Dining Duration and Customer Satisfaction

Restaurateurs may be tempted to speed up the pace of their customers\u27 meals during busy periods in a bid to increase table turns. While selling more covers should boost revenues, a study of restaurant patrons finds that strategies aimed at reducing dining time should be applied carefully. By dividing a dining experience into three segments, one can assess the effects of duration-reduction efforts at each point in the process. On balance, restaurant patrons do not want to feel that they are being rushed nor do they want to be unduly delayed. Indeed, it is the perception of the speed (or lack thereof), rather than the actual time spent dining, that carries the most weight with restaurant patrons. If a perceived wait is longer than what guests expected, their satisfaction is likely to diminish, along with their assessment of the server\u27s abilities and their likelihood to return. By the same token if a meal proceeds at a tempo much faster than expected, diners will feel rushed and will conclude that their server is not willing or able to attend to their needs. In particular, restaurants should approach the actual meal, that is, the in-process stage of the dining experience, with care. On the other hand, the pre-process stage, when guests are ordering drinks and reading the menu, and the post-process stage, when guests are receiving and settling the check, can be hastened in certain situations. The study found that patrons in casual and upscale casual restaurants are more willing to accept duration-reduction strategies than are patrons of fine-dining restaurants, where an appropriate pace is essential to satisfaction

Preparing Educators for a Diverse World: Understanding Sexual Prejudice among Pre-Service Teachers

An important role of schooling in the U.S. is to prepare students for engagement in the diverse world. This means that education personnel must be aware of, acknowledge, and respect all dimensions of diversity, including gender and sexual diversity. Relatedly is the teacher\u27s role in managing a safe and inclusive classroom climate for all students. Since school bullies frequently target gender and sexually diverse (GSD) students, K-12 teachers are required to manage their classroom culture so that bullying behavior toward all students, including GSD students, is stopped. GSD students who are bullied frequently miss school, earn lower grades, and may decide not to complete post-secondary education. The effects of bullying based upon actual or perceived gender or sexual difference can last a lifetime. Sexual prejudice of educational personnel may inhibit the development of safe learning environments for all students and the preparation of students for a future in diverse environments. This research investigates sexual prejudice among pre-service teachers in one teacher preparation program and relates sexual prejudice to teacher demographic characteristics

Hotel Daily Deals: Insights from Asian Consumers

Given that Asia accounts for more than half of the world’s population and its hotels are thriving, this study analyzes the attitudes toward daily deal offers of hotel guests in five Asian nations. While the respondents, from China, India, Indonesia, Korea, and Japan, have many common attitudes regarding daily deals, certain differences stand out. Overall, it becomes clear that frequent guests take advantage of the discounts offered in daily deals, thus confirming concerns of cannibalization. Worse, those frequent guests reported that they felt as though they were treated differently due to their use of the daily deal, and this gave them a diminished view of the hotel. On the other hand, respondents from most nations said that they took the opportunity of the deal to spend more money than usual during their hotel stay, and they were happy to recommend the hotel to their friends, a phenomenon known as being a market maven. Moreover, use of the daily deal did not seem to interfere with guests’ loyalty levels, which seemed to be the same for daily deal purchasers and those who did not use such offers. One other downside to offering daily deals is that the survey indicates a reduced value perception for those who purchase numerous deals, indicating that the deal’s charm eventually fades. While the findings seem contradictory in some ways, they also provide guidelines for hoteliers who wish to target Asian consumers with these types of deals while also avoiding the pitfalls

A Consumer\u27s View of Restaurant Reservations Policies

Restaurant customers view reservations as a form of contract, according to a survey of 1,230 frequent diners. The self-selected respondents to the survey had little patience for restaurants that fail to have tables ready, but they also thought that customers who could not honor their reservations should keep their end of the deal, by contacting the restaurant with their change of plans. Along that line, survey respondents often found it difficult to contact a restaurant when they needed to change a reservation. An examination of specific reservations-related policies found that, with regard to late-arriving diners, a policy of holding a table for no longer than a stated period, typically 15 minutes, is viewed as fair and acceptable. Also seen as relatively fair is asking guests to guarantee their reservation with a credit card. The respondents dislike the idea of premium pricing, question the fairness of policies that set a maximum duration at table or a minimum party size, and take a negative view of restaurants that penalize guests when one or more members of a party do not appear. Guests who linger at a table present a special challenge. Respondents do not want to be rushed or be asked to leave when they stay long at a table, but at the same time they realized that lingering guests cause delays for parties that follow them. One way to circumvent this issue might be for the restaurant operator to discuss time expectations when accepting the reservation

Customer Preferences for Restaurant Technology Innovations

When restaurateurs evaluate whether to adopt technology-based service innovations, they must consider not only the costs and benefits of that technology, but also customers’ reactions to the procedural changes accompanying the innovation. Technology that damages customer satisfaction may not be worthwhile, no matter how much it reduces labor costs. In this report we present the results of a national survey on customers’ perceptions of eleven restaurant technologies, as well as whether respondents use those technologies and the value they see in them. The technologies are pagers for table management, handheld order taking while waiting in line, internet-based ordering, kiosk-based payment, kiosk-based food ordering, online reservations, payment via SMS or text message, payment via (RFID) smart card, payment via cell phone using NFC technology, virtual menus available tableside with nutritional information, and virtual menus online with nutritional information. These technologies are categorized in the following five categories: kiosk, menu, online usage, payment-based service innovations, and queuing. Using a research technique called best-worst choice analysis, the study found that the technologies used most commonly were pagers and online reservations, while cell-phone payment was used hardly at all. The results show that the perceived value of a specific technology increases after the customers have had the opportunity to use it, and different demographic segments valued the technologies differently. Frequent technology users visited restaurants more often than infrequent technology users did

The Role of Multi-Restaurant Reservation Sites in Restaurant Distribution Management

A study of 474 U.S. consumers documents the increasing popularity of sites that allow reservations at numerous restaurants—although the telephone remains by far the most common way to make a restaurant reservation. Slightly over half of the respondents to this survey had made a restaurant reservation online. About 60 percent of those who made reservations online used a multi-restaurant site to do so, and the rest used the restaurant’s own website. Those who continued to make phone reservations said they preferred a personal touch. However, a substantial percentage of respondents who telephoned their reservation had located the restaurant using a multi-restaurant site or app. Restaurateurs need to note the demographics and habits of customers who typically make reservations online. There are no gender differences between customers who make reservations online and those who don’t, but the online group is noticeably younger. Multi-restaurant site users also visit restaurants more frequently than the other respondents. They were more likely to rely on online reviews, and they like having several restaurants to choose from. Although participating in a multi-restaurant reservation site represents an additional expense, restaurateurs should consider a distribution strategy that includes such sites, especially since they seem to be the preferred portal for younger guests who dine out more frequently than others

Customer Satisfaction with Seating Policies in Casual-Dining Restaurants

Restaurant guests prefer the control that making reservations gives them, according to a survey conducted at Cornell University. The survey tested three strategies for managing demand in casual restaurants, namely, accepting reservations, permitting guests to call ahead for a place on a waitlist with an approximate seating time, and seating guests from a first-come, first-served waitlist. Respondents particularly favored reservations for business dinners, and well over half of the respondents would not consider a restaurant for a business meal if they could not make a reservation. Call-ahead seating was a poor substitute for reservations, in the respondents\u27 estimation, but was still seen as better than first-come, first-served seating, with an estimated wait time. The survey found that guests thought reservations gave them better control over their schedule and that reservations demonstrated that the restaurant cared about its customers. Since reservations come with their own special operational problems, managers of casual restaurants might consider using call-ahead seating if reservations do not work for the restaurant. Those that continue with seating from a first-come, first-served waitlist should consider ways to empower guests, for example, by giving accurate wait times or issuing pagers

Examining the Effects of Full-Spectrum Lighting in a Restaurant

A simple test of full-spectrum light found that changing the lamps in a restaurant\u27s dining room had no noticeable effect on diners\u27 purchases or the length of time at table. The study was motivated by the common perception that full-spectrum light increases people\u27s sense of well-being, which should, in turn, result in behavioral changes. With the cooperation of a table-service restaurant that has two similar dining rooms, the study involved changing the lights in one of those dining rooms. With the lamps replaced, the researchers compared average checks and meal durations between the dining rooms, and also compared the main dining room sales when it had regular incandescent light with sales during the full-spectrum light test. None of the comparisons showed any difference between the regular lighting and the full-spectrum lighting with regard to customers\u27 purchases. Because the change to full-spectrum light in this study was intentionally subtle to conform to the operator\u27s needs, future research should involve a more controlled study that also manipulates and takes into account changes in the brightness of the light. However, the results of this study do not support claims that full-spectrum light affects diners\u27 activities

Best-available-rate Pricing at Hotels: A Study of Customer Perceptions and Reactions

Variable pricing, or demand-based pricing, is a popular revenue management technique by which hotel managers set different nightly rates for the same room based on expected room demand. Operational policies and procedures associated with variable pricing may be confusing to customers, especially if they are not familiar with the practice. Best-available-rate (BAR) pricing is an attempt to reduce that confusion and to guarantee that the guest is quoted the lowest available rate for each night of a multiple-night stay. As a result, instead of paying the same price for each room-night, the guest would pay different prices each night. Understanding customers\u27 perceptions of a BAR policy can help hotel managers better apply revenue management tools that maximize revenue without compromising guest satisfaction. This study surveyed 153 travelers to measure their reactions to BAR pricing and their perception of its fairness, acceptability, reasonableness, and honesty. We found that for a multiple-night stay, customers prefer to be quoted individual rates for each night (non-blended rates) rather than the average price per night over the stay (blended rates). Overall, customers found individual rates to be significantly more fair, acceptable, reasonable, and honest than blended rates. However, customer reactions to non-blended and blended rates differed between frequent and infrequent travelers. Frequent travelers found no difference in fairness between blended and non-blended rates while infrequent travelers perceived non-blended rates to be more favorable. The findings of this study can help managers more precisely tailor the way that they give rates and information to customers during the reservation process. Respondents preferred to be quoted individual rates, so that they know they are paying the lowest available nightly rates, rather than blended rates, which conceal the actual nightly rates. To ensure that customers have positive perceptions of price fairness and honesty, managers should quote non-blended rates, such as those that accompany BAR guarantees. Managers should also pay close attention to the implementation of a BAR guarantee policy, as the poor execution of a complex variable-pricing policy could compromise its acceptance

Online, Mobile, and Text Food Ordering in the U.S. Restaurant Industry

A survey of the top 326 U.S. restaurant chains in all categories finds the industry gradually adopting electronic ordering, in the form of online, mobile, and text orders. Quick-service chains, most notably those selling pizza, and fast-casual chains are far ahead of other segments in adopting electronic ordering, particularly using online approaches. Mobile apps are less common, although their use is growing. Although order-placing functionality is limited for mobile apps, the fast-casual chains are leading the way in allowing customers to place orders. Nearly all restaurant chains have a Facebook presence, but just 3 percent allowed ordering through that channel. The advantages of electronic ordering include increased sales, particularly through automatic upselling and by storing order information so that customers are encouraged to repeat their previous orders with a single click. Other than the cost of installation and operation, the chief disadvantage of electronic ordering is the potential for amplifying rush time volume, with the potential of overwhelming the kitchen. Creating a separate line for electronic orders and pickups is one way to address that problem