Restaurant Marketing on the Worldwide Web

Abstract

A large portion of the so-called information superhighway is the internet, which allows people to communicate through computers using electronic mail, bulletin boards, and news groups, among other means. One section of the internet, the worldwide web (WWW), is a network of computers carrying information for public dissemination. Many companies, institutions, and individuals have created WWW "home pages," which are computer files with text, graphics, and links to other, related pages. "Visitors" to web pages are said to be "surfing the net," checking new sites for interesting information or graphics. The WWW now has many commercial sites that seek to get companies' messages to the public in a new and untested medium. While some hospitality companies have WWW sites, most do not, and restaurants are under-represented. Existing restaurant sites, however, make reasonably sophisticated use of the web's capabilities (e.g., text, graphics, sound, and interactive screens). The technology of the internet may allow marketers to take the ultimate step in mass customization, which is to create a distinct message (and package of product and services) for each customer. It almost certainly will allow personal interaction between restaurateurs and customers.

The Web as a Marketing Tool in the Spanish Foodservice Industry: Evaluating the Websites of Spain’s Top Restaurants

“…Also important is the quality of the websites, as has been shown by various studies applied to firms in the tourism sector (Noone & Mattila, 2009;Rong et al, 2009). While it seems clear that a restaurant's website design has a direct impact on its customers' expectations and satisfaction (Wang, Cheng, & Huang, 2004), few studies have analyzed restaurants' use of the Web as a marketing tool (Gregory, Wang, & DiPietro, 2010;Murphy, Forrest, & Wotring, 1996). Hwang, Yoon, and Park, (2011) note that there have been very few studies analyzing the Internet marketing applied to the restaurant sector and far between despite the potential importance of their findings.…”

Services Innovation Using Web Technology: A Case of Consumer Adoption of Family Restaurant Web Sites

“…This leads their public relations efforts and accomplishes the marketing [29]. Such efforts through the restaurants' Web sites encourage customers to visit the Web sites and ultimately strengthen the competitive power of family restaurants [19][26] [47]. This study will analyze various relationships among family restaurant Web site strategies, such as the customers' intention to use, actual use, satisfaction, and their recommendations to others to use these Web sites.…”

“…Many companies that operate family restaurants but have not focused on using the Internet to enhance customer service in the past are now creating efforts to make their various services available to customers online [26] [29]. The presentation of online services strengthens the strategy of family restaurants by allowing them to provide a variety of information through their Web sites and offer various kinds of gifts, special events, discount coupons, or other items that will promote the customers' interest in visiting family restaurants [19]. The use of family restaurants' Web sites as a marketing strategy will ultimately be shown to improve both customer satisfaction and create better results for management goals.…”

A Comparative Analysis of Restaurant Websites and Hospitality School Restaurant Websites

“…In this new world of the Internet, a website provides a restaurant with a new and more direct means of communicating with its customer base (Murphy, Forrest & Wotring, 1996).…”

“…In their study Murphy, et al (1996) evaluated 37 websites and concluded that with proper implementation, websites could be a powerful tool to communicate with customers in a more personal fashion versus a commercial on television. However, in order to communicate with the customer, the restaurant must first get them to the site and then keep them there (Hutchcraft, 2000).…”