Perceptions of fine dining restaurants in Pakistan

Influences of atmospherics on customer satisfaction and behavioural intentions in the restaurant industry: Evidence from an emerging economy

The emergence of the food service industry is among the most promising sectors that open many great opportunities for its development. Restaurants are also a part of the world's economy. This is reflected in the increasing demand for high-quality, upscale dining experiences. The restaurant industry is well-positioned for future growth. However, few researchers have explored the impact of restaurant attributes on overall customer satisfaction and behavioural intentions in the context of fine dining restaurants. This study investigates how restaurant attributes influence overall satisfaction and behavioural intentions in an emerging economy such as India. To explore this relationship, we adopted the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) theory proposed by Mehrabian and Russell (1974) [1]. The results show that restaurant attributes can lead to higher customer satisfaction rates, benefiting the industry. Restaurant attributes also play an essential role in creating a positive customer dining experience. Restaurant attributes help provide thoughtful customer service, such as assisting with menu items, remembering customers' names, or providing helpful suggestions, which can also show customers that they are valued.

Understanding fine dining restaurant dynamics in south Asia: A systematic review

Background

Globalization, urbanization, and economic development has had an influence on the dining out behaviour in general and fine dining in particular. The objective of this systematic review is identifying the factors affecting fine dining selection and to understand the fine dining restaurant dynamics.

Methods

In the context of fine dining, both quantitative and qualitative studies conducted in South Asian countries-Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka-were included in this review. The review was conducted following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and summarised using narrative synthesis. The search was conducted on Scopus, Web of Science, MEDLINE (PubMed) and Google Scholar. The two-stage screening was independently done by two authors in two stages (titles/abstracts, and full texts) for inclusion, with discrepancies resolved by involvement of a third reviewer. Data was extracted using a piloted form and the results are presented as a narrative summary and in tabular format.

Results

Fourteen studies met the eligibility criteria after de-duplication and screening and were included in the review. These studies were conducted in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan and were mostly quantitative in nature. The outcomes assessed in the studies were factors affecting decision to choose fine dine restaurant, customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, willingness to pay, and food wastage.

Conclusion

There is limited literature on types of evidence available related to fine dining in South Asia. The substantial gap extends to the methodological aspect and the outcomes assessed in the fine dining restaurant segment.

Destination quality, fantasy experience and revisit intention: a study on domestic honeymoon tourism

Purpose

This study examines how domestic honeymoon destination quality contributes to achieving honeymooners' fantasy experience and how fantasy experience impacts honeymooners' revisit intention.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the convenience sampling technique, 202 self-administrated survey questionnaires were collected (184 considered useable) from domestic honeymooners who had experienced honeymoon trip. The analysis was performed by employing partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) using SmartPLS 4.0.

Findings

The findings indicate that honeymoon destination image strongly and significantly influenced honeymooners' fantasy experience, followed by honeymooners' privileges, service providers, social aspects and accommodation. At the same time, the dining experience and honeymoon expenses had no significant impact on the honeymooners' fantasy experience. Notably, honeymooners' fantasy experience also had a strong and significant effect on their revisit intention to honeymoon destination in the future.

Originality/value

This study has an important theoretical contribution, being the first to explore the post-consumption behavior, that is, fantasy experience and revisit intention of domestic honeymooners in tourism literature. The study also has important implications for tourism industry stakeholders, that is, government, tourism department and officials, honeymoon tour planners and hotel managers, to make honeymoon destinations more attractive and fascinating, especially among newlywed couples and the young generation of tourists.

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

Purpose

Many 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/approach

This 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).

Findings

The 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/value

This 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.

Attributes of service quality: A report from Belgrade restaurants

The aim of this paper is analysis of the importance of service quality attributes in the Belgrade restaurants. The data were collected on a sample of 484 respondents, users of restaurant services in Belgrade and analyzed using the statistical package STATISTIKA 5.0. Three dimensions (Staff, Food, Restaurant facility) were formed based on factor analysis. It was found that the respondents" attitudes differ depending on their gender and level of education. The findings can contribute to improving the service quality of the Belgrade restaurants through improvement of the restaurant performances in accordance with the expectations of customers. The most important improvement is to provide food of excellent taste and quality which is better than in other restaurants.

Antecedents involved in developing fast-food restaurant customer loyalty

Purpose

This study aims to simultaneously examine the interrelated influence of antecedents involved in developing fast-food restaurant customer loyalty. A conceptual model which incorporates service quality attributes, price fairness, customer satisfaction, brand image and trust and the resultant effect on customer loyalty is proposed to better understand how fast-food restaurant customer loyalty can be optimized.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative research methodology adopting structural equation modelling was used to understand the interrelatedness and influence of antecedents involved in optimizing fast-food restaurant customer loyalty.

Findings

The findings indicate that service quality attributes (food quality and employee service quality) and price fairness significantly influence customer satisfaction and brand image, while physical environment quality has no significant influence. Additionally, customer satisfaction was found to influence brand trust and customer loyalty, while the brand image does not influence customer satisfaction but does influence brand trust and customer loyalty.

Practical implications

Understanding the interrelatedness and influence of antecedents involved in developing fast-food restaurant customer loyalty would enable academics and practitioners to formulate honed marketing and operational strategies to optimize customer loyalty and fast-food restaurant profitability.

Originality/value

This research addresses the paucity of research and marketing gaps regarding the interrelatedness and influence of antecedents involved in optimizing fast-food restaurant customer loyalty in Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

Authenticity, Quality, and Loyalty: Local Food and Sustainable Tourism Experience

The sustainability of rural development, both economic and environmental, has been increasingly linking to local food, which plays an indispensable role by preserving traditional culture, attracting tourists, and supporting the regional economy. However, the authenticity and quality of local food have not been fully convinced as competitive advantages by most practitioners. Little is known about how authenticity affects quality attributes, tourist satisfaction, and tourist loyalty. Thus, this study examines the role of authenticity in the quality–satisfaction–loyalty framework. The field research was performed in Shunde County, Guangdong Province, China. The results challenge the traditional view of quality attributes by highlighting that authenticity is a key antecedent to the quality–satisfaction–loyalty framework of food tourism. In contrast, the relationships among quality attributes, tourist satisfaction, and tourist loyalty are contingent on the extent to which food tourists perceive the authenticity of rural local food.