Determinants of fast-food restaurant service quality in the United Arab Emirates

Abstract

This research posits and empirically tests the relative importance of five key determinants of service quality in fast-food restaurants (FFRs, also known as quick-service restaurants) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Using a survey methodology, data were collected from 491customers to test the proposed model and associated hypotheses. The structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis results showed that assurance, responsiveness, tangibility, and empathy are significant predictors of perceived service quality of FFRs. However, reliability was not a significant predictor. This study is important because it is the first study that examines the determinants of service quality of FFRs in the UAE. The findings provide valuable insights for restaurant managers in the UAE to make informed decisions regarding the improvement of service quality of FFRs in the UAE. This study also contributes to the literature of FFR service quality by validating the SERVPERF instrument in a unique non-western country context.