Abstract
Two approaches to measuring the quality of restaurant services are compared, both of which employ the expectancy-discon-firmation paradigm. A SERVQUAL style of questionnaire provided quality measures, which were used to differentiate foodservice establishments, but the data showed several statistical weaknesses, and respondents had trouble contextualizing the questions. Profile Accumulation Technique (PAT) was similarly able to distinguish between different restaurants, and the data had greater internal validity. However this methodology is based upon different assumptions from those underlying SERVQUAL, and there are also implications of cost and expertise. The paper concludes that instruments derived from SERVQUAL cannot claim to apply the theoretical basis of the expectancy- disconfirmation paradigm, whereas PAT is capable of assessing quality according to the paradigm. However, at present it cannot always be assumed that restaurant customers use the expectancy disconfirmation mechanism for evaluating all meal experiences. The advantages and disadvantages of both methods are discussed and implications for further research are identified.
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