Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Quality, service and ambience are concepts synonymous with the restaurant industry. Whilst the importance of these, and the integral function they perform in ensuring guest satisfaction and ultimately the success of a restaurant can hardly be denied, how effectively these inextricable concepts have been integrated within restaurants of Hermanus is of particular interest to various stakeholders. In a recent article submitted to an impact study conducted by GHACT (Greater Hermanus Association for Commerce and Tourism) titled: "Restaurateurs and Other Catering Outlets - February 2002", the Chairman of the Restaurateurs Association of Hermanus stated: "Restaurateurs usually are very impulsive individual personalities, working long hours - they do not comply with regulations; do their own thing and do not plan their strategies for the future - seat of the pants. We urgently need to start managing and policing our industry similar to accommodation establishments (e.g.... cleanliness, quality control and star ratings.)" The aim of this study project, originally commissioned by GHACT, is to contribute to GHACT's aim of stimulating commerce and tourism to Hermanus as part of their functions of core marketing, project development (impact studies), environment maintenance, and complaint resolution. A review of related literature as well as information gathered from 273 interviews, concerning 43 out of approximately 51 restaurants, forms the backdrop to this document. Definitions of key terms, investigation into previous empirical research, and identification of various excellence and guest satisfaction techniques, are the major focal points of this literature review. Four quality, service and ambience related assessments form part of the research, namely: 1) industry consistency in dealing with seasonality; 2) competitiveness between six specific restaurants; 3) tourist versus resident perceptions of restaurant excellence; and 4) individual restaurant excellence development areas. It was concluded that, although consistency throughout 2002 does not appear to be a concern for the Hermanus restaurant industry, the actual levels of quality, service and ambience offered by certain restaurants are below an acceptable standard. The Quality Matrix intervention presented in Chapter 5 integrates the tangible and intangible product and service standards essential for service excellence and guest satisfaction within all restaurants of Hermanus. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Kwaliteit, diens en atmosfeer is konsepte wat sinoniem is met die restaurantbedryf. Alhoewel die belangrikheid van hierdie konsepte sentraal is om tevredenheid by gebruikers te verseker en uiteindelik om sukses te bepaal, is dit ook belangrik vir belanghebbendes om te sien hoe effektief hierdie konsepte in die restaurantbedryf van Hermanus ingeburger is. In 'n onlangse artikel deur GHACT (Greater Hermanus Association for Commerce and Tourism), getiteld: "Restauranteurs and Other Catering Outlets - February 2002", sê die voorsitter van die Restauranteurs Assosiasie van Hermanus dat "Restaurateurs usually are very impulsive individual personalities, working long hours - they do not comply with regulations; do their own thing and do not plan their strategies for the future - seat of the pants. We urgently need to start managing and policing our industry similar to accommodation establishments (e.g.... cleanliness, quality control and star ratings.)" Hierdie projek is deur GHAT aangepak in 'n poging om toerisme en koophandel in Hermanus te stimuleer deur impak studies, bemarking, omgewingsbeheer en klagte oplossing. 'n Oorsig van soortgelyke literatuur sowel as informasie wat versamel is van 273 onderhoude met betrekking tot 43 restaurante vorm die agtergrond van hierdie dokument. Die fokuspunt van hierdie literatuuroorsig was om die kern begrippe te definiëer, die bevindings van ander empiriese navorsing te analiseer, en tegnieke wat uitstaande diens en tevredenheid by gebruikers te verseker, te ondersoek. Vier kwaliteit, diens en atmosfeer verwante evalueringsareas vorm deel van die ondersoek, naamlik: 1) die eenvormigheid van die industrie in die hantering van seisoensverandering; 2) mededinging tussen ses spesifieke restaurante; 3) toeriste se persepsie teenoor die plaaslike inwoners se persepsie van restaurant kwaliteit en 4) individuele restaurant ontwikkelings areas. Alle gevolgtrekkings wat gemaak is in hierdie dokument is gebaseer op die bevindings van bogenoemde toetse. Daar is tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat alhoewel betroubaarheid nie 'n probleem blyk te wees vir die Hermanus restaurantbedryf nie, werklike kwaliteit, diensvlakke en atmosfeer deur sekere restaurante aangebied, wel onder aanvaarbare standaarde was. Die kwaliteitsmatriks voorgestel in Hoofstuk 5 integreer die tasbare en ontasbare produk en noodsaaklike standaarde vir kwaliteit diens en tevredenheid by gebruikers by al die restaurante in Hermanus.