Abstract

MAFOJANE, Mathapelo; MAZIRIRI, Eugine Tafadzwa; RUKUNI, Tarisai Fritz  and  CHUCHU, Tinashe. Feasting on loyalty: Unpacking the dynamics of customer satisfaction and return patronage intentions in the restaurant industry. JCMAN [online]. 2025, vol.22, n.1, pp.1-29. ISSN 1815-7440.  https://doi.org/10.35683/jcm24-007.287.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: Restaurants are increasingly facing the problem of remaining competitive and sustainable, thus calling for the need to understand the drivers of customer return patronage within the industry. The study, therefore, attempted to identify service quality and hygiene factors that can stimulate restaurant customer satisfaction and behavioural intentions through the use of a blended approach. The study results reveal that the successful application of these factors can lead to post-behavioural intentions, such as restaurant attachment, willingness to pay a premium price, return patronage intention, and positive word of mouth promotion. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Non-probability sampling was adopted to target patrons of restaurants in Bloemfontein, South Africa. These included the Longhorn Grill, New York restaurant, Avanti, Euro Caffe, Braza, Spur, Ocean Basket, Bella Casa, Wimpy and McDonald's. Data were obtained by means of a survey from 300 respondents who frequented the abovementioned establishments and who provided feedback. Proposed hypotheses were tested through structural equation modelling. FINDINGS: The study sought to predict factors influencing restaurant consumers' satisfaction and behavioural intentions through a blended approach by identifying factors that can help stimulate customer satisfaction, such as service quality and hygiene factors. It was found that reliability and assurance positively and significantly impacted customer satisfaction. However, tangibility, responsiveness and empathy effects did not demonstrate statistical effects. RECOMMENDATIONS/VALUE: Restaurant owners and managers need to enhance, improve, and provide service quality by ensuring that they excel in all service quality elements (tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, empathy, and assurance). MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS: Findings imply that restaurant owners and managers need to devise strategies and approaches that will ensure restrooms which are always clean and kept to a standard pleasing to customers to retain customers and keep them satisfied. JEL CLASSIFICATION: M31, D12

Keywords : Customer satisfaction; restaurant attachment; return patronage intention; service quality; willingness to pay price premiums.

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