Restaurant Customers' Quality Expectations

Abstract

This study examines changes in restaurant customers' quality expectations prior to and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study is to investigate if and how restaurant customers' quality expectations have changed during the pandemic. In addition, the present research also aims to determine which marketing (7P) quality dimensions will best explain customers' expectations in the post-COVID era. With a snowball sampling method, a total of 421 valid online questionnaires were obtained. The structured questionnaire included 42 marketing quality indicators belonging to the seven marketing dimensions. In addition, exploratory factor analyses and a sign test were used to assess differences in quality expectations. Results indicate statistically significant differences in customers' quality expectations before and after the pandemic. Four factors (Product-Physical Evidence, Promotion, People, and Price) best explained customers' expectations before and five factors (Product-Physical Evidence, Placement-Promotion, People, Price, and Processes) after the crisis. This paper contributes to the marketing and restaurant management literature by providing a detailed understanding of the importance of the different marketing indicators before and after the crisis. By applying a 7P research concept, we have also facilitated an international benchmarking process. The conclusion provides suggestions for future research directions and information for restaurant managers.

Understanding Hotel’ S Buffet Restaurant Assurance After Covid-19: A Case of Thailand

“…Overall, the findings generally correspond to recent studies (Anastasia et al, 2022;Hameed, et al, 2021;Planinc & Kukanja, 2022) indicating that today many tourists have high levels of concern on their health safety when traveling (e.g. staying at hotels or dining in restaurants).…”

“…Given such definition, the common assurance attributes in restaurant services mainly involve, for example, employee skills & knowledge, employee courtesy & friendliness, food quality, and customer safety (Al-Tit, 2015;Marković, Raspor and Šegarić, 2010;Ngoc & Uyen, 2015). During the COVID-19 pandemic, there are a number of studies proposing 'new normal' services in relation to restaurant services, for example, physical distancing, hand sanitisers, facemasks, and hygiene & cleanliness of restaurant facilities (Anastasia, Gunawan & Rahardjo 2022;Boonkaew et al, 2023;Hameed, Mahomed & Carvalho, 2021;Jeong, Kim, Ma & DiPietro, 2022;Planinc & Kukanja, 2022). Researchers argue that the new normal services are still important in building customer confidence when dining in restaurants in today's situation (Jeong et al, 2022;Siddiqi, Akhtar & Islam, 2022).…”