 ].

SEM-PLS model assessment

Survey research faces a challenge to select an appropriate statistical model to analyze data. Partial least squares grounded structural equation modeling (SEM-PLS) and covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) are generally used multivariate data analysis methods. CB-SEM is based on factor analysis that uses maximum likelihood estimation. PLS-SEM is based on the principal component concept; it uses the partial least squares estimator [ 84 ]. PLS-SEM is considered appropriate to examine complex cause–effect relationship models. PLS-SEM is a nonparametric approach with low reservations on data distribution and sample size [ 84 ].

Measurement model assessment

To evaluate convergent validity measurement model (outer model) is assessed that includes composite reliability (CR) to evaluate internal consistency, individual indicator reliability, and average variance extracted (AVE) [ 85 ]. Indicator reliability explains the variation in the items by a variable. Outer loadings assess indicator reliability; a higher value (an item with a loading of .70) on a variable indicates that the associated measure has considerable mutual commonality [ 85 ]. Two items RSQ 14 and PEQ 24 are dropped due to lower value less than .60 [ 86 ]. Composite reliability is assessed through internal consistency reliability. CR values of all the latent variables have higher values than .80 to establish internal consistency [ 85 ]; see Table  2 .

Convergent validity is the extent to which a measure correlates positively with alternative measures of the same variable. Convergent validity is ensured through higher values than .50 of AVE [ 74 ], see Table  2 . Discriminant validity is the degree to which a variable is truly distinct from other variables. Square root of AVE is higher than the inter-construct correlations except customer satisfaction to hold discriminant validity [ 74 ]. Additional evidence for discriminant validity is that indicators’ individual loadings are found to be higher than the respective cross-loadings, see Table  3 .

Structural model assessment

Structural model is assessed after establishing the validity and reliability of the variables. Structural model assessment includes path coefficients to calculate the importance and relevance of structural model associations. Model’s predictive accuracy is calculated through R 2 value. Model’s predictive relevance is assessed with Q 2 , and value of f 2 indicates substantial impact of the exogenous variable on an endogenous variable in PLS-SEM [ 85 ]. SEM is rigueur in validating instruments and testing linkages between constructs [ 87 ]. SMART-PLS produces reports of latent constructs correlations, path coefficients with t test values. The relationships between six constructs of food quality, restaurant service quality, physical environment quality, customer satisfaction, word-of-mouth, and revisit intention are displayed in Fig.  2 after bootstrapping. Bootstrapping is a re-sampling approach that draws random samples (with replacements) from the data and uses these samples to estimate the path model multiple times under slightly changed data constellations [ 88 ]. Purpose of bootstrapping is to compute the standard error of coefficient estimates in order to examine the coefficient’s statistical significance [ 89 ].

Bootstrapping and path coefficients

Food quality is positively associated to customer satisfaction in fast food restaurant; H 1 is supported as path coefficient = .487, T value = 8.349, P value = .000. Restaurant service quality is positively associated with customer satisfaction; H 2 is supported as path coefficient = .253, T value = 4.521, P value = .000. Physical environment quality is positively associated with customer satisfaction in fast food restaurant; H 3 is supported as path coefficient = .149, T value = 3.518, P value = .000. Customer satisfaction is positively associated with revisit intention of customer in fast food restaurant; H 4 is supported as path coefficient = .528, T value = 11.966, P value = .000. WOM positively moderates the relationship between customer satisfaction and revisit intention of customer in fast food restaurant; H 8 is not supported as path coefficient = − .060, T value = 2.972, P value = .003; see Table  4 .

Assessing R 2 and Q 2

Coefficient of determination R 2 value is used to evaluate the structural model. This coefficient estimates the predictive precision of the model and is deliberated as the squared correlation between actual and predictive values of the endogenous construct. R 2 values represent the exogenous variables’ mutual effects on the endogenous variables. This signifies the amount of variance in endogenous constructs explained by total number of exogenous constructs associated to it [ 88 ]. The endogenous variables customer satisfaction and revisit intention have R 2  = .645 and .671, respectively, that assures the predictive relevance of structural model. Further the examination of the endogenous variables’ predictive power has good R 2 values.

Blindfolding is to cross-validate the model’s predictive relevance for each of the individual endogenous variables with value of Stone–Geisser Q 2 [ 90 , 91 ]. By performing the blindfolding test with an omission distance of 7 yielded cross-validated redundancy Q 2 values of all the endogenous variables [ 88 ]. Customer satisfaction’s Q 2  = .457 and RVI’s Q 2  = .501; this indicates large effect sizes. PLS structural model has predictive relevance because values of Q 2 are greater than 0, see Table  5 .

Assessing f 2

Effect size f 2 is the measure to estimate the change in R 2 value when an exogenous variable is omitted from the model. f 2 size effect illustrates the influence of a specific predictor latent variable on an endogenous variable. Effect size f 2 varies from small to medium for all the exogenous variables in explaining CS and RVI as shown Table  6 .

Additionally, H 5 : CS mediates between food quality and RVI is supported as CS partially mediates between FQ and RVI. Variation accounted for (VAF) value indicates that 70% of the total effect of an exogenous variable FQ on RVI is explained by indirect effect. Therefore, the effect of FQ on RVI is partially mediated through CS. Similarly, the VAF value indicates that 70% of the total effect of an exogenous variable RSQ and 35% VAF of PEQ on RVI is explained by indirect effect. Therefore, the effects of RSQ and PEQ on RVI are also partially mediated through CS. H 6 is supported as the effect of CS is partially mediated between RSQ and RVI of customer in fast food restaurant. H 7 is supported as the effect of CS is partially mediated between PEQ and RVI of customer in fast food restaurant, see Table  7 . This clearly indicates that customer satisfaction mediates between all of our exogenous variables (food quality, restaurant service quality and physical environment quality) and dependent variable revisit intention of customer in fast food restaurant [ 88 , 92 ] (Additional files 1 , 2 and 3 ).

This is interesting to note that food quality, restaurant service quality, physical environment quality, and customer satisfaction are important triggers of revisit intention at fast food restaurants. However, surprisingly, word of mouth does not moderate the relationship of customer satisfaction with revisit intention of customer at fast food restaurant. The results of the study correspond with some previous findings [ 15 , 29 , 32 , 69 , 93 ]. Positive relationship between customer satisfaction and revisit intention is consistent with the findings of the previous studies [ 5 , 8 , 94 , 95 , 96 ]. Food quality is positively associated with revisit intention; this result as well corresponds to a previous study [ 24 ]. Furthermore, interior and amusing physical environment is an important antecedent of revisit intention at a fast food restaurant; this finding is congruent with previous findings [ 29 , 70 , 97 , 98 ] and contrary to some previous studies [ 9 , 15 ].

Intensified competition, industry’s volatile nature, and maturity of the business are some challenges that fast food restaurants face [ 5 ]. Amid economic crunch, competition becomes even more evident, driving fast food restaurants to look for unconventional ways to appeal the customers. In fact, these findings somehow show that significance of physical environment quality in creating revisit intention is probably lower in comparison with food quality and restaurant service quality. Nonetheless, fast food restaurant’s management should not underrate the fact that physical environment quality considerably affects the revisit intention. Due to this, the importance of physical environment quality must not be overlooked when formulating strategies for improving customer satisfaction, revisit intention and creating long-term relationships with customers.

Managerial implications

The results imply that restaurant management should pay attention to customer satisfaction because it directly affects revisit intention. Assessing customer satisfaction has become vital to successfully contest in the modern fast food restaurant business. From a managerial point of view, the results of this study will help restaurant managers to better understand the important role of food quality, restaurant service quality and physical environment quality as marketing tool to retain and satisfy customers.

Limitations

There are certain limitations with this study. This study is cross sectional, and it can be generalized to only two cities of Pakistan. Scope of research was limited as the data were collected from two cities of Pakistan (Islamabad and Rawalpindi) using convenience sampling.

Future research

A longitudinal study with probability sampling will help the researchers to comprehensively investigate the relationships among the constructs. Moreover, it would be useful for future research models to add information overload as an explanatory variable and brand image as moderating variable in the research framework. Additionally, moderation of WOM can be investigated in other relationships of conceptual model.

The study encircles the key triggers of customer satisfaction and revisit intention in fast food restaurants. It also offers a model that defines relationships between three factors of restaurant offer (food quality, restaurant service quality, and physical environment quality), customer satisfaction, word of mouth, and revisit intention at fast food restaurants. The model specially focuses the revisit intention as dependent variable of conceptual model despite behavior intentions. The findings suggest the revisit intention is positively associated with customer satisfaction, food quality, restaurant service quality, and physical environment quality in a fast food restaurant.

However, contrary to the findings of a previous study [ 99 ], WOM do not positively moderate between the relationship of customer satisfaction and revisit intention. The empirical findings confirm the significant impact of food quality, restaurant service quality, physical environment quality, and customer satisfaction which are important antecedents of revisit intention at fast food restaurant through mediation of customer satisfaction. Moreover, findings of the research support the assumptions of SOR theory strengthening our conceptual model which states the external stimuli (FQ, RSQ, PEQ) produced internal organism (CS) which led to the response (RVI). However; assumption of social conformity theory failed to influence the satisfied customer. In other words, customer satisfaction plays dominating role over social influence (i.e. WOM) in making revisit intention. Therefore, WOM was not able to influence the strength of relationship of CS and RVI.

Availability of data and materials

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Abbreviations

Social conformity theory

Stimulus-organism-response

Structural equation modeling with partial least squares

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Rajput, A., Gahfoor, R.Z. Satisfaction and revisit intentions at fast food restaurants. Futur Bus J 6 , 13 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s43093-020-00021-0

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Journal of Services Marketing

ISSN : 0887-6045

Article publication date: 1 January 2006

To determine the factors that explain customer satisfaction in the full service restaurant industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Secondary research and qualitative interviews were used to build the model of customer satisfaction. A structured questionnaire was employed to gather data and test the model. Sampling involved a random selection of addresses from the telephone book and was supplemented by respondents selected on the basis of judgment sampling. Factor analysis and multiple regression were used to test the model.

The regression model suggested that customer satisfaction was influenced most by responsiveness of the frontline employees, followed by price and food quality (in that order). Physical design and appearance of the restaurant did not have a significant effect.

Research limitations/implications

To explain customer satisfaction better, it may be important to look at additional factors or seek better measures of the constructs. For example, the measures of food quality may not have captured the complexity and variety of this construct. It may also be important to address the issue of why customers visit restaurants. Instead of the meal, business transactions or enjoying the cherished company of others may be more important. Under the circumstances, customer satisfaction factors may be different. The results are also not generalizable as the sampled area may have different requirements from restaurants.

Practical implications

Full service restaurants should focus on three elements – service quality (responsiveness), price, and food quality (reliability) – if customer satisfaction is to be treated as a strategic variable.

Originality/value

The study tests the transaction‐specific model and enhances the literature on restaurant service management.

• Restaurants
• Catering industry
• Customer satisfaction
• Service levels
• United States of America

Saad Andaleeb, S. and Conway, C. (2006), "Customer satisfaction in the restaurant industry: an examination of the transaction‐specific model", Journal of Services Marketing , Vol. 20 No. 1, pp. 3-11. https://doi.org/10.1108/08876040610646536

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Service Quality And Customer Satisfaction In Restaurant Industry Using Partial Least Square

The restaurant business has changed due to a new trend of customer preferences and demand. As an entrepreneur, being flexible and adaptability to the changes needed to ensure they can serve and fulfil customer demand. Maintaining the service quality is the main strategies to tackle the customer to remain satisfied and loyalty with the restaurant service. Fail to maintain good service, and the restaurant may lose the customer and struggle to survive in the market and industry. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the underlying key dimensions of service quality in selected local restaurants influence customer satisfaction. The fundamental of the SERVQUAL model of reliability, responsiveness, empathy, price, tangibility and assurance has applied to this study. A survey conducted among local restaurants located in Bukit Jelutong and there were 238 customers have participated. Data further analysed using Partial Least Square (PLS), and the finding revealed only responsiveness and tangibility were not supported while assurance, empathy, price and reliability were significant to this study. The finding implies to further into the service quality factors as perceived by the customer in having a local restaurant in Malaysia. Besides, this the finding implies to managers to consider the strategies to sustain and maintain customer satisfaction. Keywords: Customer loyalty customer satisfaction service quality

Introduction

The business trend nowadays struggles to survive in the competitive restaurant industry. Most of the business strategy aims to attract more customers with dedicated services and high quality of food that ultimately will create customer loyalty and increase customer satisfaction ( Gilbert et al., 2004 ) through improving the service quality. Service quality has widely discussed in the foodservice industry, and most of the owner of the restaurant agreed that the service quality is one of the competitive advantages for them to offer to the customers and compete with other competitors. Throughout the service quality, a restaurant capable of increasing their customer satisfaction, gain more profit, attract more numbers of customers, and create loyalty among the customer ( Ha & Jang, 2010 ). Recently, the local restaurant industries are competing with the high numbers of the international restaurant such as China, United Kingdom, Australia and Indonesia. All the competitors' have started up their business in Malaysia. Therefore, customer, either local or foreigner may have varieties choice of restaurants and the restaurant is competing with each other to gain the number of customers.

Problem Statement

The critical challenge for foodservice is a competitive market where all the restaurants in Malaysia struggle to maintain and sustain their services in the market ( Seth et al., 2005 ). The competitive market influenced by the changes in customer preferences which are inevitable. Customers have their right and choice to fulfil their demand and intent to have a new experience of the services provided in the restaurant. To this point, a customer looking forward to the high service quality that can make them feel satisfied and willing to be a loyal customer. According to Munhurrun ( 2012 ), the elements that used to study service quality and customer satisfaction. However, most of the relevance of the findings and related to the practice in other countries such as the United States and China compared to practice among local restaurants in Malaysia ( Chow et al., 2007 ; Kim et al., 2009 ; Kivela et al., 2000 ; Soriano, 2002 ).

Service quality (SERQUAL) theory

Fundamentally Theory of Service Quality (SERQUAL) has been introduced by Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Berry in 1988. Most of the studied in service quality applied the theory to measure the service quality in various areas included foodservice. There are five elements of services quality consist of reliability, assurance, empathy, responsiveness, and tangible assets. Reliability refers to the dependably and accurately of delivering services to customers. In restaurant practices, the service must deliver accurate information that offers and order by customers. The service and information that share to customers consistent with what the restaurant offer and practice. The second element is responsiveness which refers to the volunteering values to offer assistance to customers. The restaurant commonly is responsible and responsive to the demand of the customer to maintain and sustain customer satisfaction and loyalty ( Chen & Myagmarsuren, 2013 ). On the other hand, assurance relates to the service and staffs they have high courtesy when they serve customers, competency of employees to influence customers trust and confidence to the service offered. Moreover, empathy is another element that most of the restaurant needed to add in their service quality. Staffs and restaurant well understand the customer needs and demand. Finally, it is tangible that physically appear to the customer when they visit the restaurant. The facilities, furniture, equipment, ambience and personnel of staffs ( Yarimoglu, 2014 ).

Service quality and restaurant

Empirical studied of service quality, and restaurant highlight discussion of reliability and empathy are the most common elements that highlight in restaurant services studies. Studies conducted by Lee et al. ( 2007 ) investigated the internal service quality of few restaurants in Jordan found reliability and empathy are significant to increase the restaurant performance and customer satisfaction. Another finding found that reliability and tangibles are also elements to promote more customers to the restaurant ( Chowdhary & Prakash, 2007 ). Furthermore, Chowdhary and Prakash ( 2007 ) claimed elements of assurance and empathy are needed to have good communication and interpersonal relationship between staffs and customers. With those elements mentioned strongly convinced the restaurant to deliver high service quality to customers. However, the restaurant service quality is difficult to evaluate as the different assessments made to different service, theme, and operation of the restaurant. Therefore, the elements of service quality might be useful to drive the restaurant owners or managers to upgrade and deliver high service quality to the customers.

Research Questions

Is there a significant relationship of reliability, assurance, empathy, responsiveness, and tangible assets towards customer satisfaction?

Purpose of the Study

Consequently, this study aims to investigate the five elements of service quality consists of reliability, assurance, empathy, responsiveness, and tangible assets on customer satisfaction within local restaurants in Selangor. This study expected to facilitate local restaurants in Selangor to boost customer satisfaction by strengthening their food service.

Research Methods

This study has surveyed 238 of customers who walked into the restaurant of One Serambi Cafe as located in Bukit Jelutong. There are 26 items of assurance, empathy, price, reliability, responsiveness and tangible and four items of customer satisfaction which adapted from Parasuraman et al. ( 1988 ). The selection of the customer used a convenient sampling technique that every customer entered the restaurant was selected as the sample of this studied. The data collected further analysis using statistical analysis of Partial Least Square (PLS) to investigate the significance of five dimensions of SERQUAL towards customer satisfaction. In PLS, there is a thorough analysis of the measurement model structural model.

Background of respondents

As shown in Table 01 , a total of 235 respondents' shows that 150 customers group as working and 85 of them were non-working. Most of the customers visited and enjoyed the meal were among the working people. Moreover, the result indicated 57.44 per cent, which total of 135 customers was female and 42.55 per cent of 100 customers were male. The finding revealed this study dominantly responded by the female. Next, the highest number of customers which was 120 aged in between 25 to 35 years. The second higher responses were the customers who were aged 35 to 45 years old, with a total of 70 customers fast-food and only 20 of the respondents was aged 15 to 25 years old. The finding revealed that most of the customers who always visit the restaurant categorized as young and adults of this study.

Measurement model assessment

Table 02 revealed the results of the measurement model. The result of factor loading indicates that of 26 indicators was higher than 0.5, which all were loaded highly on the construct. The constructs showed the convergent validity of assurance, empathy, price, reliability, responsiveness, tangible and customer satisfaction exceeded the recommended value 0.7 of composite reliability ( Hair et al., 2010 ). Meanwhile, the result of the average variance extracted (AVE) is in the range of 0.564 to 0.756 and can explain that all the items tested are relevant and reliable to this study. As shown in Table 03 , Fornell Lacker analysis interpreted the indicators measuring that constructs are adequate discriminant validity. The result assesses as the AVE values of the construct do not higher than the other constructs values. According to Compeau et al. ( 1999 ) that constructs should load more strongly on their construct while the AVE share between each construct also should be greater than the variance shared. The Figure 01 illustrated the measurement model of this study.

Structural model

In a structural model, Table 04 showed the path coefficient estimates using bootstrapping to assess significance value which is less than 0.05 equal to t-values must greater than 1.96 and confirmed with the confidence intervals assessment. The R 2 value is 0.474, suggesting that 47.4 per cent of the variance in an extent of satisfaction can be explained by assurance, empathy, price, reliability, responsiveness and tangible. Result in Table 04 revealed that assurance, empathy, price and reliability are positively related to customer satisfaction. Hence, H1, H2, H3, H4 supported by this study. Besides, explained by Cohen ( 1988 ) the size of the effect of 0.02, 0.15 and 0.35 are weak, moderate and strong effects. In this study, there is a small effect size of assurance, empathy, price and reliability towards customer satisfaction. While responsiveness and tangible were not statistically significant towards customer satisfaction. Thus, H5 and H6 not supported for this studied. In final, the result revealed the lower limit, and upper limit values of assurance, empathy, price, reliability did not contain zero and explained the direct effects is significantly different from zero with 95 per cent confidence except for responsiveness and tangible.

The possibility of this happens to One Serambi Café highlight the most of the customer expects the employee knowledgeable of the food and attitude of the employees are presentable to the customer. The manager practically trains the employee to prioritise the customer. This possible create customer have appreciated and priority to the restaurant. More than that, this study highlights to understand the customer feeling and emotion are important due to minimising the feeling of dissonance or frustrated. For the price, this study explained that the affordable of the customer to pay the food and service with relevant price offer to them. Customer willing to pay more if the food and services meet their satisfaction. In the final finding, the reliability of the food and service delivery consistently significant to customer satisfaction as less error or mistake able to make the customer feel happy and satisfy. The dimension of responsiveness and tangible possible were not signed with customer satisfaction because the customer perceives and judge in a critical event such as peak hour of dining in, the employee lack of volunteering to assist the customers and provide excellent service. In the final discussion, the dimension of tangible was no significant due to the interior design, layout and physical of the restaurant need some improvement to fulfil the customer demand and satisfaction. The finding of this studied had similar finding with Lee et al. ( 2007 ) and Munhurrun ( 2012 ); however, all the dimensions of service quality measured were the strongest direct effects on user satisfaction. Hence, this study explained the different setting might influence the difference finding of this study.

As a conclusion, this study aimed to predict the reliability, the validity of determinant service quality and predict the relationship of the model in this study. The finding found that only responsiveness and tangibility were not statistically supported. In contrast to assurance, empathy, price and reliability supported by this study. The finding implies to perspective as manager. As a manager, the finding facilitates to learn about the demand of the customer towards their services and product. The entrepreneur has to improve the platform for the customer to give feedback while the staff will get feedback from the customer. Consistently, employees need well trained to response ethically and professional ways to customer‘s feedback and complaint. Training should concentrate not only to the business product and services but need included emotional intelligence as managing their own emotion and customer’s emotion.

Further, improve and bring a new and creative idea to tackle the demand and changes in customer preferences. The change of customer preference is unpredictable; therefore, as an entrepreneur, they should be agile to the changes of the customer. The services and product that will increase the values of assurance, empathy, price and reliability. In a future study, this study recommends reviewing the SERQUAL dimension to purchase a mediating effect on customer loyalty and satisfaction among local restaurant.

Acknowledgments

The research project conducted under the provision of a grant, the Internal Grant (DUCS 038/2018), awarded by the Universiti Teknologi MARA, Cawangan Selangor, Puncak Alam Campus for the support and other assistance.

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https://doi.org/10.15405/epsbs.2020.10.20

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Finance, business, innovation, entrepreneurship, sustainability, environment, green business, environmental issues

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Razak, N. A., Aminuddin, Z. M., & Ghazali, A. R. (2020). Service Quality And Customer Satisfaction In Restaurant Industry Using Partial Least Square. In Z. Ahmad (Ed.), Progressing Beyond and Better: Leading Businesses for a Sustainable Future, vol 88. European Proceedings of Social and Behavioural Sciences (pp. 218-225). European Publisher. https://doi.org/10.15405/epsbs.2020.10.20

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Customer Restaurant Choice: An Empirical Analysis of Restaurant Types and Eating-Out Occasions

Bee-lia chua.

1 Department of Food Service and Management, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia; ym.ude.mpu@aileebauhc (B.-L.C.); ym.ude.mpu@mirhahs (S.K.)

Shahrim Karim

Sanghyeop lee.

2 Major in Tourism Management, College of Business Administration, Keimyung University, Daegu 42601, Korea; rk.ca.umk@poeyhgnaseel

3 College of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Sejong University, Seoul 143-747, Korea

This study investigated restaurant customers’ perceived importance of key factors in accordance with dining occasions and restaurant segments. Our investigation into restaurant selection and situational factors present two types of empirical evidence regarding customers’ choice of restaurant. First, menu price was customers’ top priority in restaurant selections for full-service, quick-casual, and quick-service restaurants. Second, restaurant customers rated the importance level of restaurant selection criteria differently according to eating-out occasions. The importance of menu price was greatest for both quick meal/convenience and social occasion, brand reputation was the most important factor for business necessity, and word-of-mouth recommendation was greatest for celebration.

1. Introduction

In today’s competitive restaurant business, an increase in restaurant business competition implies that customers nowadays have more dining choices to choose from than ever before, ranging from fast food to fine dining restaurants [ 1 , 2 ]. As a result, customer expectations of restaurant offerings are ever-increasing, and they are now more demanding in choosing better restaurant choices based on what they can get from their decision [ 3 ]. In view of the growing phenomenon toward eating-out, knowledge of the criteria used by customers in the selection of a restaurant is strategic in understanding food consumption trends [ 4 ]. In fact, as digital technology continues to advance, it is becoming increasingly challenging to please restaurant customers as their eating-out behavior is now more sophistically evolved, and they are cognizant of the customer value [ 5 , 6 , 7 ]. Thus, it is particularly important that restauranteurs stay on top of consumer behavior in the restaurant industry so that they can cater to the needs and wants of customers appropriately. This present study overcame this challenge by addressing the following research questions: (1) What is the relative importance of a restaurant selection factor in relation to other factors? (2) How do key factors in restaurant selection differ across eating-out occasions? (3) How do key factors in restaurant selection differ across restaurant segments?

A restaurant customer’s decision-making process begins when he/she recognizes a need that can be fulfilled by consuming the products/services offered by a restaurant [ 8 ]. The need for restaurant consumption may be driven by various factors, such as having quick meals, celebrating special occasions, entertaining business clients, etc. Customers will search for relevant information about restaurants, compare restaurant options, and make the final purchase decision of which restaurant to dine at [ 9 ]. The theory of information integration [ 10 ] posits an individual’s overall attitude toward a product/service is mutually shaped by the perceived actual performance and the perceived importance of the product/service. In hospitality business, it is essential that service firms understand how important each product/service’s key factor is in customers’ decision making. While service firms can operationally control a product/service’s performance, customers, the direct receivers of a product or service, primarily determine the importance of a product/service’s decisive factors [ 11 , 12 , 13 ]. Hence, several marketing scholars have investigated the importance of key factors in customer decision making across hospitality and tourism backgrounds, such as hotel [ 14 ], cruise [ 15 ], and destination [ 16 ].

A review of past research on restaurant management reveals that the factors driving customers’ choice of restaurant are price, food, variety, reputation, promotion, location, and information sources [ 8 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ]. In this regard, the key factors in restaurant selection have relevance only if they are being perceived as significantly important from the viewpoints of customers. Restaurateurs often make costly expenditures on marketing activities to attract customers by utilizing various marketing techniques from menu development to sales promotion. However, any change in marketing activities meant to expand the customer base and increase sales requires concrete and sound evidence to evaluate whether such efforts payoff. Despite substantial interest in consumer behavior and restaurant marketing research among hospitality scholars [ 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ], evidence of customers’ perceived importance of restaurant selection factors and how they vary across situational factors (i.e., dining occasions and restaurant segments) are surprisingly scant. Restauranteurs are left with little evidence on how restaurant choice factors influence customers’ eating-out decision making. When making an eating-out decision, customers often view a restaurant in terms of a set of characteristics that make it desirable, assigning an importance score to each factor [ 26 ]. Restauranteurs thus need to be mindful of whether a decisive factor is perceived by customers as generally important, or important depending on the context and situation, or if the factor is perceived to be trivial no matter what the context and situation. The effectiveness of restaurant marketing strategy can possibly be strengthened by discerning customer perception of important factors when making an eating-out decision. Of special relevance to this study, we theorized that the factors driving customers’ choice of restaurant vary with the occasion of eating-out as well as with the type of restaurant. Restaurant reputation, for example, may appeal to those who are planning for special occasions, such as a birthday or a wedding anniversary, rather than for those who want to eat-out simply to satisfy hunger. On the other hand, location may be perceived to be more important for quick-service restaurants than full-service restaurants. More accurate evidence, however, is needed.

Understanding how key factors driving customers’ choice of restaurant differ is critical to the continued advancement of customer decision-making knowledge and effective restaurant marketing strategies. First, while numerous studies in hospitality literature have explored the factors and attributes affecting restaurant customers’ decision to choose a restaurant, they have particularly focused on a restaurant segment, omitting the moderating variables when examining the attributes. Furthermore, previous studies have reported that there is a gap in the hospitality literature with respect to the understanding of drivers in customers’ eating-out decision making, and this situation has called for further investigation into the topic [ 3 , 27 ]. The present study attempted to bridge the literature gap by incorporating dining occasions and restaurant segments to better explain the underlying reason behind customers’ decision-making in the restaurant industry, and hence complement past research findings. We provided a picture regarding restaurant customers’ perceived importance of key factors in accordance with dining occasions and restaurant segments, which is the theoretical contribution of this study. Therefore, we expect that this present study would extend the customer decision-making literature. Second, from a practical viewpoint, an investigation of key factors driving customers’ restaurant choice in eating-out decision making not only can help restaurateurs understand restaurant customer perception of key factors when selecting a restaurant, but also form appropriate marketing strategies to attract existing and potential customers and outperform competitors.

This study aimed to conduct an empirical research associated with critical factors for customers’ restaurant choice in the current restaurant industry using a descriptive analysis. The specific research objectives are as follows:

• The first objective was to rank the factors that are important for the selection of restaurants (i.e., (a) word-of-mouth recommendations from people I know, (b) online reviews from customers, (c) brand reputation, (d) brand popularity, (e) personal or past experience with the restaurant, (f) variety of menu items, (g) menu price, (h) sales promotion, and (i) location).
• The second objective was to uncover the order of importance among the factors for customers to consider when choosing a restaurant by eating-out occasions ((a) quick meal/convenience, (b) social occasion, (c) business necessity, and (d) celebration).
• The third objective was to identify the relative importance among the restaurant selection factors by restaurant types ((a) full-service restaurants, (b) quick-casual/convenience restaurants, and (c) quick-service restaurants).

2. Literature Review

2.1. critical restaurant selection factors.

Attribute importance is the significance of an attribute for a product/service [ 28 , 29 ]. Customers typically evaluate product/service attributes that are perceived to be important in the purchase decision by assigning weight to each attribute in the product/service evaluation [ 30 ]. This relative importance of the attributes is decisive criteria often used by customers in comparing the product/service options, thus leading to purchase behavior [ 11 , 31 ]. In a similar vein, the importance of restaurant selection factors plays a crucial role in affecting customers’ restaurant choice. Based on the existing empirical studies, this study derived nine restaurant selection factors that are likely to affect customers’ decision in choosing a restaurant: word-of-mouth, online customer review, brand reputation, brand popularity, personal (past) experience, menu variety, menu price, sales promotion, and location. It is important to note that we did not include the core elements of restaurant operations: food quality (e.g., taste), service quality, and restaurant physical environment as they have been consistently and intuitively demonstrated to be highly important for restaurant survival [ 32 ]. The nine restaurant selection factors in our study, on the other hand, represent the value-added elements that can positively contribute restaurant business growth. The following sub-sections describe the determinants of customers’ restaurant choice.

2.1.1. Word-of-Mouth Recommendations from People I Know

In the marketing literature, word-of-mouth refers to person-to-person communication about a product, a service, or a brand between a non-commercial communicator and a message receiver [ 28 , 33 ]. Word-of-mouth communication has been well-recognized as an influential drive in attracting new consumers and shaping customer behavior [ 33 , 34 ]. It is a communication process that allows people to share information about an offering which could either encourage or discourage potential customers to make a purchase. In fact, personal sources of information, including recommendations from family and friends, are perceived to be more reliable than commercial advertising media, and thus are more likely to induce customer’s positive/negative attitude towards a brand [ 35 , 36 ]. Sundaram, Mitra, and Webster [ 37 ] identified in their study that people involved in positive word-of-mouth for altruistic, product involvement, and self-enhancement reasons and in negative word-of-mouth for altruistic, anxiety reduction, vengeance, and advice-seeking reasons. In the service industries, such as restaurants and hotels, because consumers lack objective means of evaluating services, they typically depend upon subjective evaluations from family, friends, or acquaintances [ 35 ]. Because consumers may not know a restaurant (e.g., the food quality, service, environment, price) before actual consumption, they may seek referrals from an experienced source. For example, when seeking a nice restaurant for a celebration occasion, consumers will often ask friends for recommendations. Consistent with Stokes and Lomax [ 38 ], this present study viewed word-of-mouth as an informal and interpersonal communication of a restaurant between a customer and his/her acquaintance(s), of which such communication is independent of commercial influence.

2.1.2. Online Review from Customers

The ever-increasing growth of Internet applications in hospitality has contributed to a great number of consumer-generated online reviews on different interactive forums. The importance of online reviews has been widely recognized in the hospitality marketing literature [ 39 ]. The customer decision-making process is strongly affected by online customer reviews posted on online review websites [ 40 ]. Put simply, online customer review websites are Internet channels that connect customers with many other customers. Online consumer reviews serve two functions [ 41 ]. First, it delivers information about a product/service. Second, it serves as a recommendation. As communication technology evolves, the role and significance of online reviews have been further heightened as people can make their opinion about and give feedback on a product/service easily available to other consumers [ 42 ]. Online review is particularly relevant for service-oriented products, such as hospitality products. Given the absence of tangibles, people often look to the tangible clues of the service to assist them in making a decision [ 35 ]. Online reviews primarily derive from many users who discuss and give insight into specific products/services to others [ 43 ]. Online reviews made by other customers about product and service performance appear to provide a clue as to whether the target brand can be trusted [ 44 ]. It also has been found to reduce consumers’ perceived risk and uncertainty prior to actual consumption [ 45 ]. Undeniably, consumers are increasingly relying on online search and review engines when making purchase decisions [ 46 ]. These online reviews are likely to encourage or detract potential customers from using a brand [ 40 ]. While some studies demonstrated that online reviews could reduce cognitive loads of consumers and thus are likely to result in increased sales [ 47 ], some studies reported that online reviews are perceived as having lower trustworthiness than traditional word-of-mouth due to the absence of source cues on the Internet [ 48 ]. Examining the relative importance of online reviews in restaurant customers’ decision-making would be useful for restauranteurs to better understand the significance of online reviews on their business.

2.1.3. Brand Reputation of Restaurant

Brand reputation reflects a mixture of reliability, admiration, benevolence, respect, and confidence of a brand [ 49 ]. It is a signal for the underlying quality of a company’s product or service offerings to customers [ 50 ]. A well-known reputation is psychologically easier for customers to choose a brand over another [ 51 ]. A reputable brand conveys a psychological assurance of the brand quality, thus creating customer trust [ 52 ]. Consumers typically have more trust in a brand if the brand has a favorable reputation as a result of consistently excellent performance [ 53 ]. Another stream of logic that lends support to the role of brand reputation is its influence on customers’ confidence in assessing a brand quality [ 54 ]. Stated differently, customers’ level of uncertainty can be reduced by choosing a reputable brand. In addition, brand reputation serves as a precursor of customer loyalty [ 55 , 56 ]. The influence of brand reputation on customer loyalty is in accordance with signal theory where consumers tend to associate themselves with brands of high reputation as part of self-enhancement [ 57 ]. In tandem with the positive correlation between brand reputation and brand quality, a restaurant’s reputation could be a critical consideration for customers when choosing a restaurant [ 58 ]. Recognizing the fact that consumers are likely to rely on reputation to infer restaurant quality, restaurant operators tend to devote efforts and utilize resources to develop a brand reputation [ 59 ]. Drawing upon this discussion, we suggest that brand reputation can add value to a restaurant’s brand equity [ 60 ], which is likely to influence customers’ decision-making.

2.1.4. Brand Popularity

In general, brand popularity measures the extent to which a brand is broadly consumed by customers. This decisional tool has an information processing advantage by which a consumer can lessen his/her cognitive efforts in making purchase decision by selecting what most customers choose [ 54 ]. In marketing, brand popularity has been utilized as an advertising cue in order to stimulate consumer behavior positively [ 61 ]. The influence of popularity cues on behavior can be explained by social norm theory which attempts to understand social influences on an individual’s behavioral change [ 62 ]. How most people behave in a situation motivates an individual’s behavioral change by inducing a consumer to choose a particular brand that most consumers choose [ 54 ]. This supports the view that to determine what is right is to seek the approval of others [ 63 ] and justifies why consumers consciously look to other consumers when making a purchase decision [ 64 ]. In marketing research, it has been established that consumers being exposed to an advertisement using a popularity cue are more likely to have higher perceived quality, lower perceived risk [ 65 ], and higher intention to purchase the brand [ 61 ] compared to those being exposed to an advertisement without a popularity cue. Based on the theoretical and empirical foundations, this present study measures the extent to which brand popularity influences customers’ choice of restaurant.

2.1.5. Personal or Past Experience with a Restaurant

Past experience has been regarded as a key factor in customers’ post-consumption evaluations [ 66 , 67 ]. It is an important variable in understanding how consumer behavior is formed. The choice of brand does not affect repeat customers in the same way as first-time customers as there is an influence of previous experience in customers’ subsequent response to the purchase [ 68 ]. Common sense suggests that there is a high tendency of repeat patronage for repeat customers because they have visited the restaurant before and know what to expect on the next visit [ 69 ]. Furthermore, these two segments vary in their motives to consume products or services [ 70 ]. First-time customers may visit the restaurant for a new experience; repeat customers, on the other hand, revisit the restaurant to enjoy meals at a familiar place. Given this basis, we posit that personal (past) experience with the restaurant can be one of the most powerful situational factors that affect customers’ choice of restaurant.

2.1.6. Variety of Menu Items

Restaurant consumers’ variety seeking behavior refers to the tendency to seek variety in their dining experiences [ 71 ]. The need for variety is based on individual’s prior purchase experiences which affect his/her choice in next purchase decision [ 72 ]. According to the theory of optimal stimulation level, consumers’ variety seeking behavior is triggered to reduce boredom from repeat purchases as well as to increase stimulation to the desired level [ 73 ]. Past studies suggested that the level of satiation or boredom varies depending on product/service attributes [ 74 , 75 ]. Consumers are likely to satiate on a product/service attribute if they relate the attribute to the primary feature being consumed [ 76 ]. For example, if cake is thought of as a food per se, then consumers tend to satiate on specific attributes (e.g., flavor, color, shape) and seek variety among the cakes. The attribute satiation model, proposed by McAlister [ 75 ], explains consumer choice behavior. It predicts choice behavior at a point in time; as product items decrease and are refilled, consumer’s product preference ranking, however, will likely change. To put it simply, boredom with certain product/service attributes (e.g., taste, color) may lead to variety seeking. Customers cognitively evaluate what they experience when eating-out at a restaurant [ 77 ]. Higher perceived variety leads to greater consumption [ 78 ]. In restaurant consumption, consumers’ need for variety can be satisfied in the offering of a variety of menu items. When choosing restaurants, consumers may choose one that offers a variety of menu options (although all the menu options are not eventually purchased). In these respects, we suggested that a variety of menu items is likely to be a crucial factor for those seeking variety in their dining experiences.

2.1.7. Menu Price

Price is a crucial marketing element in predicting consumer behavior in the restaurant industry [ 79 ]. It has been established as one of the highest-ranked factors for restaurant selections [ 80 ]. Consumers usually remember an objective or actual price to a certain extent that is meaningful to them, also known as perceived price [ 81 ]. Perceived price refers to what is given up, including monetary and non-monetary costs (e.g., money, time, and/or effort) to obtain a product or service [ 81 ]. The effect of price on consumer decision-making can be explained by the difference between reference price and actual price in product/service selection [ 82 ]. Reference price is compared against the actual price of a product/service in deciding whether or not to choose the product/service. An internal reference price (i.e., generated from past purchase experience) is a more important variable than an external reference price (i.e., generated from advertisement) in affecting consumers’ purchase behavior for regularly purchased product/service categories, such as meals in restaurants [ 83 ]. In restaurant settings, perceived price is commonly operationalized as meal price for which a customer transacts during his/her dining at a restaurant [ 84 ]. It has been established that consumers use price to evaluate the service quality as it partially acts as a clue for the quality [ 85 ]. Consequently, we measure the extent to which menu price influences customers’ choice of restaurant.

2.1.8. Sales Promotion

Sales promotion creates a monetary incentive to purchase by reducing price for a certain quantity or increasing quantity for the same price [ 85 ]. It is a strategy that marketers offer to customers to satisfy their financial needs [ 86 ]. Marketers often employ sales promotion to encourage repeat purchase, induce product trials, or promote brand switching behavior [ 87 ]. Sales promotion provides customers with immediate financial incentives [ 88 ], but it may put a brand at risk by moving customers’ attention away from quality to a temporary financial incentive [ 89 ]. In fact, sales promotion appeals to price sensitive consumers who are willing to sacrifice quality for price or see all products in a certain product category as being equal [ 90 ]. Given that sales promotion is a common promotional strategy for attracting customers and generating revenue immediately in the foodservice industry [ 91 ], such as in restaurants, it is important to measure how it is likely to affect customers’ selection of restaurant.

2.1.9. Location

Location has been well-identified as a strategic success factor for a restaurant business to stay competitive in the industry [ 92 , 93 ]. A strategic restaurant location can attract more customers to the restaurant, provide convenience to customers, and has a positive effect on customer loyalty [ 94 ]. Restaurants use location strategy to cater to target market/s and enhance the restaurant visibility [ 95 ]. For consumers, restaurant selection is dependent not only on location but also restaurant characteristics such as type of food served, facilities, size, etc. [ 69 ]. Nevertheless, given that location determines customer access to particular products or services, it remains fundamental to the decision-making of customers and is paramount to the success of a restaurant operation [ 96 , 97 ]. Consequently, this study determines the degree to which location shapes the restaurant customer decision-making process.

2.2. Eating-out Occasions (Quick Meal/Convenience, Social Occasion, Business Necessity, and Celebration) and Customer Behaviors

Customers seek dining consumption experiences for different reasons [ 25 ]. As dining consumption occasions drive customer behavior, it is reasonable to assume that customers’ choice of restaurant is influenced by dining-out occasions. Past research has indicated that dining occasions influence customer choice in the restaurant selection process. One example of this can be found in a study by Kivela [ 98 ] which examined dining occasions (i.e., celebration, business, social, and convenience/quick meal) in understanding customers’ restaurant choice. The findings revealed that location was most related to convenience/quick meal occasion; food quality was perceived to be important for celebration and business occasions; and cleanliness seemed to be one of the important factors in customer choice of restaurant. In a similar vein, Ponnam and Balaji [ 25 ] investigated visitation motives (in place of dining occasions) and restaurant attributes in casual dining restaurants. Customers were found to have different motives (i.e., dine out, celebration, hang out, take-away, and date) for patronizing a casual dining restaurant. More specifically, dine out and take-away motives were found to be highly related to gourmet taste, celebration motive was strongly associated with hospitality service, hang-out motive was related to staff responsiveness, and date motive was highly correlated with ambiance and staff responsiveness. Overall, restaurant customers have specific reasons for patronizing specific types of restaurants.

2.3. Restaurant Types (Full-Service, Quick-Casual, and Quick-Service) and Customer Behaviors

Every restaurant provides three basic attributes (i.e., food, service, and physical environment) to customers. Each type of restaurant has its distinct attributes to differentiate the restaurant’s characteristics from the other restaurant types and to appeal to its target market [ 3 , 77 ]. Customers expect a certain level of quality according to the attributes provided by restaurants [ 99 ]. In the present study, restaurant services are categorized into three types: full-service, quick-casual, and quick-service [ 100 ]. A quick-service restaurant accentuates convenience and efficiency, such as low food price, quick service, convenient location, long hours of operation, and drive-through service [ 101 ]. Food is prepared in a standardized process that can be distributed immediately for ordering and consumption [ 100 ]. Customers visiting fast food restaurants are predominantly concerned about convenience when eating-out [ 3 ]. Quick-casual dining restaurant, a limited-service dining style, serves moderately-priced food in a casual dining atmosphere [ 100 ]. It is less expensive than a full-service restaurant but serves more high-quality food than a quick-service restaurant. Food is made-to-order and innovative food may be served to cater for sophisticated tastes. Quick-casual restaurants attract customers by serving good quality food at a reasonable price in a relaxed atmosphere [ 102 ]. A full-service restaurant provides meal courses and professional services by well-trained staff in an upscale or midscale dining atmosphere [ 98 ]. Full-service restaurants appeal to customers who consider emotional value to be an important factor when dining-out [ 3 ].

3. Methodology

3.1. measures.

A self-administered questionnaire was designed to measure the key factors importance, dining occasions, restaurant segments, and demographics. The first section of the questionnaire measured respondent’s eating-out information: type of restaurant and eating-out occasion. The second section comprised of key factors in restaurant selection: word-of-mouth recommendations from people I know, online reviews from customers (e.g., through Facebook, Twitter, blogs, TripAdvisor, etc.), brand reputation, brand popularity, personal (or past) experience with the restaurant, variety of menu items, price, sales promotion, and location. The respondent was asked to rank the factors from 1 (the most important) to 9 (the least important) when he/she chooses a restaurant. The factors were identified from an extensive review of past studies pertaining to restaurant management [ 4 , 5 , 8 , 25 , 69 , 103 , 104 ]. Then, we refined the factors through formal discussions with three academic professionals in restaurant management. Based on the discussions, “word-of-mouth recommendations”, “online reviews”, and “sales promotion” were further detailed. “Word-of-mouth recommendations” was specified as “word-of-mouth recommendations from people I know”; “online reviews” was rephrased as “online reviews from customers (e.g., through Facebook, Twitter, blogs, TripAdvisor, etc.)”; and “sales promotion” was specified with examples—“sales promotion (e.g., discounts, happy hours)”. The third section contained questions about basic demographics, such as gender, age, occupation, personal monthly net income, and level of education attainment.

3.2. Sample and Data Collection

We employed a descriptive survey research design to achieve the research purpose. A pencil-and-paper survey was conducted in 2017. Individuals were approached at six shopping centers in Klang Valley, Malaysia. Klang Valley is home to a number of popular and major shopping centers located in the urban cities, which include Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya [ 105 ]. Every one of the shopping centers has a collection of stores, including local and international restaurant brands. Our trained research enumerators selected individuals through a convenience sampling method. Potential participants were politely approached in public seating areas at the shopping centers. To ensure that the individuals were qualified to participate in this survey, three screening questions were asked:

• Do you regularly eat-out at restaurants on weekends?
• What is your age?
• Are you currently employed/working?

The individuals who regularly eat-out on weekends, aged 25 years and older, and were currently working were invited to participate in this anonymous survey. This group of individuals was selected because we believed that this group of respondents was capable of earning a disposable income and making decisions in restaurant selection. It has been reported that employed and educated consumers seem to seek variety in product/service decision-making [ 106 ]. Furthermore, eating-out has become prevalent among urban consumers in Malaysia [ 107 ]. We did not consider weekdays as eating-out on weekdays might not be a volitional behavior given that people are usually occupied with their daily work routine, and thus restricting their decision in choosing a restaurant. Every respondent was presented with a short statement recalling the experience of eating-out. The statement was described as follows: “ Think of your most recent visit to a restaurant in the past three months. It is a different kind of restaurant (that may have a distinctive feature such as menu, restaurant ambiance, or service style) from the ones that you commonly patronize. You made the decision to go to the restaurant ”. Respondents then indicated the type of restaurant and the dining occasion for the restaurant visit. They were also asked to provide rankings of the key factors in the restaurant selection decision. Lastly, respondents were asked to fill out the demographics section in the questionnaire.

The survey questionnaires were distributed to a total of 617 restaurant customers. After eliminating unusable responses among the completed responses, 539 responses were coded for data analysis. More than half of the respondents were females (54.6%). The majority of the respondents were in the age range of 25 to 44 years old (80.9%), had a personal monthly net income of MYR 2000 to MYR 5999 (68.4%), and obtained a tertiary education (50.7%). This reflects Malaysia’s population which was relatively young and educated [ 107 ]. With regards to occupation, about 27.3% held executive/managerial/administrative position and about 22.4% were self-employed.

4.1. General Order of Importance for Restaurant Choice

The order of criticality among the factors that are vital for patrons’ restaurant selection (i.e., word-of-mouth recommendations from people I know, online reviews from customers, reputation, popularity, personal (or past) experience with the restaurant, variety of menu items, price, sales promotion, and location) was examined. Using IBM SPSS Statistics 20 (IBM, New York, NY, USA), a descriptive analysis was conducted based on the rank that the survey participants indicated. Table 1 and Figure 1 present the results of the analysis. As noted, the value “1” indicates the most important criteria to consider when choosing a restaurant, and the value “9” indicates the least important criteria. Thus, the results show that “price” which is closer to “1” as compared to other variables is ranked the most critical thing that patrons consider when choosing a restaurant.

Overall ranking. The most/least important factor when choosing a restaurant. The value “1” indicates the most important criteria to consider when choosing a restaurant, and the value “9” indicates the least important criteria. Thus, the figure shows that “price” which is closer to “1” as compared to other variables is ranked the most important factor that patrons consider when selecting a restaurant.

Overall ranking of restaurant choice factors.

1: “The most important criteria to consider when choosing a restaurant”; 9: “The least important criteria to consider when choosing a restaurant”. Std. Deviation refers to Standard Deviation.

This finding implies that when making a decision to select a restaurant, patrons consider price as the most important factor, word-of-mouth from people they know as the second most important factor, personal/past experience as the third most important factor, variety of menu items as the fourth important factor, popularity as the fifth important factor, reputation as the sixth important factor, location as the seventh important factor, sales promotion as the eighth important factor, and online reviews from customers as the least important factor in sequence. In addition, about 25% of the participants ranked price as “1”. About 17.3%, 14.5%, 8.3%, 9.3%, 9.1%, 8.9%, 3.3%, and 4.3% ranked word-of-mouth, personal experience, variety of menu items, popularity, reputation, location, sales promotion, and online reviews from customers as “1”, respectively. Meanwhile, about 6.3% of the participants ranked price as “9”. In addition, about 8.3%, 8.5%, 9.5%, 6.7%, 6.5%, 13.0%, 17.6%, and 23.7% ranked word-of-mouth, personal experience, variety of menu items, popularity, reputation, location, sales promotion, and online reviews from customers as “9”, respectively. Table 2 further displays the significance of the restaurant choice factors ranking. The t -test results demonstrated that in general, price was significantly more important than word-of-mouth, and that location was significantly more important than sales promotion. This result contributed to achieving the first research objective of the present study.

Significance of restaurant choice factors ranking.

1: “The most important criteria to consider when choosing a restaurant”; 9: “The least important criteria to consider when choosing a restaurant”. *** p < 0.001.

4.2. Ranking by Eating-out Occasions

The order of importance among restaurant choice factors by customers’ eating-out occasions (i.e., quick meal/convenience, social occasion, business necessity, and celebration) was examined by using a descriptive analysis. The details are shown in Figure 2 . The top three restaurant choice factors in the occasion of quick meal/convenience were price (mean = 3.508, SD = 2.476), personal/past experience (mean = 4.571, SD = 2.610), and variety of menu items (mean = 4.631, SD = 2.427). In the case of social occasion, price (mean = 3.784, SD = 2.531), popularity (mean = 4.506, SD = 2.420), and word-of-mouth (mean = 4.543, SD = 2.659) were ranked as the three major choice factors. In the occasion of business necessity, unlike the previous two occasions, reputation (mean = 3.483, SD = 2.064) was ranked in the first place, followed by popularity (mean = 3.828, SD = 2.019), and word-of-mouth (mean = 4.103, SD = 2.440). Lastly, in the occasion of celebration, the top three restaurant selection factors were word-of-mouth (mean = 3.927, SD = 2.580), price (mean = 4.240, SD = 2.615), and reputation (mean = 4.500, SD = 2.362).

Ranking by eating-out occasions. 1: “The most important criteria to consider when choosing a restaurant”; 9: “The least important criteria to consider when choosing a restaurant”. Quick meal/convenience ( n = 252), Social occasion ( n = 162), Business necessity ( n = 29), Celebration ( n = 96).

Table 3 discloses the differences in importance of restaurant choice factors across eating-out occasions. The one-way ANOVA findings indicated that while variety of menu items was not statistically significant, the importance of word-of-mouth, online review from customers, reputation, popularity, personal experience, price, sales promotion, and location were statistically significant across eating-out occasions. The non-significant difference in variety of menu items across eating-out occasions suggests that the attribute is equally important for all the occasions. This is consistent with Kivela et al. [ 69 ] where variety of menu was a crucial attribute determining customer evaluation of restaurant experience. A closer examination of the ranking by eating-out occasions further indicated that word-of-mouth was particularly crucial in celebration, followed by business necessity, social occasion, and quick meal/convenience. In addition, online reviews from customers were critical in the order of business necessity, celebration, social occasion, and quick meal/convenience. Reputation was especially important in business necessity, followed by celebration, social occasion, and quick meal/convenience. Popularity was particularly critical in business necessity, followed by social occasion, quick meal/convenience, and celebration. Moreover, personal experience was important in the order of quick meal/convenience, business necessity, social occasion, and celebration. Price was crucial in quick meal/convenience, social occasion, celebration, and business necessity in sequence. Sales promotion was important in the order of celebration, quick meal/convenience, social occasion, and business necessity. Further, location was particularly critical in the occasion of quick meal/convenience, followed by celebration, social, and business necessity. This result contributed to achieving the second research objective of this study.

Differences in restaurant choice factors across eating-out occasions.

* p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01.

4.3. Ranking by Restaurant Types

Ranking by restaurant types (i.e., full-service restaurants, quick-casual/convenience restaurants, and quick-service restaurants) was investigated by using a descriptive analysis. First, the order of criticality among the nine choice factors for full-service restaurants was examined. The results are exhibited in Figure 3 . Our finding indicated that price (mean = 3.866, SD = 2.436) was ranked in first place, followed by word-of-mouth (mean = 4.496, SD = 2.632), personal experience (mean = 4.594, SD = 2.654), variety of menu items (mean = 4.612, SD = 2.415), popularity (mean = 4.775, SD = 2.415), reputation (mean = 4.891, SD = 2.384), location (mean = 5.232, SD = 2.576), online reviews from customers (mean = 6.022, SD = 2.401), and sales promotion (mean = 6.467, SD = 2.325). This finding implies that when choosing a full-service restaurant for eating out, customers consider the above order in sequence.

Ranking by restaurant types. 1: “The most important criteria to consider when choosing a restaurant”; 7: “The least important criteria to consider when choosing a restaurant”. Full-service restaurants ( n = 276), Quick-casual restaurants ( n = 132), Quick-service restaurants ( n = 125).

Second, the order of importance among the choice factors for quick-casual restaurants was examined. While price (mean = 3.886, SD = 2.811) was found as the most critical factor, the order of the rest of the factors in quick-casual restaurants was little different from that of the full-service restaurants. Our results revealed that personal experience (mean = 4.530, SD = 2.260), reputation (mean = 4.780, SD = 2.590), variety of menu items (mean = 4.796, SD = 2.291), popularity (mean = 4.833, SD = 2.282), word-of-mouth (mean = 4.886, SD = 2.754), location (mean = 5.091, SD = 2.593), sales promotion (mean = 5.977, SD = 2.352), and online reviews from customers (mean = 6.242, SD = 2.542) were the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth important factors in sequence when customers select a quick-casual restaurant.

Lastly, we examined the rank indicated by customers when making a decision for selecting a quick-service restaurant. In the case of quick-service restaurant choice, participants ranked price (mean = 3.576, SD = 2.547) as the most crucial thing that they consider among the nine factors driving restaurant selection, followed by word-of-mouth (mean = 4.440, SD = 2.775), popularity (mean = 4.840, SD = 2.329), reputation (mean = 4.848, SD = 2.279), location (mean = 5.192, SD = 2.678), variety of menu items (mean = 5.264, SD = 2.609), personal experience (mean = 5.352, SD = 2.515), sales promotion (mean = 5.384, SD = 2.327), and online reviews from customers (mean = 6.152, SD = 2.393). The results pertinent to the ranking among important restaurant choice factors by restaurant types contributed to achieving the third research objective of the present study.

Table 4 further illustrates the differences in importance of restaurant choice factors across restaurant types. The one-way ANOVA findings revealed that the importance of personal experience, variety of menu items, and sales promotion were statistically different across restaurant types. Personal experience was important in the order of quick-casual, full-service, and quick-service. Variety of menu items was crucial in full-service, quick-casual, and quick-service in sequence. Sales promotion was important in the order of quick-service, quick-casual, and full-service. The insignificant difference in price implies that price is the most critical factor for all the three types of restaurant, which supports the aforementioned discussion.

Differences in restaurant choice factors across restaurant types.

* p < 0.05, *** p < 0.001.

5. Discussion

Faced with the complex phenomenon of eating-out, our study extends the body of knowledge on the relative importance of restaurant selection criteria. Our investigation into customers’ perceived importance of restaurant selection factors and how they vary across situational factors, namely dining occasions and restaurant segments, presents empirical evidence regarding customers’ choice of restaurant. Our study provides three insights. First, menu price was perceived as the most important criterion in all nine criteria when consumers choose a restaurant to eat-out. This is not surprising as since the Malaysian government imposes the implementation of a 6% Goods and Service Tax (GST) in 2015, consumers are becoming more price-sensitive and cautious about spending on eating-out [ 108 ]. Another plausible reason is that, consistent with past research advocating the salient role of price as a clue of consumers’ expectation and evaluation of product or service performance [ 109 , 110 ], our findings suggest that menu price has the overall greatest importance for restaurant customers. The role of price in influencing restaurant customers’ decision-making could be attributed by the common belief that price has been used as a reference in making quality inference [ 84 ].

Second, our study ranked the level of importance among the factors for customers to consider when choosing a restaurant by eating-out occasions. The importance level of menu price was greatest for both quick meal/convenience and social occasion; brand reputation was the most important for business necessity; and word-of-mouth recommendation (from the people I know) was greatest for celebration. On the other hand, online reviews carried the least importance for quick meal/convenience, and sales promotion was ranked being the least important for social occasion, business necessity, and celebration. Our findings provide empirical evidence that eating-out occasion is the key determinant of restaurant selection criteria. This supports the assertion that restaurant customers have distinctive reasons when patronizing restaurants [ 25 , 27 , 98 ]. The findings of this study allow restaurant selection criteria to be segmented in relation to their primary use occasion.

Third, our study investigated the relative importance among the restaurant selection factors by restaurant types. Menu price was perceived as being the most important criterion and sales promotion was the least important criterion for full-service restaurants. Menu price was also ranked highest on quick-casual restaurant selection criteria and online review was perceived to be the least important. The nature of our sample might shed light on the prevalence of quick-casual units in Malaysia. The majority of the respondents in this study were young working adults and middle-income consumers. This group of consumers prefer an informal and comfortable environment as well as reasonably-priced menu items [ 108 ]. Similarly, menu price was ranked highest and online review was ranked lowest on quick-service restaurant selection criteria. The substantial growth of the restaurant market in Malaysia and the homogeneity of offerings across restaurants within one segment might shed light on the importance of menu price in customers’ choice of restaurant. Customers have too many choices of restaurant when it comes to eating-out. Our study suggests that when there is a huge number of restaurant options with similar product or service offerings, there is a greater tendency for customers to rely on the prices when making decision. Thus, it is not surprising that customers are relatively mindful of prices when making eating-out decisions. This is consistent with Lewis’s [ 111 ] argument that price is a key factor in differentiating within a set of product class.

6. Implications

The restaurant industry is highly competitive. The understanding about restaurant customer behavior is vital for restaurants to achieve a sustainable restaurant business growth. Several managerial implications emerge from our study. First, restauranteurs should be alert to the comparative importance of factors in customer decision making. Such importance levels may trigger restauranteurs to consider marketing strategies for their restaurant that they may not have otherwise considered. For example, considering our finding that menu price is customers’ top priority in restaurant selections for full-service, quick-casual, and quick-service restaurants, when food is priced appropriately, it can positively influence customers’ decision. Customers encode menu price as a synopsis of dining experience. The price perception is influential in assisting customers make a choice, suggesting the need to adopt effective pricing strategies. Restauranteurs should utilize the principle of integrated marketing communication strategies and grasp every opportunity to manage customer perception of price. Rather than leaving customer perception of price to chance, restauranteurs can take a proactive role in setting up value-based pricing strategies. For example, quick-service restauranteurs should consider implementing the practice of several international fast-food chains who regularly remind customers of their meal savings. When creating a pricing strategy, quick-casual restauranteurs should keep in mind that their customers value good quality food at a reasonable price in a comfortable dining atmosphere. The pricing strategies of full-service restauranteurs should appeal to customers who appreciate emotions in dining experiences as they typically seek a dining experience beyond eating, therefore strengthening competitive price perception. Quick-service and full-service restauranteurs must get customers to recognize the eating-out benefits they receive for the price they pay. In other words, the advertising messages should highlight the benefits of eating in the restaurants relative to the prices.

Second, word-of-mouth recommendation (from the people I know), which was ranked second in the important factors list, can strengthen customers’ decision to choose a restaurant. In the restaurant industry, word-of-mouth recommendation is influential, and most importantly, it costs a restaurant nothing to promote its products/services to potential customers. Thus, we suggest that restaurateurs consistently provide high-quality products and services to trigger positive word-of-mouth. Achieving customer satisfaction stimulates positive communications in a customer’s direct contacts and immediate surroundings [ 112 ]. Third, personal experience, which was ranked third in the important factors list, can affect restaurant customer decision-making. Most Malaysian consumers are well-informed and sophisticated, and they appreciate quality in dining experience [ 108 ]. If a restaurant receives favorable evaluations of their dining experience in the restaurant from existing customers, the positive evaluations can have a considerable impact on customer satisfaction and, consequently, on their behavioral intentions, such as revisit intentions [ 113 ].

Forth, a closer look into the relative important of restaurant selection criteria across eating-out occasions shows that restaurant customers rated the importance level of restaurant selection criteria differently according to eating-out occasions. As the restaurant selection criteria are influenced by the eating-out occasions, we suggest that decisions relating to personalizing the promotional strategies should be undertaken. Because customers attach different levels of importance to restaurant selection criteria, it is essential to tailor distinctive efforts for optimal effects on restaurant customer behavior. Promotional tactics should reflect the consistency between purpose of eating-out and restaurant selection factors. Menu prices are critically important when customers patronize a restaurant for quick meal/convenience and social occasion. In Malaysia, with growing urbanization and changing lifestyles, an increasingly great number of consumers seek convenience through eating-out. Financial incentives (such as value meals and set meals) and psychological pricing (such as 9-ending prices) are thus recommended for customers visiting a restaurant for quick meal/convenience or social occasions. Restaurant reputation is vital when customers choose a restaurant for business necessity. Customers may expect to have good food and drink in a comfortable physical environment to entertain their business clients. Restauranteurs should maintain the standards of these attributes to meet the needs and wants of their customers. Word-of-mouth is essential when customers select a restaurant for celebration occasion. Considering that customers visiting a restaurant to celebrate a special occasion (e.g., birthday, wedding anniversary), it is important for customers to choose the right restaurant where they can happily cherish the special moment. Accordingly, restauranteurs should increase their competitive advantage by creating customer engagement opportunities, such as sharing dining experiences on social media networks and facilitating customer-to-customer interactions.

7. Limitations and Recommendations for Future Research

There are several limitations to this study that should be addressed for future research. First, we conducted data collection in only one area in Malaysia (i.e., Klang Valley), thus limiting the generalizability of the conclusions. Other metropolitan cities across countries may be studied to obtain comparative results. Second, how respondents evaluate the difference in important ranking was not examined. In other words, the variables, such as values associated with eating-out, that may have a significant influence on important factor ratings should be further examined. More theoretical and practical implications regarding customers’ perceived importance of restaurant selection factors could be drawn when the underlying variables explaining the outcomes are investigated. Third, this study identified the nine factors based on the existing empirical studies on consumer behavior in the restaurant industry. The importance of certain restaurant choice factors, which included word-of-mouth, online reviews, reputation, popularity, price, and location were not statistically different between full-service, quick-casual, and quick-service restaurants ( Table 4 ). This suggests that these factors are equally important for all the three types of restaurant. Given the fact that consumer decision-making in restaurant selection is dynamic and may be driven by emerging factors or reasons, future research is suggested to delve into this topic by utilizing qualitative methods. Fourth, this study was descriptive in nature, thus failing to include delicate statistical techniques and to suggest a causal model of the antecedents and consequence of customers’ decision. The contribution of this study could be strengthened through more robust quantitative research approach efforts. Fifth, the subgroups (i.e., quick meal, social occasion, business, celebration) have different number of sample size. Future research should balance the sample size for these subgroups. In addition, future research should increase the sample size to effectively compare the constituents of eating-out occasions.

8. Conclusions

Customer expectations of restaurant offerings are ever-increasing, and they are now more demanding in choosing better restaurant choices based on what they can get from their decision. An investigation of key factors driving customers’ restaurant choice in eating-out decision making not only can help restaurateurs understand restaurant customer perception of key factors when selecting a restaurant, but also form appropriate marketing strategies to attract existing and potential customers and outperform competitors. Faced with the complex phenomenon of eating-out, our study extends the body of knowledge on the relative importance of restaurant selection criteria. Our investigation into customers’ perceived importance of restaurant selection factors and how they vary across situational factors, namely dining occasions and restaurant segments, presents empirical evidence regarding customers’ choice of restaurant. Our study has three important findings. First, menu price is perceived as the most important criterion in all nine criteria (i.e., word-of-mouth, online customer review, brand reputation, brand popularity, personal (past) experience, menu variety, menu price, sales promotion, and location) when consumers choose a restaurant to eat-out. Second, eating-out occasion is the key determinant of restaurant selection criteria. More specifically, the importance level of menu price is greatest for both quick meal/convenience and social occasion; brand reputation is the most important for business necessity; and word-of-mouth recommendation (from the people I know) is greatest for celebration. Third, menu price was perceived as being the most important criterion for full-service restaurants, quick-casual restaurants, and quick-service restaurants, respectively. This suggests that when there are a huge number of restaurant options with similar product or service offerings within a restaurant segment, there is a greater tendency for customers to rely on the prices when making decision. Overall, the findings of this study add to the restaurant management literature that customers’ restaurant choice is markedly affected by situational factors [ 69 , 98 ]. It is concluded that customers’ perceived importance of restaurant selection factors are important considerations in the occasion for which a restaurant is patronized and in the choice of restaurant type. The findings are valuable to restauranteurs in developing occasion-based and restaurant type-based segmentations based on restaurant selection factor priorities.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, B.-L.C. and H.H.; methodology, B.-L.C. and H.H.; writing—original draft preparation, B.-L.C.; writing—review and editing, H.H. and S.L.; visualization, H.H. and S.L.; supervision, H.H.; project administration, B.-L.C. and S.K.; funding acquisition, B.-L.C. and S.K. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

This study was supported by GP-IPM research fund, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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The Importance of Restaurant Customer Satisfaction

Learn why customer satisfaction is vital for the success of any restaurant, regardless of its size, location, demographics, or food quality.

Restaurant owners often struggle to identify the key factors that influence customer satisfaction, especially when their views differ from what customers want.

The focus should be on meeting the needs of guests, not on what restaurants feel they need. The more satisfied customers are, the more likely they are to spend more, return regularly, share positive reviews, and recommend the restaurant to others.

Restaurants must prioritize customer convenience over their own convenience.  It’s not about what restaurants need to feel satisfied, it’s about what guests feel restaurants need to do to satisfy them .

It’s important not to inconvenience guests at a restaurant’s convenience.

Why is Restaurant Customer Satisfaction Important?

There are a variety of reasons customer satisfaction is important, but let’s sum it up to these powerful statistics:

• 7 out of 10 U.S. consumers say they’ve spent more money to do business with a company that delivers great service. ( American Express )
• A moderate increase in customer experience generates an average revenue increase of $823 million over three years for a company with $1 billion in annual revenues. ( Temkin Group )
• A  Harvard Business School  researcher found that a one-star increase in a restaurant’s Yelp rating correlated with a 5-9% increase in revenue.
• 25 percent more people turn to consumer reviews on sites like OpenTable, Yelp, and TripAdvisor than those who rely on reviews by professional food critics. 60 percent read reviews before going out for a meal, a habit that takes precedence over getting directions to a restaurant or looking at food photos. ( OpenTable )
• Diners say that complimentary extras (69 percent) and seating preferences (65 percent) would go far in increasing customer loyalty. ( OpenTable )
• 75 percent of consumers will not visit or patronize a restaurant with negative reviews about its cleanliness. ( Harris Poll for Cintas Corporation )
• 38% of all customer complaints are on social media and review sites. Restaurants get only 14% of all complaints. (Jay Baer, Food Service Magazine)
• After one negative experience, 51% of customers will never do business with that company again. ( New Voice Media)

What Contributes to Poor Restaurant Customer Service?

Neglecting the fundamentals of running a business.

It can be easy for new and old businesses alike to neglect the fundamentals of running a restaurant. Let’s get back to the basics. Every restaurant owner should not only have a written system that works, but every employee should follow the system. Management should create checklists and ensure they follow them repetitively. Checklists should remind team members that bathrooms need to be cleaned multiple times daily, staff should turn music on, open signs should be lit, inventory procedures have checks and balances, and internal operations should be followed daily.

Misunderstanding what customers want and need

A lot of restaurant owners assume that since they created the restaurant, and customers agree with them when they provide their own opinions, a majority of their customers feel the same way. There is power in restaurant surveys . The ability to find out what customers want, but may not have been sharing with you, is important. When utilizing this data effectively, businesses can increase restaurant customer satisfaction easily.

Lack of cleanliness

No one likes a dirty restroom, peeking into a dirty kitchen, stepping on dirty floors, or eating on dirty tables.

Non-versatile menu options

Worldwide, allergies affect up to 30% of the population. Allergies can range from peanuts, meats, gluten, and milk. This should be enough of a cause to create menu versatility, and it doesn’t even include the limitations that restaurant-goers experience with diets due to ethical or health reasons. It’s important to not only provide menu items that differ between diets but also to create menu versatility for guests who ask for the removal of ingredients.

Underestimating the power of unhappy customers

The statistics supporting the power of an unhappy customer are staggering. 96% of unhappy customers don’t complain. 91% will leave and never come back. A dissatisfied customer shares their experience with between 9-15 people. 13% of unhappy customers tell 20 people or more.

Not creating enough reasons for customers to come back

Without loyalty programs , community involvement, a unique brand atmospheric experience, or exceptional customer service, customers will leave without coming back.

Poor food quality

Many fast-food restaurants are struggling to keep up with the desire for fresh foods. Moving away from the days when speed was everything, now it’s all about quality and brand experiences.

Lack of brand consistency

According to  smallbizgenius , Consistently presented brands are 3.5 times more likely to enjoy excellent brand visibility than those with an inconsistent brand presentation. Brand consistency statistics published by Demand Metric suggest that uniformly presented brands are 3.5 times more visible to customers.

No incentives/Poor Incentives

A  RetailMeNot  survey found that almost three-fourths of Americans say offers are a top factor when deciding where and what to buy online. Four out of five Americans say finding a great offer or discount is on their mind throughout the entire purchase journey.

High-value brands like Starbucks have learned long ago that loyalty programs bring customers back again and again. In fact, according to CNN , super-loyal customers who use Starbucks’ membership program account for about 40% of sales at the company’s US stores.

“Starbucks Rewards continues to be a powerful enabler of loyalty,” CEO Kevin Johnson said while discussing that quarter’s earnings in a call with analysts.

According to  eMarketer , Free Wi-Fi is the most important restaurant tech offering among US internet users deciding where they should dine. In fact, 70% of consumers cited the availability of guest WiFi as an important factor in deciding where to dine.

According to  Small Business Trends , businesses that offer WiFi marketing to increase sales had a success rate of 72 percent. 50% of guests spend more money when they stay and use guest WiFi, and this doesn’t even include the percentage of guests that come back when they receive email communications.

72% of consumers prefer email as the primary source of communication from businesses. In fact, 61% of consumers prefer to receive promotional emails weekly. 

WiFi marketing drives new traffic, increases the amount that visitors spend when they visit restaurants, and improves customer loyalty which can drive revenue up by at least 25%.

Bad customer service

Did you know that after one poor experience with a brand,  71% of guests won’t visit ever again?  Losing just one customer can be costly, so it’s important to look at the bigger customer experience picture. If one puzzle piece is missing, a restaurant could receive significant losses.

Even if a location is popular and business is booming, customer satisfaction should be taken seriously. Regardless of the food, drinks, and atmosphere, customer experience is the most important component to improve your restaurant’s customer satisfaction.

Bad environment

If a location is outdated, amplifies sound too much, has music that is too loud, or has no music at all, consumers classify it as a bad environment.

These are the top factors to improve a restaurant’s environment:

• Updated interior design : A restaurant’s physical environment will immediately evoke positive or negative feelings about a restaurant’s brand.
• Ambient light : While rarely mentioned, ambient lighting that is too bright or too dark has a high likelihood of becoming a deterrent and a silent brand detractor.
• Colors: The colors of a restaurant will immediately and subconsciously showcase the quality of a brand. They also evoke specific feelings. For example, red and yellow stimulate appetites, and blue decreases appetites but increases feelings of calmness and comfort. Blue creates the appearance that time passes faster. Red restaurants create the appearance that time passes by slower for guests.

• Music : Multiple studies show that music has a direct impact on the amount the guests spend when visiting restaurants. Music should match a brand’s image. Slow music increases a customer’s willingness to spend more money, while faster music can contribute to more alcoholic beverage sales and create a more casual environment.
• Background noises : Restaurants should have a medium sound level. Customers in quiet restaurants spend more money and eat more of their food. But they can also contribute the low sound levels to a low-quality restaurant with high-cost food. Guests in noisy restaurants both spend and eat less. So, if traffic is high it’s important to have interior soundproofing present.
• Aesthetics : Not only do guests prefer a positive overall brand interior appearance, but attractive restaurants are also an additional social media marketing tool.

Unreasonable pricing

It’s important to create menu pricing that matches customer expectations while providing a significant return on ingredient investments. Below is a graph that shows the average amount that guests spend (per person) at fast-food restaurants, takeout restaurants, food delivery services, and full-service restaurants according to Statista .

Lack of future planning

In the restaurant industry, you could be popular one year, and the next year, you could experience a downturn. It’s important not to dwell too much on current successes. Evaluate what competitors are doing, and utilize innovative ways to improve satisfaction and profits.

No competitive differentiation

While it’s never advisable to mirror your competition, tracking what’s working and not working for competitors provides brands with the opportunity to create positive differentiation.

Poor location

Poor future planning creates poor location decisions. When brainstorming a new location, it’s important to pay close attention to local demographics to ensure brand integrity and profitability. It’s important to remain agile if a location’s demographics change.

What’s your favorite way to increase restaurant customer satisfaction? Leave us a comment below!

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Delivering Exceptional Restaurant Customer Service

Providing excellent customer service is essential for success. Satisfied customers are more likely to become loyal patrons, leave positive reviews, and recommend your establishment to friends and family.

So, what are the keys to delivering exceptional restaurant customer service? Here are some proven strategies:

Start with a Friendly, Welcoming Atmosphere

The customer experience begins the moment guests walk through your doors. Make sure your front-of-house staff creates a warm, inviting ambiance from the start.

Greet customers with genuine smiles and a friendly, attentive demeanor. Promptly escort them to their table and ensure they feel valued and appreciated.

The physical environment also plays a big role in setting the tone. Keep your dining room clean, well-lit, and tastefully decorated. Background music should be at a comfortable volume, allowing customers to converse easily.

Small touches like fresh flowers or art on the walls can enhance the overall atmosphere.

Prioritize Quick, Efficient Service

Customers want their dining experience to be smooth and effortless. Ensure your staff is properly trained to provide prompt, attentive service.

Food and drinks should arrive at the table in a timely manner, without unnecessary delays. Keep a watchful eye on each table, anticipating needs before customers have to ask.

If an order takes longer than expected, proactively communicate the reason to the customer and offer a complimentary appetizer or drink to make up for the wait. Quick, efficient service goes a long way in keeping customers satisfied.

Anticipate and Meet Customers’ Needs

The best restaurant staff members are highly attuned to their customers’ needs and preferences. Train your team to observe body language, facial expressions, and other nonverbal cues that indicate how a customer is feeling.

Is their water glass getting low? Do they seem confused about the menu? Prompt action to address these needs, before the customer has to ask, demonstrates your commitment to their comfort and enjoyment.

Customize the service experience based on each customer’s preferences. Some may want frequent check-ins from the server, while others prefer to be left alone.

Pay attention to the little things that make a difference, like remembering a regular’s favorite drink or asking about dietary restrictions. Going the extra mile to personalize the service will make customers feel valued and appreciated.

Empower Staff to Resolve Issues Promptly

No matter how well-trained and attentive your staff is, issues and complaints can still arise. The key is to empower your team to resolve problems quickly and efficiently, without the customer having to escalate the situation.

Encourage staff to take ownership of any problems that occur during the dining experience. Give them the authority to offer complimentary items, discounts, or other gestures to make things right.

Prompt, empowered problem-solving demonstrates your commitment to customer satisfaction and can turn a negative situation into a positive one.

In the rare event that a staff member is unable to resolve an issue, ensure there is a clear process for elevating the problem to a manager or other decision-maker. Customers appreciate having their concerns addressed swiftly and professionally.

Foster a Culture of Exceptional Service

Providing great customer service should be a core part of your restaurant’s culture, embraced by every member of your team. Make it clear during the hiring process that a customer-centric attitude is a non-negotiable requirement. 3

Provide comprehensive training on service best practices and empower staff to go above and beyond for customers.

Recognize and reward employees who consistently deliver exceptional service. This could take the form of bonuses, public praise, or career advancement opportunities.

Modeling and reinforcing the behavior you want to see will inspire your team to maintain high service standards.

Additionally, solicit regular feedback from customers on their service experiences. Use this input to identify areas for improvement and ensure your team is meeting (or exceeding) customer expectations. Maintaining an open dialogue with patrons demonstrates your commitment to continuous service enhancement.

Ultimately, a restaurant’s success hinges on its ability to make customers feel valued, appreciated, and eager to return. By prioritizing exceptional service at every touchpoint, you’ll position your establishment for long-term growth and profitability.

Key Takeaways:

• Create a friendly, welcoming atmosphere from the moment customers walk through the door.
• Provide prompt, efficient service to keep the dining experience smooth and hassle-free.
• Anticipate and meet customers’ needs before they have to ask.
• Empower staff to resolve issues quickly and effectively.
• Foster a culture of exceptional customer service throughout your organization.
• Continuously solicit feedback and improve your service offerings.

Putting these strategies into practice will help you deliver an outstanding customer experience that keeps patrons coming back time and time again.

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Restaurant Marketing FAQs

What is Restaurant Marketing?

Restaurant marketing is the process of getting people to visit your restaurants. Restaurant marketing creates loyalty, provides data to research, analytics, and allows restaurants to gain a better understanding of their ideal customer profile. It utilizes all customer channels: guest WiFi, website, social, rating sites, mobile apps, email, text, and advertising.

What is WiFi Marketing?

WiFi marketing is a marketing technique that uses guest WiFi to collect & clean customer data such as names, emails, phone numbers, customer behavior, and demographics. This data is used to personalize marketing campaigns to increase customer loyalty, build online reviews, and save at-risk customers. The performance of every campaign can be tracked down to the tangible ROI of a customer walking back in your door.

Restaurant reputation management is the process for restaurants to manage customer feedback and creating systems to improve customer experiences, passively build positive online reviews, and save at-risk customers. It is a very important aspect of running a successful restaurant business.

How Does Bloom Identify and Bring Back Lost Customers?

Bloom Intelligence uses machine learning to identify at-risk customers. When one is recognized, the system will send them a message with an incentive to get them to return and re-establish their visit pattern. Bloom users are seeing up to 37% of churning customers return.

SAVE TIME, INCREASE CUSTOMER LIFETIME VALUES, CREATE NEW CUSTOMERS

What our happy customers are saying

“SaaS that covered so many bases for us instead of having to use multiple software products. Bloom Intelligence has simplified our responses to reviews, customer feedback, and more. I highly recommend Bloom Intelligence.”

Robert Sanderson

“Bloom Intelligence really is a step ahead in terms of marketing software and metrics. Their product is reliable, fast and innovative and has helped the company I work for really grow.”

John Marchetti

“Working with Bloom Intelligence has been amazing. They assist you every step of the way and work with you hand in hand to make sure you are optimizing your advertising potential. We are excited to use this tool to help learn more about our customers so that we can personally engage with them and understand our strengths/weaknesses.”

Ariel Ramirez

“In these challenging times, it has been a pleasure working with Bloom Intelligence to help facilitate our service offering to our clients. They were extremely responsive and provided support to mitigate risk and minimize revenue loss. Great partner!”

“We’re extremely pleased with the wealth of customer data that we’re able to gather, at a very attractive price.  In addition, we’re able to communicate our new product promotions by using  the landing page as a digital billboard.  A “no-brainer” for anyone working with limited Marketing $$.”

Bob Cross, Vice President of Operations

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60 Powerful Restaurant Survey Questions for Actionable Customer Feedback

In the restaurant industry, understanding your customers' experiences is the secret ingredient to success. This comprehensive guide serves up 60 carefully crafted restaurant survey questions, explains why customer feedback is crucial, and provides strategies for creating, distributing, and analyzing surveys to drive meaningful improvements in your restaurant operations.

The Power of Customer Feedback in the Restaurant Industry

Why customer feedback matters.

Customer feedback is the compass that guides your restaurant to success. It helps you:

• Pinpoint areas for improvement in food quality, service, and ambiance : By understanding what works and what doesn't, you can make targeted improvements that enhance the dining experience.
• Grasp customer preferences and expectations : Knowing what your customers want allows you to tailor your offerings to meet their needs.
• Gauge customer satisfaction and loyalty : Regular feedback helps you measure how well you are meeting your customers' expectations and where you can improve.
• Inform menu changes and new offerings : Customer insights can guide your menu development, ensuring that new dishes resonate with your audience.
• Guide staff training and development : Feedback highlights areas where your staff excels and where they might need additional training.

The Impact of Feedback on Restaurant Success

The numbers speak for themselves. According to a Harvard Business School study, a one-star increase in Yelp rating leads to a 5-9% increase in revenue. Restaurants that actively seek and respond to customer feedback see tangible benefits:

• Increased customer retention rates : Satisfied customers are more likely to return and recommend your restaurant to others.
• Higher average ticket sizes : Positive dining experiences can lead to increased spending per visit.
• Improved online ratings and reviews : Engaging with feedback boosts your online reputation, attracting more customers.
• Enhanced brand reputation : Consistent positive feedback reinforces your brand's reliability and quality.

Take the case of Sweetgreen, a fast-casual salad chain. By implementing a robust feedback system and acting on customer insights, they've consistently grown their revenue and expanded to over 100 locations nationwide.

Crafting the Perfect Restaurant Survey

Survey Design Best Practices

• Keep it concise : Aim for 5-10 minutes completion time, with 10-15 questions max to respect your customers' time.
• Mix question types : Use multiple choice, rating scales, and open-ended questions to gather a range of insights.
• Ensure clarity : Avoid jargon and leading questions to get honest, clear responses.
• Personalize the experience : Address customers by name and reference their recent visit to make the survey feel more relevant.

Key Areas to Cover in Your Restaurant Survey

• Overall dining experience : Get a general sense of how customers feel about their visit.
• Food quality and menu variety : Understand what they like or dislike about your food.
• Service and staff performance : Gauge how well your staff is meeting customer expectations.
• Ambiance and atmosphere : See if the environment enhances their dining experience.
• Cleanliness and hygiene : Ensure your restaurant meets cleanliness standards.
• Value for money : Check if customers feel they are getting good value.
• Reservation and ordering process : Identify any issues with booking or ordering.
• Takeout and delivery experience (if applicable) : Gather feedback on off-premise dining options.

60 Powerful Restaurant Survey Questions

General dining experience questions.

• How would you rate your overall dining experience?
• How likely are you to recommend our restaurant to friends or family?
• What was the primary reason for your visit today?
• Did your experience meet your expectations? Why or why not?
• What was the highlight of your visit?

Food Quality and Menu Questions

• How would you rate the quality of your meal?
• Was the portion size satisfactory?
• How would you describe the presentation of your dishes?
• Did you find our menu options diverse enough?
• Were there any dishes you particularly enjoyed or disliked?
• How would you rate the value for money of our food?
• Did your meal arrive at an appropriate temperature?
• Were any dietary restrictions or special requests accommodated satisfactorily?
• How would you rate the taste and flavor of your dishes?
• Is there anything you'd like to see added to our menu?

Service and Staff Performance Questions

• How would you rate the friendliness of our staff?
• Was our staff knowledgeable about the menu and able to answer your questions?
• How would you rate the speed of service?
• Did you feel welcomed upon arrival?
• Was your server attentive to your needs throughout your visit?
• How would you rate the professionalism of our staff?
• Did you experience any issues during your visit? If so, how were they handled?
• How would you rate the accuracy of your order?
• Did you feel valued as a customer?

Ambiance and Atmosphere Questions

• How would you rate the overall atmosphere of our restaurant?
• Was the noise level appropriate for your dining experience?
• How would you describe the lighting in our restaurant?
• Did you find the seating comfortable?
• How would you rate the cleanliness of our restaurant?
• Did the decor enhance your dining experience?
• Was the temperature in the restaurant comfortable?

Reservation and Ordering Process Questions

• How easy was it to make a reservation?
• Were you seated promptly upon arrival?
• How would you rate the ease of using our online ordering system (if applicable)?
• Did you experience any issues with payment processing?
• How likely are you to use our online reservation system in the future?

Takeout and Delivery Experience Questions

• How would you rate the accuracy of your takeout/delivery order?
• Was your food packaged securely and appropriately?
• How would you rate the timeliness of your delivery?
• Was the food temperature satisfactory upon arrival?
• How likely are you to order takeout/delivery from us again?

Value and Pricing Questions

• How would you rate the overall value for money at our restaurant?
• Do you feel our prices are fair for the quality of food and service provided?
• How do our prices compare to similar restaurants in the area?
• Would you be willing to pay more for premium menu items or experiences?

Loyalty and Future Visits

• How often do you dine at our restaurant?
• Are you a member of our loyalty program? If not, why?
• What would encourage you to visit our restaurant more frequently?
• How likely are you to return to our restaurant in the next month?
• Would you be interested in attending special events or themed nights at our restaurant?

Competitive Positioning

• How does our restaurant compare to others you've visited recently?
• What sets us apart from other restaurants in the area?
• Is there anything other restaurants offer that you'd like to see here?

Open-Ended Feedback

• What one thing could we do to improve your experience?
• Is there anything we didn't ask about that you'd like to share?
• What's your favorite thing about our restaurant?
• If you could change one thing about our restaurant, what would it be?

Net Promoter Score (NPS) Questions

• On a scale of 0-10, how likely are you to recommend our restaurant to a friend or colleague?
• What's the primary reason for your score?
• What could we do to increase your likelihood of recommending us?

Distributing Your Restaurant Survey for Maximum Response

Leveraging Digital Channels for Survey Distribution

• Email marketing : Send personalized invitations within 24 hours of the dining experience to capture fresh feedback.
• SMS surveys : Use short, mobile-friendly surveys for quick feedback, making it easy for customers to respond on the go.
• QR codes : Place on receipts or table tents for easy survey access, encouraging customers to share their thoughts before they leave.
• Social media : Promote surveys on platforms like Facebook and Instagram to reach a broader audience and engage with followers.

Timing Your Survey for Optimal Results

• Send surveys within 24-48 hours of the dining experience for fresh feedback when the experience is still top of mind.
• For regular customers, limit surveys to once every 2-3 months to avoid fatigue and maintain high response rates.
• Conduct seasonal surveys to capture changing preferences and menu items, ensuring you stay aligned with customer expectations throughout the year.

Analyzing and Acting on Survey Results

Tools for survey analysis.

• Survey analysis software options : Use tools like SurveyMonkey, Google Forms, or Typeform to streamline data collection and analysis.
• Key metrics to track : Monitor overall satisfaction scores, Net Promoter Score (NPS), and individual question ratings to identify trends and areas for improvement.
• Create actionable reports by segmenting data : Analyze feedback by visit type, time of day, or customer demographics to gain deeper insights and tailor your strategies.

Turning Insights into Action

• Develop an action plan based on survey results : Prioritize high-impact, low-effort improvements to quickly enhance the customer experience.
• Share insights with staff and involve them in brainstorming solutions : Engaging your team in the process can lead to creative solutions and increased buy-in.
• Set measurable goals for improvement and track progress over time : Establish clear benchmarks to measure the effectiveness of your changes and adjust as needed.

Closing the Feedback Loop

• Follow up with survey respondents, thanking them for their input : Show appreciation for their time and feedback, reinforcing their value as customers.
• Address negative feedback promptly and personally : Respond to concerns directly to show customers that you take their feedback seriously and are committed to improvement.
• Share positive feedback with staff to boost morale and reinforce good practices : Highlighting positive comments can motivate your team and acknowledge their hard work.

Leveraging Fishbowl's Platform for Powerful Survey Campaigns

Email Marketing Capabilities

Fishbowl's email marketing tools can supercharge your survey efforts. Create personalized survey invitation emails that resonate with your customers' recent experiences. A/B test subject lines and email content to boost open rates and engagement. Set up automated email sequences for survey follow-ups, ensuring you capture feedback from as many diners as possible.

Ready to elevate your email survey game? Discover how Fishbowl's email marketing tools can help you create personalized, high-converting survey campaigns. Schedule a demo today to see our email capabilities in action.

SMS Survey Features

• Design mobile-friendly surveys optimized for SMS distribution : Ensure surveys are easy to complete on mobile devices for higher response rates.
• Leverage SMS for real-time feedback collection during or immediately after the dining experience : Capture immediate impressions while the experience is fresh in customers' minds.
• Integrate SMS surveys with loyalty programs to incentivize participation : Offer loyalty points or discounts as rewards for completing surveys.

Marketing Automation for Survey Optimization

• Set up triggered surveys based on customer behavior : Automatically send surveys after a first visit or significant spend to gather timely feedback.
• Segment customers for targeted survey campaigns based on dining preferences or frequency : Tailor surveys to specific customer groups for more relevant insights.
• Automate survey analysis and reporting : Save time and ensure consistent monitoring by using automated tools to analyze responses and generate reports.

Integrating Survey Data with Customer Profiles

Fishbowl's platform allows you to enrich customer profiles with survey responses, creating a comprehensive view of each diner's preferences and experiences. Use this data to inform personalized marketing efforts, tailoring promotions and communications to individual tastes. Track customer sentiment over time to identify trends and proactively address potential issues.

Want to turn survey data into a powerful tool for personalization? Let Fishbowl show you how to integrate survey insights with customer profiles for targeted marketing that drives results. Learn about the Guest Relationship Management platform today.

Maximizing the Impact of Your Restaurant Surveys

Crafting effective restaurant surveys is an art and a science. By asking the right questions, distributing surveys strategically, and acting on the insights you gather, you can make a meaningful impact on your restaurant's operations and customer experience. Remember to keep surveys concise, mix up the question types, and cover all aspects of the dining experience. Leverage digital channels for distribution with tools like Fishbowl’s SMS Marketing features tailored for restaurants , to streamline the process from creation to analysis.

With the right approach to customer feedback, you'll be well-equipped to make data-driven decisions, improve customer satisfaction, and ultimately, boost your restaurant's success.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should i send out restaurant surveys.

For most restaurants, sending surveys after every visit can lead to survey fatigue. Instead, aim to survey customers once every 2-3 months, or after significant changes to your menu or service. For new customers or after special events, you might survey more frequently to capture fresh impressions.

What's the ideal length for a restaurant survey?

Keep your surveys short and sweet. Aim for 10-15 questions maximum, which should take no more than 5-10 minutes to complete. This balance allows you to gather meaningful insights without overwhelming your customers.

How can I encourage customers to complete surveys?

To boost participation:

• Offer incentives like a small discount on their next visit : A little reward can go a long way in encouraging feedback.
• Keep surveys short and mobile-friendly : Make it easy for customers to complete the survey on their preferred device.
• Send surveys promptly after the dining experience : Timing is crucial to capture fresh feedback.
• Explain how their feedback will be used to improve their future visits : Show customers that their input has a real impact.
• Personalize survey invitations with the customer's name and visit details : Personal touches can increase response rates.

What should I do with negative survey feedback?

Negative feedback is a golden opportunity for improvement. Here's how to handle it:

• Respond promptly and personally to the customer : Address their concerns directly and show that you value their feedback.
• Thank them for their honesty and apologize for their poor experience : Acknowledging their feedback and apologizing can help mend the relationship.
• Explain how you plan to address their concerns : Let them know the steps you're taking to prevent similar issues in the future.
• Use the feedback to train staff and improve processes : Learn from the feedback to enhance your operations.
• Follow up with the customer to ensure their next experience is better : Show ongoing commitment to improvement.

Remember, how you handle criticism can turn a dissatisfied customer into a loyal advocate for your restaurant.

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