• Culinary science and hospitality research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.26-43
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• 2011

This study aims to give insight into better understanding how service quality influences customers' attitude and behavior in terms of loyalty as well as how its effects vary by the types of restaurants (family restaurants or fast food restaurants). The results of the study are summarized as follows. First, perceived service quality, which consists of food, service, menu and atmosphere, made a significant impact on customer satisfaction for food, menu, atmosphere, and service, respectively. Second, the study examined how perceived service quality affected future expectations, and found only food turned out to be a significant factor. Third, customer satisfaction affected future satisfaction and customer loyalty, and it had a greater impact on attitudinal loyalty than behavioral loyalty. Fourth, future satisfaction affects customer loyalty, and it had a greater impact on attitudinal loyalty than behavioral loyalty. Fifth, the study examined how service quality, customer satisfaction and future expectation affected attitudinal loyalty and behavioral loyalty differently by different types of the food service industry (family restaurants or fast food restaurants) and found out there were some differences in the effects of customer satisfaction on behavioral loyalty and the future expectations and attitudinal loyalty on behavioral loyalty. The marketing implication is that service providers should be one step ahead in understanding the service quality perceived by customers (food, service, menu, and atmosphere). In addition, they should understand that establishing long-tenn relationships with customers by providing high quality service bas a direct impact on their business performance. Furthermore, management in family restaurants and fast food restaurants should include the improvement of service quality in their employee training programs.