Service Delivery Digitalization as a Tool for COVID- 19 Recovery in Fast-Food Restaurants in Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract

Purpose: The goal of this study was to assess the influence of the adoption of service delivery digitalization tools on Covid-19 recovery in fast-food restaurants in Nairobi.
 Methodology: To collect and analyze data for this study, correlational research design was used. A total number of 89 questionnaires were administered to fast-food senior managers in Nairobi. The collected data was analyzed in SPSS using descriptive statistics and regression analysis.
 Findings: In an aim to identify the service delivery digital tools adopted to enhance COVID-19 recovery in fast-food restaurants, the results indicated that contactless payment systems, online delivery apps, digital menus, KDS and POS were the highest adopted tool with a mean of 1.00. Service robots and touch less elevators were not adopted in the fast-food restaurants in this study with a mean of .00. The other tools adopted were self-service kiosks with .84, ORS with .71 and drive thru systems with .71. On determining the level of COVID-19 recovery in fast food restaurants in Nairobi, the results indicated that the rate of restaurant sales increasing had a mean of 3.09. This means that it was to a large extent, increase in the restaurant operations had a mean of 3.21, while increase in the number of customers had 3.02. Increase in customer satisfaction had 3.08 and increase in customer loyalty had 3.21 which also meant that the level of all measures of COVID-19 recovery were to a moderate extent. On determining the influence of service delivery digitalization on COVID-19 recovery level, the tools significantly and positively influenced level of COVID-19 recovery (β = .430, t = 4.446, p<.05). The study also found that online delivery apps, digital menus and contactless payment systems also significantly and positively influenced the level of COVID-19 recovery in fast food restaurants in Nairobi (β = .600, t = 6.999, p<.05; β = .614, t = 7.254, p<.05 & β = .580, t = 6.649, p<.05 respectively).
 Contribution to theory and practice: The newly acquired insights in this study will contribute to the academic literature on the adoption of service delivery digitalization tools and their impact on COVID-19 recovery in fast food restaurants. In addition, the results from the study could be helpful to the management of fast food restaurant in improving customer satisfaction, loyalty and sales after a pandemic. Since the results present a way fast food restaurants have adopted to recover from the effects of COVID-19 pandemic.