This study examined the effects of facility aesthetics and music congruency on emotion and behavioural intention in the upscale restaurant environment. It followed a 3x2 between subjects design. Participants (n = 501) were exposed to a video of a particular restaurant environment and were asked to imagine themselves being in that environment. Then, the participants completed a short survey that measured their emotional state and behavioural intention. Using ANOVA and structural equation modeling, the present study showed that facility aesthetics work together with music congruency to influence behavioural intention. The results suggested that facility aesthetics was a main force driving behavioural intention. However, in the absence of a high level of facility aesthetics, music congruency can help overcome the effect of a moderate level of facility aesthetics. Furthermore, the findings showed that pleasure mediated the interaction effect of facility aesthetics and music congruency on behavioural intention. Restaurant managers may utilize facility aesthetics and music in restaurants to positively influence customers’ emotion and behavioural intention. Other practical implications and contributions are discussed as well.

Doctor of Philosophy / Hospitality Management / SooCheong Jang / Deborah Canter / The physical environment may be an important determinant of customer satisfaction and subsequent behavior when services are consumed primarily for hedonic purposes and customers spend moderate to long periods of time in the physical surroundings. An example of this phenomenon would be in an upscale restaurant setting. This study explored the domain of the physical environment in an upscale restaurant context to develop a DINESCAPE scale. Relevant literature was reviewed on architecture, environmental psychology, psychology, operations management, and marketing, highlighting empirical and theoretical contributions. Conceptualization and operationalization of the DINESCAPE dimensions is presented, and the procedures used in constructing and refining a multiple-item scale to assess DINESCAPE in an upscale restaurant setting are described. DINESCAPE is a six-factor scale that was developed to measure facility aesthetics, ambience, lighting, service product, layout, and social factors. Evidence of the scale’s reliability, validity, and factor structure is presented, along with potential applications of the scale. The second phase of the study attempted to build a conceptual model of how the DINESCAPE factors influenced customers’ behavioral intentions through their emotions. The Mehrabian-Russell environmental psychology model was adopted to explore the linkage of the six dimensions of DINESCAPE to customers’ emotional states (pleasure and arousal) and the linkage between pleasure and arousal with customers’ behavioral intentions. Structural equation modeling was used to test the causal relationships among the hypothesized relationships. Results revealed that facility aesthetics, ambience, and social factors affected the level of customers’ pleasure and ambience and social factors influenced the amount of arousal. In addition, pleasure and arousal had significant effects on subsequent behavioral intentions in the context of upscale restaurant. Finally, implications for restaurateurs and researchers were discussed.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-01T19:18:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 jacqueline.pdf: 370260 bytes, checksum: 526652383e60c20f43396c8816484294 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-02-29 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The restaurant s servicescape can be seen as a marketing strategy that involves both aspects of environmental psychology, administration, nutrition and architecture. In order to analyze the impact of restaurant s ambience elements in the overall quality perceived by customers, this qualitative research aims to identify the elements of greater and lesser importance in the ambience for both managers and customers, through interviews in depth. In total, 10 restaurants with average ticket over R$ 51, a la carte system and located on Florianópolis, were part of the survey. Were interviewed all these restaurant s owners (10 of total) and 20 clients who frequent these kind of restaurants, at least, twice a month and spend on average R$51 per person. In addition, we collected data by personal observation in the restaurants of the research. Armed with the customers and managers view, it was possible to list the most important elements in the restaurant s environment in costumers opinion, confront to the understanding of managers and, finally, identify possible gaps in service quality. In addition, a theoretical model was proposed based on Bitner s Servicescape Model (1992), the Gaps Model of Service Quality of Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry (1985) and Santos Model (2006). This theoretical model constructed proposes the customization of it to various services sectors. Among the findings, it was found that the most important elements in the restaurant s servicescape, in the view of customers, are temperature, music, color and lighting. According to the customers' position about these and other elements, can be concluded that customer satisfaction with the environment involves, in particular, feelings of comfort and security. More than the beauty and architecture of the place, people value aspects which let them comfortable and safe, whether visual comfort, thermal comfort, noise comfort or food safety / O cenário de serviços de restaurantes pode ser visto como uma estratégia de marketing que envolve tanto aspectos de psicologia ambiental, como administração, nutrição e arquitetura. Com o objetivo de analisar o impacto dos elementos do cenário de serviços de restaurantes na qualidade geral percebida por clientes, esta pesquisa qualitativa propõe a identificação dos elementos de maior e menor importância no ambiente do restaurante tanto para gestores quanto para clientes, por meio de entrevistas em profundidade. Ao total, 10 restaurantes com ticket médio acima de R$ 51, de sistema a la carte e localizados em Florianópolis fizeram parte da amostra. Foram entrevistados os gestores destes restaurante e 20 clientes que frequentam, pelo menos, duas vezes por mês restaurantes desse tipo e que gastam, em média, o valor referido. Além disso, também foi realizada a coleta de dados por observação pessoal, na forma de Cliente Oculto, nos restaurantes investigados. De posse das visões de clientes e gestores, foi possível elencar os elementos mais importantes no ambiente do restaurante para os clientes, confrontar com o entendimento dos gestores e, por fim, identificar possíveis lacunas de qualidade do serviço. Além disso, um modelo teórico foi proposto com base no Modelo de Cenário de Serviços de Bitner (1992), no modelo de Lacunas de Qualidade em Serviços de Parasuraman, Zeithaml e Berry (1985) e no Modelo de Santos (2006). Esse modelo teórico construído propõe a customização para diversos setores de serviços. Entre os resultados encontrados, identificou-se que os elementos mais importantes do cenário de serviços de restaurantes, na visão dos clientes, são temperatura, música, cores e iluminação. De acordo com a posição dos clientes a respeito desses e de outros elementos, pode-se concluir que a satisfação dos clientes com o ambiente envolve, em especial, sensações de conforto e segurança. Mais que a beleza e arquitetura do local, as pessoas valorizam aspectos que lhes deixem confortáveis e seguras, seja conforto visual, térmico, sonoro ou alimentar