Hotel gastronomy as viewed by customers

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss the significance of hotel restaurants from the customer perspective, assess customer expectations, and provide guidelines for growth in the hotel restaurant industry. Design/methodology/approach – A total of 301 hotel guests staying at 26 hotels located in Malopolskie Voivodeship were surveyed. The research study also evaluated customer opinions of hotel restaurants and specific customer suggestions in the area of service quality. The survey participants were asked to rate the hotel in which they had actually stayed and its accompanying restaurant. Findings – Research has shown that 96 percent of hotel guests took advantage of hotel restaurant services while staying at their hotel. Breakfast was the most common service rendered by each studied hotel restaurant (90 percent). In addition, 44 percent of survey participants said that their choice of hotel is in part driven by the quality of restaurant services. The two key factors for hotel restaurant patrons are food quality and courteous service. Research limitations/implications – These type of data are very valuable to the hotel industry, as the number of hotel restaurant studies is limited. Practical implications – An understanding of customer expectations with respect to hotel restaurants, which are today perceived as integral parts of the total hotel experience, is useful in terms of developing the total offering for each given hotel in order to build competitive advantage. Social implications – Such research also has implications for hospitality and tourism in that it relates to the understanding of host-guest relationships. Originality/value – A review of the research literature suggests that hotel restaurants are not studied very often and shows the lack of research papers in this area.