The effect of meal pace on customer satisfaction.(analysis of restaurant management)

2. Opportunities for reducing duration during the preprocess stage. Certain aspects of the preprocess stage can be quite brisk, despite the risk of diminishing satisfaction by rushing diners at this point. From our respondents' descriptions of their dining experiences, we see that a prompt greeting and prompt delivery of drinks actually improve guests' satisfaction, suggesting two key activities to target for duration reduction. Ensuring prompt service at this point is often a matter of the host assigning customers to servers in such a way that servers are available to give timely and appropriate attention to arriving customers. The host and servers must also be communicating to ensure that newly seated parties are not left alone for an extended time. Once the initial drinks are down, however, servers must be prepared to relax the pace, particularly when a first-time customer is examining the menu. Training programs for servers should encompass guidelines for identifying and addressing the needs of first-time customers as opposed to repeat customers. Simply stopping at the table to ask whether the party has questions about the menu can help the server provide appropriate pacing at this point.

3. Do not rush the meal itself. Any actions to reduce the duration of the in-process stage of the dining experience should be approached with caution. We found that customers are the most sensitive to pacing once the appetizers and entrees are served. Additionally, given that satisfaction with the in-process stage has the greatest impact on overall satisfaction, actions to reduce duration during this stage are most likely to drive customers away. We say this in view of the findings that customer satisfaction has been shown to be positively associated with customer retention (Anderson and Sullivan 1993; Bolton 1998), repurchase intent (LaBarbera and Mazursky 1983; Bolton and Drew 1991; Mittal, Pankaj, and Tsiros 1999), word-of-mouth behavior (Anderson 1998; Wirtz and Chew 2002), and usage levels (Bolton and Lemon 1999).

4. Greater opportunity to reduce duration exists in casual and upscale casual restaurants. Operators of casual and upscale casual restaurants can reduce duration particularly during the preprocess stage, but that stage should not be rushed in fine-dining restaurants. Our results indicated that a fast pace had less effect on overall satisfaction in casual and upscale casual restaurants than was found in fine-dining restaurants. This was also true for satisfaction with the preprocess stage itself.

5. Evaluate the trade-offs. Few strategies are without their trade-offs. While reducing duration can allow restaurants to serve more customers during peak demand periods, the benefit of the additional revenues and contribution generated could be outweighed by the negative outcome of reduced customer satisfaction. What this means is that restaurateurs must seek to reduce duration at the appropriate point in the meal and in appropriate ways.

Conclusions and Further Research

At its simplest level, reducing dining duration during peak demand periods will enable restaurant operators to generate additional revenue. Our study has shown, however, that this is not a simple matter, because of the possible damage to customer satisfaction of reducing duration. At the same time, though, we have identified certain dining stages and restaurant types where duration reduction should have a minimal effect on customer satisfaction.

Certain limitations to this study should be addressed in future studies. First, our study's findings are based on a convenience sample, and data were collected retrospectively. Our respondents' recollections were up to three weeks old, rather than taken directly following their meal. Future research using other sampling techniques and methods is needed to determine the robustness of the results. Second, the study did not capture all of the causes and consequences of customer satisfaction with dining experiences, nor was it intended to do so. Some of the factors for which we did not control may influence the relationship between perceived pace and customer satisfaction, for example, the volume of customers, volume and pace of the music, and the comfort of the physical facilities. Finally, different approaches that restaurant operators can use to reduce duration, including, for example, the use of cues, improving the consistency of service delivery, and reducing the time between customers (for a discussion of these approaches, see Kimes and Chase 1998), should be assessed to establish their potential impact on customer satisfaction.

Appendix

Sample of Questionnaire

Service Experience Survey

The purpose of this survey is to gain a better understanding of customer evaluations of service experiences. The survey is composed of two parts:

NOTE: Your participation in this survey is purely voluntary and you may stop answering the questions at any time and for whatever reason.

Part One

In this study we are interested only in customer experiences in sit-down restaurants. This includes a number of different types of restaurants: casual restaurants (average check: $12 to $20, e.g., Applebee's, Chili's, T.G.I. Friday), upscale casual restaurants (average check: $20 to $30, e.g., PF Chang, Houstons), and fine-dining restaurants (average check: above $30, e.g., Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, Le Cirque).

Please take a moment to review the following definition of a meal experience that we are using in this study:

Now we would like you to take a couple of minutes to recall a recent occasion when you were out for lunch or dinner in a restaurant where there was an instance, or instances, during the meal when you felt that the pace of the meal was fast. Note: Depending on the circumstances, fast could either be a GOOD or a BAD thing.

Now please continue to the questions below.

Please answer the following questions in relation to your meal experience on this occasion:

1. What type of meal did you have on this specific occasion? Lunch-- Dinner--

2. Approximately how long ago did this meal experience occur?--

3. What type of restaurant were you in? Casual--Upscale casual--Fine dining-- Name of restaurant (optional):--

4. Had you eaten in this specific restaurant before? Never--1-5 Times-- 6-10 Times-- >10 Times--

5. Why did you go to a restaurant on this occasion? Please select one only. Social (out for a meal with family/friends, special occasion, celebration)-- Business-- Convenience--

6. How many people dined in your party (including you)? Adults-- Children--

Part Two

In this part of the survey we would like you to continue to focus on the meal experience that you have recalled in Part One of the survey and answer a number of sets of questions in relation to that specific experience. There are four sections in this part of the survey. Please complete all sections.

Section One

In this section, we would like you to think specifically about the FIRST STAGE of the meal that you have recalled. For the purpose of this study, the following definition of the FIRST STAGE of a meal is being used:

1. To what extent do you agree with the following statement?

How would you describe the pace of the FIRST STAGE of your meal? Extremely Fast: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 :Extremely Slow

2. How would you describe the length of the FIRST STAGE of your meal?

Extremely Short: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 :Extremely Long

3. Overall, how would you rate the FIRST STAGE of your meal?

Section Two

In this section, we would like you to think specifically about the SECOND STAGE of the meal that you have recalled. For the purpose of this study, the following definition of the SECOND STAGE of a meal is being used:

1. To what extent do you agree with the following statement?

How would you describe the pace of the SECOND STAGE of your meal?

Extremely Fast: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 :Extremely Slow

2. How would you describe the length of the SECOND STAGE of your meal?

Extremely Short: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 :Extremely Long

Section Three

In this section, we would like you to think specifically about the THIRD STAGE of the meal that you have recalled. For the purpose of this study, the following definition of the THIRD STAGE of a meal is being used:

Section Four

In this section, we would like you to think about the meal that you have recalled IN ITS ENTIRETY and answer the following questions.

2. How would you describe the OVERALL pace of your meal?

Extremely Fast: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 :Extremely Slow

3. How would you describe the OVERALL length of your meal? Extremely Short: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 :Extremely Long

References

Anderson, E. W. 1998. Customer satisfaction and word-of-mouth. Journal of Service Research 1:1-14.

Anderson, E. W., and M. W. Sullivan. 1993. The antecedents and consequences of customer satisfaction for firms. Marketing Science 12 (2): 125-43.

Bhatia, P. 2002. Hurry up and eat. Wall Street Journal, June 21, p. WI.

Bolton, R. N. 1998. A dynamic model of the duration of the customer's relationship with a continuous service provider: The role of satisfaction. Marketing Science 17 (1): 45-65.

Bolton, R. N., and J. H. Drew. 1991. A longitudinal analysis of the impact of service changes on customer attitudes. Journal of Marketing 55 (1): 1-10.

Bolton, R. N., and K. N. Lemon. 1999. A dynamic model of customers' usage of services: Usage as an antecedent and consequence of satisfaction. Journal of Marketing Research 36:171-86.

Davis, M. M., and M. J. Maggard. 1994. Zero waiting time: A model for designing fast and efficient service delivery systems. In Advances in services marketing and management--Research and practice, ed. T. A. Swartz, D. E. Bowen, and S. W. Brown. Greenwich, CT: JAI.

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