Casual Dining Restaurant Research Articles

Assessing the Customer Perception of Quick Response (QR) Code Application and their Purchase Intention in Penang's Casual Dining Restaurants, Malaysia

In the era of globalization, some individuals no longer need the physical presence of a human to place an order due to extensive technological advancements that have triggered the use of contactless systems such as QR codes. QR codes represent modern technology that is easy to use by simply scanning the QR code at the guest table providing an easier way to access the restaurant menu. Hence, this study aims to assess the customer’s perception of the usefulness of QR code usage at casual dining restaurants and how the ease of use of QR code applications at casual dining restaurants affects their purchase intention. These factors play a crucial role in any technology-driven initiative's long-term adoption and success. Online questionnaires collected data from 299 valid respondents who have experience scanning QR code at particular casual dining restaurants. The findings indicate that the use of QR codes may have significantly influenced customers' purchase decisions, especially among the younger generation. One key reason cited is the ease of reviewing the menu through the QR code system. Therefore, it is recommended that the food service industry must be more accepting of this technology to gain significant advantages from its implementation. Overall, the study clarifies the potential positive aspects of using QR code ordering systems in restaurants and how they might meet the interests and demands of various client segments. Contactless technologies like QR codes are probably going to play a big part in the foodservice sector's continued evolution in terms of improving customer experiences and optimizing business processes.

Emotional intelligence and workplace incivility among casual dining restaurant employees in CALABARZON: Basis of a framework for turnover intention

Emotional intelligence and workplace incivility among casual dining restaurant employees in CALABARZON: Basis of a framework for turnover intention

Modeling the Relationship between Time-in-Market and Market Share for Casual-Dining Chains in the Kuwait Market

The context of casual-dining restaurants in emerging markets represents a unique sector in the foodservice industry and this study represents the first analysis of the impact of entry timing on firm performance for casual-dining foodservice firms in a developing market. A theoretical model of the hypothesized relationships was developed. Data were collected from three hundred and one users of forty-one separate casual-dining restaurant chains in the country of Kuwait. Regression and path analyses were used to test the model. Although market penetration is revealed to have a positive direct effect on market share, market entry timing is shown to exhibit a negative direct effect on market share. This means that later entrants with less time-in-market actually exhibit larger market share than earlier entrants; thus, providing contrary evidence to a first-mover effect. Therefore, early entry is not as important in this setting as may be expected since later entrants are likely to introduce new and innovative offerings capable of overcoming the presumed pioneering advantages of early entrants.

The impact of servicescape on consumer behavior from the perspective of territorial perception

This study aims to investigate the impact of physical and social factors in the servicescape on customer behavior through the mediation of customer territorial perception. Employing a quantitative analysis approach, the research conducted a questionnaire survey on 462 casual dining restaurant consumers in China, using a convenient sampling technique. Statistical tools are used to explore the influence mechanisms of territorial factors in the servicescape on customer behavior through territory perception. The study revealed that both physical and social factors in the servicescape significantly influence customers' territorial perception, subsequently impacting their behavior. By providing a new perspective on service marketing research, this study extends the existing research area and reflects the impact of customer-business and customer-customer interactions on business operations. It also reflects the hot research direction of customer experience in the servicescape. The practical significance of this research is highlighted for casual dining restaurant managers, emphasizing the necessity of comprehensive strategies, including overall planning of the service environment, functional layout design, and social interaction, to effectively manage the customer experience. Using territorial perception in the SOR (Stimulus-Organism-Response) model, this study gives useful information about territorial perception and could have a big effect on the service industry and market research by giving useful information for making the service environment better and customers happier.

Optimal location selection of a casual-dining restaurant using a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach

Optimal location selection of a casual-dining restaurant using a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach

Restaurant attributes and customer switching intention in casual dining restaurants: A mediation analysis

Restaurant attributes and customer switching intention in casual dining restaurants: A mediation analysis

Conceptual assessment on service quality, food safety and sanitation practices of Casual Dining Restaurants (CDR): A proposal of an enhanced customer-based brand equity framework

Conceptual assessment on service quality, food safety and sanitation practices of Casual Dining Restaurants (CDR): A proposal of an enhanced customer-based brand equity framework

To go or not to go: Role of Online Reviews towards Customer Dining Intention

The objective of this study is to investigate the role of online reviews towards customer dining intention in casual dining restaurants. Specifically, this study sought to answer the questions (1) how does online reviews affect customer casual dining intentions? (2) What are the attributes of online reviews that greatly influence customer dining intention? And (3) what is the extent of the effect of online reviews on customer casual dining intentions? The research was carried out in the city of Malolos, Bulacan, and respondents are Malolos residents who have dined at a casual dining restaurant at least once and who chose a restaurant based on online reviews. Descriptive Quantitative research was utilized in the study. An adapted questionnaire from the study of Thomas, et al. (2019) was used and random sampling method was employed to gather 100 respondents. Most respondents agreed that online reviews affect customers' casual dining intentions. A closer look at the study reveals that all proposed online review attributes greatly influence customer dining intention. This agreed with the previous study by Thomas et al. (2019), where the identified factors were derived. Product/ service rating, website reputation, and review quantity show the strongest positive effects.

Satisfaction on the Driving Seat: Exploring the Influence of Social Media Marketing Activities on Followers’ Purchase Intention in the Restaurant Industry Context

Recently, social media marketing has become an effective tool for restaurants to gain visibility, increase customer engagement, and boost sales. Through social media marketing activities (SMMAs) including customization (CUST), entertainment (ENTR), trendiness (TRND), and interaction (INTR), restaurants can connect with their customers in a dynamic way that may affect their satisfaction and purchasing behavioral intention. Hence, this study primarily aims to empirically explore the individual influence of SMMAs namely CUST, ENTR, TRND, and INTR on social media followers’ satisfaction and purchase intention in a sample of casual-dining restaurants in Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, drawing on the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) model, we also seek to investigate the influence of customer satisfaction as a mediating variable in the relationship between CUST-PI, ENTR-PI, TRND-PI, and INTR-PI. Furthermore, to examine the direct influence of CS on PI. In order to meet these objectives, an online survey was created to collect data from a convenience sample of restaurant social media followers. Data from 415 followers were analyzed using the PLS-SEM with a bootstrapping technique to confirm the research hypotheses. The findings of the study illustrated the significant positive effect of CUST, ENTR, and INTR on followers’ purchase intention, respectively. Trendy social media marketing activities did not significantly affect purchase intention. Additionally, CS partially mediated the relationships between CUST, ENTR, INTR, and PI but fully mediated the trendiness-purchase intention relationship. The results from this research can assist restaurant operators to leverage the benefits of social media more effectively by understanding how SMMAs influence customers’ purchase intentions and enhancing their understanding of how customer satisfaction can be used to capitalize on the benefits of social media.

The Persuasiveness of Menu Item Descriptions: The Influence of Language on Consumer Menu Choice in Kenyan Casual Dining Restaurants

This study investigated the influence of descriptive language on consumers' menu item choices in casual dining restaurants. The study was anchored on the stimulus-organization-response theory. The study focused on customers who patronize casual dining restaurants in Kenya and adopted a cross-sectional survey design. A cluster sampling method followed by simple random sampling methods was used to select respondents from the target population. Four hundred and fifteen participants (n = 415) were drawn using simple random sampling from five Kenyan universities. The data collection tool included a questionnaire with a response rate of 69.1%. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study results demonstrated that consumer item choice is influenced by various factors. The results showed that there was a weak association (r = 0.36, p < 0.05) between descriptive language and consumers' menu item choices. The F-value (F (1) = 48.308, p < 0.05) implies that the way menu items were described had a significant effect on which item a consumer chooses. R-square = 0.32, meaning the model is not a perfect predictor of the menu item choice. The study recommends that restaurant owners should focus on creating unique menu descriptions and using new technologies in restaurant menu development.

Perceptions Towards No Single-Use Plastic Policy: The Case of Casual Dining Restaurants

Environmental challenges are becoming a never-ending source of study. Many nations are currently focusing on environmentally friendly policies. In the Philippines, Republic Act No. 9003 established an ecological solid waste management program. In 2020, the municipality of Odiongan, Romblon enforced the "no single-use plastics" ordinance in all businesses, including restaurants. The goal of this research was to discover local green rules that apply to casual dining restaurant businesses. It also sought to establish how participants felt about the local government's green programs and identified the numerous green efforts and practices of selected restaurants as well as the impact of green policies on their operations as viewed by the owners/managers. The descriptive-qualitative approach using interview as a data collection method was used. Results show that the town of Odiongan is facing several challenges in properly implementing its green initiatives such as the availability and durability of low-cost alternative packaging materials. The policy on "no single-use plastics" needs to be understood more by casual dining restaurant owners and the general public.

Do memorable restaurant experiences affect eWOM? The moderating effect of consumers' behavioural engagement on social networking sites

PurposeMany restaurants offer high-quality service to their customers, hoping to provide memorable experiences that influence their loyalty and electronic word of mouth (eWOM). However, consumers' memorable experiences do not always imply positive eWOM. This study aims to (1) verify the direct impacts of the perceived quality by consumers of casual dining restaurants on positive emotions, negative emotions and memorable experiences; (2) investigate the impacts of memorable experiences on the propensity to loyalty and eWOM; (3) test the moderating effect of consumer behavioural engagement on social networking sites (CBE-SNS) on the relationship between memorable experiences and eWOM.Design/methodology/approachThis survey included 475 university students in Brazil. Participants answered an electronic form about their experiences in casual dining restaurants. Structural equation modelling tested the hypothetical model based on the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) theory (Mehrabian and Russell, 1974).FindingsThe quality perceived by restaurant consumers (stimulus) positively impacts their memorable experiences and positive emotions and negatively affects their negative emotions (organism). Memorable experiences positively impact the propensity to loyalty (response). The CBE-SNS moderates the intensity of the relationship between memorable experiences (organism) and eWOM (response).Originality/valueThis study is the first that demonstrates the relationships between perceived quality, positive and negative emotions, memorable experiences, the propensity to loyalty and CBE-SNS and e-WOM in restaurants. Casual dining restaurants must offer their customers services with high perceived quality, positively impacting their emotions and their memorable experiences. Finally, restaurants must create strategies and actions to increase the CBE-SNS to encourage them to share their memorable experiences through eWOM.

Factors affecting purchase decision by applying green marketing campaign

This study aims to determine the effect of green brand image, green price, and brand prestige on purchasing decisions for AQUA Returnable Glass Bottle products. This is a quantitative study with the population of casual dining restaurant customers in Badung Regency. They have decided to purchase and consume AQUA Returnable Glass Bottle products. The data were collected by distributing questionnaires and Likert scale. The sample was taken by using a purposive sampling. The data were analyzed using multiple linear regression analysis. The result showed that partially green brand image, green price, and brand prestige have a positive and significant effect on purchasing decisions. Simultaneously, green brand image, green price, and brand prestige have a significant effect on purchasing decisions. The research implication for AQUA is that it is recommended to be able to maintain the image it already has while still applying green marketing as a tool to support product-purchasing decisions. For further research, the researchers should add other variables and indicators such as green products, green advertising, lifestyle, and social influence.

Service recovery efforts' influence on consumers' desire to reciprocate and forgiveness: the mediating role of perceived justice

PurposeThis paper investigated the impact of firms' service recovery efforts on consumers' desire to reciprocate and forgiveness in the hospitality industry of Pakistan. Additionally, this study examined the mediating role of perceived justice between service recovery efforts and their outcomes.Design/methodology/approachUsing snowball sampling technique, an online survey was administered and 259 responses were collected from casual-dining restaurant customers. A partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) were used to examine the hypotheses.FindingsThe results indicate that perceived justice significantly mediates the effect of service recovery efforts on the consumers' desire to reciprocate and forgiveness. Moreover, high (vs. low) service recovery efforts lead to high consumer forgiveness.Practical implicationsThe study provides insights for managers into how optimal recovery efforts predict consumers' positive responses and minimize the effect of service failure in South Asian consumers.Originality/valueThis research is among the early endeavors to examine consumers' desire to reciprocate in service recovery context. Also, this is the first study to validate the impact of service recovery efforts on consumers' desire to reciprocate and consumer forgiveness in a South Asian country.

Post COVID-19 recovery for independent full-service restaurants using the salience theory: what will it take to get customers to return?

Purpose This study aims to compare customers’ perceived importance of various post-COVID-19 recovery strategies (i.e. sanitary practices, discounts, menu modification and marketing strategies) adopted by independent full-service restaurants (casual dining versus upscale/fine dining) using the salience theory. It also assesses the associations between customers’ perceptions and their restaurant spending patterns. Design/methodology/approach An online survey was administered to assess 657 US adult participants’ restaurant spending behaviors at different stages of the COVID-19 pandemic using recall questions. Higher-spending versus lower-spending participants’ perceived importance of restaurant recovery strategies were compared in the casual dining versus upscale/fine dining contexts. Findings Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, sanitary practices were the most important factor in participants’ restaurant choices, and it was more important for independent casual dining restaurants than for upscale/fine dining restaurants. No significant difference was found in participants’ perceived importance of sanitary practices across different geographic regions. Higher-spending diners (HSD) perceived almost every restaurant recovery strategy as important. Lower-spending diners (LSD) only considered sanitary practices as important. Practical implications This study identified important strategies that restaurant operators and public health officials can adopt to help full-service restaurants recover from pandemic losses. Originality/value This study differs from previous consumer choice studies; in that it compared HSD with LSD regarding their perceived importance of various restaurant recovery strategies. This study also provides new insights for understanding the salience theory of choice under the impact of COVID-19.

Challenges and Management of Restaurant Waste in Shah Alam

As the food industry continues to flourish, so will its waste. Research has indicated that decision makers in the food industry do not perceive food waste as a problem nor intend to tackle it. Thus, the aim of this research is to determine perceptions on food waste, to study intentions on food waste mitigation and food surplus management practices as well as to study about food waste management practices among casual dining restaurant managers in Shah Alam. Using convenience sampling and a self-administered online questionnaire, 113 (N) casual dining restaurant managers were given the survey. Using descriptive statistics, the results revealed that the mean score for perceptions ranges from 4.13 - 4.72 (high - very high agreement level), indicating that food waste is perceived as an issue. Mean scores ranging from 4.01 - 4.6 (high - very high agreement level) and 3.95 - 4.26 (high - very high agreement level) were obtained for intentions on food waste mitigation and food surplus management practices respectively, indicating that there are intentions for both aspects. The findings also revealed that food waste management practices are being done by the majority as the mean score obtained ranges from 3.84 - 4.69 (high - very high agreement level). The findings highlighted that food waste is perceived as an issue and that there are intentions to tackle it. This was reflected in the practices which are being done to manage food waste and surplus. Nevertheless, it is recommended that the effectivity of food waste management practices be measured to determine the extent to which it actually aids in mitigating waste, since food waste is still a major issue in the restaurant industry.

Impact of Extended Marketing Mix of Casual Dining Restaurants on Customer Experience and Customer Satisfaction

Hospitality industry is one of the most customer centric industries as it involves direct interaction of the company with the customers. Traditionally, the term ‘restaurant’ was used to refer to the places that provided tables where one can sit down to eat the meal, typically served by a waiter. Over the past few years there has been an incredible rise of fast-food and takeaway restaurants. Therefore, a retronym for the older standard restaurant was created, ‘sit-down restaurant.’ Generally, ‘sit-down restaurant’ refers to a casual dining restaurant, which provide table service, rather than a fast food restaurant where one orders food at a counter. Restaurants could be classified as high-contact services as the service is produced in the presence of the customer [1] as well as the interactions between customers and the other parts of the restaurant offering are important. Going to a restaurant is not about having good food at reasonable prices, it has now become an experience. Customer service experiences are defined as the lasting personal impressions that customers receive upon first encountering a product, service, and/or company, which they hopefully take with them and communicate to others [2]. People go out to eat with their family, friends, and colleagues to have a nice experience which includes fairly priced good food, nice ambience, music, lighting, etc. They now seek a ‘dining experience.’

Characterization and Storage Stability Study of Guava and Mango Wood Smoked Induced Spiced Cultured Milk (Raita)

A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of the smoking of raita with guava and mango wood on its functional properties and storage stability. The raita was smoked with guava and mango wood for 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 min in a closed chamber. The smoked raita was evaluated for change in titratable acidity (TA), pH, total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity (DPPH), colour (L*, a*, and b*), and sensory attributes. Both guava and mango wood smoked samples didn’t show significant changes (P<0.05) in TA, pH, TPC, and antioxidant activity. All colour values (L*, a* and b*) of smoked samples were significantly (P<0.05) higher than the control sample, particularly, the yellowish attribute (b*) was very high in smoked samples. The sample that smoked for 7.5 min had very high overall acceptability scores in both kinds of wood and which is considered as an optimum smoking time for raita. The selected raita samples were stored for 9 days at 4°C and assessed for TA, pH, and standard plate count (SPC) at 3 days of interval. During the storage period, a significant reduction (P<0.05) in pH and a significant increase (P<0.05) in TA was seen till the 6th day of storage. The smoked samples had considerably lower SPC than the control sample and SPC was decreased significantly (P<0.05) with an increase in storage days in all the samples. The preparation is simple and can be served in Pubs/Bars, Casual Dining Restaurants & QSRs (Quick served restaurants).

The impact of social class and service type on preference for AI service robots

PurposeThe research aims to explore the interaction effect of consumer social class and service type on consumers' preference for robot services, as well as the mediating role of risk aversion in this interaction effect.Design/methodology/approachExperiment 1 is a field experiment with service type being the independent variable. The participants were divided into two groups based on the services they received (diagnostic dental services vs. hotel room services). 93 consumers participated voluntarily in the blind experiment and were asked if they would choose to allow a robot to perform the focal services. Experiment 2 employs a 2 × 2 factorial design: personal fitness trainer services at the gym vs wait staff services in a casual dining restaurant × higher- vs lower-social class, with 196 participants.FindingsResults from the two experiments show that participants in the higher-social classes were more willing than participants in the lower-social classes to choose robot services in credence-based service settings. More significantly, risk aversion mediated the interaction effect of social class and service type on participants' preference for robot services.Originality/valueBased on the credence-experience typology, this research is the first to discuss the weight of social class in consumer decision-making regarding preference for different types of robot services. Furthermore, by extending risk aversion to the robot services field, the current research sheds new light on this underlying mechanism that can inform future studies.

Investigating the Moderating Effects of Age and Gender on Customers’ Use of Tablet Menu in Casual Dining Restaurants

ABSTRACT This paper examines the effects of the moderating variables age and gender on the acceptance and use of tablet menus in casual dining restaurants. Following an extended version of the UTAUT model, this study employs five determinants of intentions to use: performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, and hedonic motivation. Personal distinctions like age and gender are significant in understanding how and why consumers make distinctive choices for technology embracement. A survey instrument collected customer data (n = 437) visiting casual dining restaurants in the Klang Valley in Malaysia. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling to test the validity of the moderating hypotheses. The moderating effects of age and gender were tested utilizing a multi-group analysis. The findings confirm that age is the primary dependable demographic indicator of self-service technology utilization by customers. The study found that young consumers, compared to elderly consumers, tend to have a more positive approach toward embracing technology. Similarly, gender is also a discrete individuality that influences people’s objectives to embrace novel technology. Findings suggest that men are more likely to have progressed computer abilities in contrast to women.