Thesis (MBA.) --University of Limpopo, 2017 / The research was qualitative, where groups of restaurants managers/owners were interviewed in the three Polokwane Malls namely Limpopo Mall, Savannah Mall and Mall of the North. The purpose of the interviews was to find out what customers complain about in restaurants. To find how the customers in restaurants lodge their complaints; how the businesses deal with complaints; how customers bring forth their complaints in different ways; and to identify which groups complain the most. Further, to find out how restaurant owners handle customer complaints and to whom customers lodge those complaints, and the ways which restaurants use to respond to the customers’ complaints. The research results show that restaurant customers complain mostly verbally to the managers. Females are the ones complaining more than their male counterparts. Levels of education make no difference to how customers complain. Waiters need to render quality service as product knowledge is not the only product customers prefer; they actually value service more. The study recommends that restaurants need to pay careful attention to services such as a clean eating area to avoid complaints as most complaints come about this area; verbal and nonverbal skills of employees should be developed in order to avoid complaints from customers. Managers should be equipped to handle customers’ complaints as they are the people to whom such complaints are addressed and waiters/waitress should be made aware that customers are important and their complaints are always valued in the business in order to improve service

Approximately 52% of food and accommodation businesses survive 5 years or more. Small business restaurant owners face greater challenges in marketing and sustainability than larger and well-established chain restaurants. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the successful marketing strategies of small business restaurant owners who sustained their businesses 5 years or more. The population was small business restaurant owners in Eugene, Oregon. The conceptual framework for this study was Porter's 5 forces. Data collection included semistructured interviews with 4 business owners, and data analysis consisted of coding and thematically analyzing interview data and data collected from the business and marketing documents of research participants. Five themes emerged: adherence to fundamental restaurant marketing principles; migration of restaurant promotions to websites and social media; innovation and flexibility in marketing; diner loyalty, reputation, and relationship marketing; and marketing evolution from hospitality experience. Each research participant emphasized the importance of food and service quality, flexibility in marketing, budgeting, and relationships with diners as marketing strategies for sustainability. Each restaurateur recognized the prohibitive costs of traditional television, radio, and print marketing and disclosed how social media and word of mouth were effective promotional channels with minimal costs. Findings may be used by small business restaurateurs to increase opportunities for duplicable and predictable sustainability and to increase revenues, job growth, and funds for environmental and philanthropic programs.

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La notion de culinarité est « dans toutes les bouches » sans avoir été l'objet d'une définition en marketing et comportement du consommateur. Pour combler cette lacune, cette thèse s’est attachée à explorer les contours de la culinarité et proposer un mix design expérientiel x culinarité au service du ravissement du consommateur. Après de premières explorations basées sur des analyses de contenus sur internet (NGram Viewer et Google) et des entretiens semi-directifs qui ont affiné la compréhension du concept, la recherche a consisté en une analyse polymorphe des dimensions et pratiques autour de la notion de culinarité. S'appuyant sur une multiangulation des terrains de recherche, les quatre études empiriques ont été : 1) des études de cas au Grand Restaurant ; 2) une observation participante d’un Mooc en design culinaire ; 3) des manipulations de la culinarité au restaurant ; 4) trois expérimentations sous forme de restaurants éphémères, supports d’une enquête et d’observations. Dès lors, les conclusions apportées proposent une définition de la culinarité (déterminant Plaisir et 4 dimensions QCSP : Q-Qualité, C-Créativité, S-Savoir-Faire, Partage), confirmant l’intérêt d’un mix design expérientiel x culinarité pour ravir le consommateur et introduisent ce que serait le marketing culinaire. / The culinary is in everybody’s mouth without having been defined neither in marketing or in the field of consumer’s behavior. In order to limit this lack of concept, this thesis aims at exploring the ideas behind the culinary and to suggest a mix experiential design x « culinariness » for a consumer’s delightment. After the first exploration based on content analysis on the internet (NGram Viewer and Google) and semi-directive interviews that have revealed part of the concept, the research consisted in a polymorphic analysis of the dimensions and uses of the culinary. Built on a multiangulation of the research, the four empirical studies were : 1) case studies of quality restaurants ; 2) participating observation of a Mooc on food design ; 3) tests on the dimensions of the culinary at the restaurant ; 4) three experimentations as pop up restaurants enabling somes observations on spot and investigations. Thus, the results of this study lead to a definition of the culinary (Pleasure as a determinant and 4 dimensions QCKS: Q-Quality ; C-Creativty ; K-Know-how ; S-Sharing). They attest the point of an experiential design x culinary mix in order to delight the consumer and introduce a culinary marketing.

A powerful dimension of culture is revealed through art; and when presented by the artist to the observer discloses and connects human emotions. The artist's expression is recorded as an integral part of a collective heritage while continually inspiring the viewer towards a creative future. For the Mississippi Coast, this is an imperative time to develop the link between community and tourism. Over forty public establishments are without buildings that enable them to come together. Prior to August 2005, the development pattern of the coast was northward, because the historic coast line was occupied. Now the entire beach front is vacant leaving opportunities for developers of casinos, condominiums, and resorts. While the Gulf Coast benefits economically from tourism, the community needs to integrate this commerce into the historic heritage center of the region. Conserving the spirit of the Gulf Coast can be accomplished through the delicate balancing of tourism and cultural preservation. The diverse visitors tourism brings to the coast blend with the local population to induce a unified appreciation of the culture. The coast has a strong history of converging groups of people. This has led to multifaceted merging of backgrounds which generate new customs and experiences. These convergences make the coast a unique location. They define the culture of the past and they also develop the makeup of the future. The social integration of visitors and hosts will require a place for conversation, and the manifestation of heritage. By creating a public arts complex which houses spaces for visual, and performance arts; the community will have a place to showcase their culture while producing integral opportunities for visitors to experience the Gulf Coast's heritage. This center will also provide local artists with work and display spaces. Determining the specific spaces the community needs will require investigation of existing public use buildings. Historic research, inquires and observations help place the project within the current influences of time, place, and people. The establishment of this arts center provides local residents and tourists with a place to assemble while reiterating the social, ethnic, and cultural community that is the Gulf Coast.

<p>Aim of this paper is to describe and analyze why customers come back to the restaurants, what influence their decisions. During the research we formulate 2 hypotheses. Hypotheses 1 – most reasons of the restaurants’ customers retention can be associated with restaurants’ service elements adapted from the 8Ps of Service Marketing Model. Hypotheses 2 - retention and loyalty have unidirectional relation – loyalty means retention of the customer, but retained customer doesn’t mean loyal. The results of empirical research support both hypotheses. Also during the empirical research we have highlighted some interesting results which are visualized in Illustration 5.1, Illustration 5.2 and Illustration 5.3. In research qualitative and quantitative approaches are used. Data collection method is interview. One deep interview was conducted with restaurant manager in order to enhance the quality of results interpretation. The results of the research can be used by marketers especially in restaurant sphere in order to better understand what influence customers’ behavior and why they come back to the service provider. Also restaurants’ managers can use our findings as a tool to increase the retention rates by adjusting relevant restaurants’ service elements within their restaurant.</p>

Efficient energy use in restaurants Umeå Municipality wishes to combine energy issues with food control, and thus help restaurants to become more energy efficient. During March and April 2010, I visited seven restaurants and interviewed restaurant personnel about current state and application of kitchen appliances, using a checklist to make sure that the same questions were asked at all restaurants. The restaurants were all different sizes and offered different kinds of food. The study mostly focuses on energy efficiency by behaviour and not on location or technology. Almost every restaurant that was visited had the potential to improve in one or more areas, such as kitchen appliances, lamps and lighting fixtures, heating, cooling and ventilation. Concering the behavior of the personnel, it is always possible to be more careful with energy use. Based on a compilation of the responses from the checklist, action proposals were presented to each of the restaurants. The action proposals involve kitchen appliances, lamps and lighting fixtures, heating, cooling and ventilation. The food inspectors will hand out a newly created information sheet based on the obtained interview results to the restaurants in the municipality of Umeå. All restaurants can benefit from learning more about their kitchen appliances and optimize their usage. Some of the restaurants already had good knowledge of energy efficiency issues, but some didn’t have any knowledge at all. Some of the restaurants were really willing to improve their energy efficiency, whereas others didn’t care at all.

In this modern era where the flows of customers are increasing towards fast food restaurants it is becoming more challenging to offer good customer service. For this purpose, there is strong need of highly trained and skilful workforce as like other service oriented businesses, the frontline employees of fast food restaurants also have direct interaction with customers and are considering the backbone of restaurants. Therefore, the main intention to conduct this study is to understand the working conditions in fast food restaurants, to discover the core factors of employee motivation and to determine the role of management in attaining this inspiration. The theoretical framework of this study presents the well known theories and other important literature for employee’s motivation. The requirements for employee’s motivation in fast food industry are highlighted by the author on the basis of these literatures. Additionally, a conceptual model for employee’s motivation in fast food restaurants is derived from different literature and serves as an opening position for the empirical research.   This study based on qualitative strategy and inductive approach with research philosophy of constructionist and interpretivist stances. The data is collected through semi-structured interviews consisting of four managers and three employees of Max, Subway and McDonald’s restaurants in Umeå, Sweden. For analysis the data is categorized on the basis of different factors mentioned in the proposed model.   In the findings of this study, the elements of the conceptual suggested model are identified and validated for employee’s motivation in fast food restaurants. The findings are concerned with different motivational factors through which employees can be motivated in fast food restaurants. In which the main role of management is to work on human capacity and provide training, the best working environment, salaries and wages and promotional and growth opportunities to their employee. These are the most important functions highlighted after empirical finding and analysis, however, other factors i.e. cultural values, stress of work, respect and recognition are also important factors for frontline employee’s motivation in fast food restaurants.   This study is only limited to three fast food restaurant (Max, McDonald’s &amp; Subway) of one city of Sweden (Umeå). The data was collected from a small sample (only seven individuals) which limits the generalization of this study to other restaurants in Sweden.

This article is about building a dynamic model of an Italian food restaurant in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The model contains six sectors, including human resource sector, kitchen sector, quality sector, training sector, market sector and the financial sector. Depending on these six sectors we build a computer simulation model. With this computer simulation model can help people get better understanding of the real operational system and can have better insights of the restaurant management. In this article, we found out that the restaurant manager needs to emphasize the quality and training of their employees. If the restaurant grows without enough qualified employees, the growth will meet its limit and has problems like quality decline, working overtime, high turnover rate, customer base decline and may cause the restaurant to close up. In this article, we also found out that the training must both emphasize the professional training and ethic training and it is better to emphasize a little more on the ethic training. If the restaurant managers focus only on the professional training, it will bring serious problems. Since it has many conflicts during the work, the ethic training can help employees having more stable, social emotions for better customer service and build a trust and harmonious working atmosphere. Otherwise, the conflicts between the coworkers may cause service delay, service mistakes, increasing cost and high turnover rate. All these problems will affect the operation of the restaurant management in long term. In this article, the dynamic model contains many soft variables of the restaurant management. It can provide the learner of dynamic model building to learn about the soft variables modeling.