Influence of Physical Environment on Customer Satisfaction and Return Intention in Kenyan Rated Restaurants

Margaret N Githiri

doi:10.20849/ajsss.v2i1.82

Abstract

The study was conducted to examine the influence of physical environment on customers’ satisfaction and return intention. The study involved 345 customers in both Nairobi and Coastal region of Kenya. The sampling technique was simple random. DINESCAPE items were used in measuring physical environment. The instrument for data collection was self administered structural close ended questionnaire. Statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 18 was used to analyze the data. Pearson correlation coefficient test indicated a strong positive relationship between physical environment and return intention (r =0.605) at 0.01 confidence level. A mode of 2 indicated that majority of the respondents were dissatisfied with external appearance of restaurant’s environment and the musical background. Results on linear regression analysis revealed a statistical significance between physical environment and customers return intention (p = 0.000).This implied that physical environment highly influenced customers’ return intention in rated restaurants. To satisfy and encourage most customers to revisit the restaurants, the study suggested that the restaurant managers should device ways of improving the external appearance of the restaurants. They should also offer musical background that is suitable to their type of customers.

Highlights

1.1 BackgroundPhysical environment of restaurants plays a very vital role in customer satisfaction and return intention leading to increase in financial performance in restaurants (Magim and Parker, 2009)
The results suggest that higher level of physical environment quality were associated with higher level of return intention
Pearson correlation coefficient and regression analysis showed that there was a positive correlation between physical environment and customers’ return intention

Summary

Introduction

1.1 BackgroundPhysical environment of restaurants plays a very vital role in customer satisfaction and return intention leading to increase in financial performance in restaurants (Magim and Parker, 2009). Several studies have demonstrated that physical environment plays a role in creating customers; pre- consumption mood before the actual service is delivered. This suggests that physical environment can positively or negatively influence customer’s mood (Namasivayam and Mattilla, 2007) which influences quality expectations and impression formation regarding specific consumption experience (Tuzikan and Albayrac, 2016). A customer visiting a rated restaurant will have pre-conceived expectations regarding physical environment of a rated restaurant. In Kenya these complaints through trip advisor (Mombasa restaurant review, 2016; Nairobi review, 2016) have affected the rate of customer turnover in rated restaurants. The purpose of this study is is to investigate the influence of physical environment on customers visiting rated restaurant

Objectives

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Results

Conclusion