PurposeThis study investigates restaurant patrons' comfort level with the sudden shift in the dining-in climate within the state of Massachusetts during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachAn exploratory study utilized learning algorithms via gradient boosting techniques on surveyed restaurant patrons to identify which restaurant operational attributes and patron demographics predict in-dining comfort levels.FindingsPast consumers' eating habits determine how much their behavior will change during a pandemic. However, their dining-in frequency is not a predictor of their post-pandemic dining-in outlook. The individuals who were more comfortable dining in prior to the pandemic dined in more often during the COVID pandemic. However, they had a poorer outlook on when dining in would return to normal. Although there are no clear indicators of when and how customers will embrace the new norm (a combination of pre-, peri-, and post-pandemic), the results show that some innovative approaches, such as limiting service offerings, are not well accepted by customers.Practical implicationsThe study offers several managerial implications for foodservice providers (i.e. restaurants, delivery services, pick-up) and investors. In particular, the study provides insights into the cognitive factors that determine diners' behavioral change in response to a pandemic and their comfort level. Operators must pay attention to these factors and consider different offering strategies when preparing to operate their business amid a pandemic.Originality/valueThis is a study of a specific location and period. It was conducted in Massachusetts before a vaccine was available. The restaurant industry was beset with uncertainty. It fills a gap in the current literature focused on the COVID-19 pandemic in customers' transition from pre-COVID-19 dining-in behaviors to customers' refreshed COVID-19 outlook and industry compliance with newly established hygiene and safety standards.
CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ………………………………………….. RevPar) be explained by the independent variables (i.e. cleanliness, location, room, service, staff, value and overall)? Research Contribution While there have been a variety of studies on the use of TripAdvisor and the concept behind it, this would be a first-of-its-kind study, wherein data from TripAdvisor would be compared to the data from Smith Travel Research (STR) in a year-over-year change in popularity rankings and revenue generation. Specifically, this study will be examined in one hotel market, one of the top 25 major markets as identified by STR; hence, this study could be replicated for the other markets, in order to examine the same growth potential in popularity and revenue. Based on future market studies, the identification and establishment of additional theories can then be applied. Definition of Terms Consumer-Generated Media (CGM): non-commercial, detailed, experiential, and up-to-date information, with others outside of the immediate social circle (K. H. Yoo & Gretzel, 2011). Consumer Opinion Portal (COP): a portal through which an online review is published and available for other potential travelers to read and use to make informed decisions (Banyai, 2012; Burton & Khammash, 2010). Electronic Word-of-Mouth (eWOM): any positive or negative statement made by potential, actual, or former customers about a product or company, which is made available to a multitude of people and institutions via the Internet (Hennig-Thurau et al., 2004). This category also incorporates a large volume, as 31% of the hotels are rated into this category. The final category, "Budget-oriented," is a hotel that offers "basic comfort and hospitality" (American Automobile Association, n.d.). This is the second smallest category, with only 3% of the hotels ranked here. For the purposes of this study, hotels in the Boston market between the two-to five-diamond levels will be analyzed. The Boston market hosts an extensive variety of luxury-related service properties. According to a recent article, the Boston market is considered to have a high concentration of four and five diamond properties (Stenning, 2016). The sheer volume of properties designates Boston as one of the top five members of the lodging industry. Accordingly, it has been suggested by Bagnera (2016) that "Diamonds really speak to the amount and the quality of services and amenities that are available to the guests" (Stenning, 2016). Management Johnston (1994) examined the literature for an explanation of operations management, as it focuses on the task of managing the process or system for the production of goods and services from labor, plan and machinery, materials, and information. It is a body of knowledge, experience, and techniques covering topics like process design, layout, production planning, inventory control, quality management and control, capacity planning, and workforce management (Johnston, 1994). Kay and Moncarz (2004) examine the various knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) of hotel ma...
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