The Impact of Food Service Attributes on Customer Satisfaction in a Rural University Campus Environment

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine different food service attributes that have an impact on customers’ overall satisfaction at a rural university cafeteria. Over 5 weeks, 676 cafeteria users, including academics, staff, and students, were selected through convenience sampling. They completed an anonymous-designed survey with closed questions (n=29) assessing quality of food and beverages, quality of service and setting, and satisfaction with food service attributes. In order to measure the existence and degree of significant relationships between different research variables, Pearson correlation coefficients were employed to analyse the data. Means of scores and frequencies were calculated. Results indicated that customers’ satisfaction with different service attributes was above average. All service attributes had a significant and positive effect on the overall satisfaction. Since most customers (62.9%) would like to continue eating at the cafeteria, the most common improvements suggested to the university management included among others, improving diet quality by offering more nutritious food. Gaining insight into the different food service attributes can enable the university management to meet the needs and expectations of its academics, staff, and students in order to increase their confidence in the food provided.

Combined Effects of Drivers and Impact of Customer Satisfaction on Brand Loyalty: The Contingent Effect of Social Trust

“…Food quality is a distinct feature as far as experience of dining in a restaurant is concerned (T. J. Lee et al, 2012;Serhan & Carole, 2019). It pertains to those characteristics which significantly impact intentions of consumers' behavior as regards dining in a restaurant (Serhan & Carole, 2019).…”

“…Lee et al, 2012;Serhan & Carole, 2019). It pertains to those characteristics which significantly impact intentions of consumers' behavior as regards dining in a restaurant (Serhan & Carole, 2019). Presenting quality food is particularly vital when it comes to pleasing the target market.…”

Investigating the Relationships Between Manager’s Coffee Restaurant Dining Experiences and Customer Satisfaction

“…It will drive customer loyalty to revisit the café to have their meal when satisfied with its service. It is suggested that improving customer perception in the overall service quality and increasing the perceived value is important to enamour a customer's heart and gain loyalty (Ahmad, 2015;Mireille Serhan, 2019;Kohli et al, 2020). Therefore, the current study examines the relationships between Manager's Coffee dining experience attributes and customers' satisfaction in UUM.…”

“…In this competitive environment, university food service operators must respond to changing consumer demands, intensified competition from fast-food segments on and off-campus, and economic developments in volatile markets (Kohli et al, 2020). Mireille Serhan (2019) mentioned that campus is a competitive atmosphere in which customer satisfaction may be a significant component of the overall eating experience on campus. Customer satisfaction is critical for various reasons.…”

Variables Related to Student Satisfaction With Menu and Service Offered in a College Cafeteria

“…Given the importance that this equipment has for the academic community, the menu elaborated and the service provided should be evaluated in order to institute corrective and preventive actions. Investigations in this area have underscored that the evaluation of college food services are increasingly important and that this service should take into account the students' ideas and perceptions (Almohaimmeed, 2017;Serhan;Serhan, 2019). In this connection, students' satisfaction surveys are important tools for listening and set connections with the consumer, diagnosing the organizations weaknesses and potentialities.…”