Building consumer relationships in the quick service restaurant industry

ABSTRACT

The quick-service restaurant industry is a significant and growing aspect of the restaurant industry. For long-term success, quick-service restaurants must generate positive relationships with consumers. More specifically, quick-service restaurants need to produce satisfied consumers that ultimately lead to loyalty behaviors toward the restaurant. This article investigates factors that may enhance quick-service restaurant consumer dining satisfaction and behavior intentions. Based upon the findings, quick-service restaurants can improve consumers’ dining satisfaction and future behavioral intentions if they provide food quality, service quality, and an atmosphere that meets or exceeds consumers’ expectations. Implications for developing effective consumer relationships are provided.

KEYWORDS:

• Dining satisfaction
• food quality
• physical surroundings
• quick service restaurants
• restaurant loyalty intentions
• service quality