Quality Analysis of Vojvodina
Restaurants
dr Snježana Gagić , Ana Jovičić, MSc, Irma Erdeji, MSc, dr Bojana
Kalenjuk, dr Marko D. Petrović
INTRODUCTION
• In order to ensure desired quality, it is necessary to
constantly work on the improvement and
identification of the factors which determine it.
• It is very important to identify what represents a value
for guests and implement necessary measures in order
to achieve the desired business results.
• The paper analyzes the Vojvodina restaurants quality.
• The questionnaire for quality measuring was
created according to researchers suggestion in this
field.
• The sample consisted of 600 guests from thirty
restaurants selected in 19 towns in Vojvodina.
• The primary objective was to involve the most
important attributes that determine restaurant
quality (food, service and atmosphere quality).
• The results shown which quality attributes should
be improved in order to increase guest satisfaction.
Those are healthier options in menu, food
presentation, menu variety, service competences
and behavior as well as music and odors choice.
• The possible solutions to correct founded failings are
given in paper.
RESULTS
Variable
Gender
Age
Ocupation
Education
Category
Number of respondents
Percent of respondents
Male
382
62,7
Female
281
37,3
≤ 20
27
4,5
21-30
156
26,0
31-40
164
27,3
41 – 50
153
25,5
51 – 60
73
12,2
≥ 61
27
4,5
Student
45
7,5
Employed
336
56,0
Entrepreneur
113
18,8
Retiree
45
7,5
Unemployed
61
10,2
Primary school
1
0,2
High school
315
52,5
College or faculty
152
25,3
Master studies
110
18,3
PhD studies
22
3,7
Table 1. Evaluation of food quality
Mean
Items
Std. deviation
Minimum
Maksimum
Food taste
4,82
3,00
5,00
0,42
Food freshness
4,78
2,00
5,00
0,46
Food presentation
4,29
2,00
5,00
0,78
Portion size
4,74
2,00
5,00
0,49
Food temperature
4,61
2,00
5,00
0,58
Constant quality
4,59
2,00
5,00
0,61
Variety of menu items
4,40
2,00
5,00
0,78
Healthy options
3,93
1,00
5,00
0,96
Food safety
4,64
3,00
5,00
0,62
Table 2. Evaluation of service quality
Mean
Items
Std. deviation
Minimum
Maksimum
Attentive employees
4,73
3,00
5,00
0,47
Friendly and helpful
employees
Employees have
knowledge of the menu
Prompt service
4,70
3,00
5,00
0,51
4,49
2,00
5,00
0,70
4,52
2,00
5,00
0,64
Dependable and consistent 4,63
service
Employees serve food as
4,61
you ordered
2,00
5,00
0,59
2,00
5,00
0,63
Accurate guest check
4,79
2,00
5,00
0,49
Employees readiness to
make an extra effort in
pleasing the guests
Employee are trustworthy
4,41
2,00
5,00
0,76
4,57
2,00
5,00
0,62
Table 3. Evaluation of atmosphere quality
Mean
Std. deviation
Minimum
Maksimum
4,55
4,72
2,00
2,00
5,00
5,00
0,71
0,54
Neat and well-dressed
employees
4,55
2,00
5,00
0,69
Music
4,34
1,00
5,00
0,81
Lighting
4,40
1,00
5,00
0,81
Temperature
4,41
1,00
5,00
0,77
Aromas
4,38
2,00
5,00
0,84
Decor
4,38
2,00
5,00
0,81
Item
Interior design
Environmental cleanliness
DISCUSION
• By assessing the quality of food it has been found that guests
are mostly satisfied with the taste of food, which is indicated
by the mean 4.82. Out of 600 respondents, 498 or 83%
considers the food tasty.
• The lowest mean rank 3.93 indicates that guests at
restaurants in Vojvodina are the least pleased with the offer
of healthy alternatives.
• Honesty of the catering workers is best expressed in charging
the delivered service. The highest mean 4.79 indicates that
guests are satisfied with this attribute quality.
• Guests are also satisfied with the care given by the caterers
during the service encounter (4.73) as well as with the
politeness and helpfulness of the caterers(4.70).
• Guests are the least pleased with the readiness of the service
staff to make an extra effort in pleasing the guests. Only
55.7% of guests think that the staff is making an extra effort to
meet their requests.
• Guests are exceedingly satisfied with the hygiene level at
restaurants which is indicated by a high mean rank 4.72.
• The management needs to improve the odors and decoration
as only slightly more than half of guests (57.2%) are
completely satisfied with theodors in restaurants, and 56.8%
are satisfied with decoration.
CONCLUSION
• The results indicate that the offer is not sufficiently versatile.
• Considering the heterogenity of the Vojvodina’s cuisine which
is a combination of different ethnicities which have been
living on its territory for centuries, as well as the natural
wealth of the plain, the conclusion is that its POTENTIAL IS
NOT FULLY USED.
• The offer should be extended to dishes authentic for the
territory such as homemade processed meat products (aspic
from Srem, bećar cheese, kulen, Slovakian sausages etc.),
pörkölt, grenadier march, goulash, homemade pasta dishes,
venison dishes and homemade desserts (plum dumplings,
floating island, apple pies, strudels, layered pastries etc.).
Furthermore, Vojvodina’s vineyards of Fruška gora, Palić,
Vršac and others, offer numerous autochthonous wines such
as Neoplanta, Sila, Muscat krokan, Ausbruch, Bermet and
others which need to be included in the offer. This would
solve the insufficient authenticity of the offer.
• Food garnish is the next characteristics which is the least
pleasing to guests.
• Food presentation needs to be in compliance with the style of
the catering facility, thus clay inventory is a better solution in
ethno restaurants, while irregularly-shaped china dishesare
better-suited for modern classic restaurants.
• Modern food presentation is about using modern inventory,
vertical food sacking, using edible baskets, contrasting colors
and textures, serving an amount of food which does not make
the plate seem cluttered, serving the sauce in a separate bowl
on the plate or dropped on the plate as a decorative style etc.
• Considering that food presentation is affected by fashion and
trends it is suggested to organize trainings to teach chefs
certain skills in order for them to keep in touch with the
trends and decorative styles and the use of modern inventory.
• The offer of healthy alternatives was the least pleasing for
guests. It is evident that there is a marketing segment which
requires dishes which highlight natural taste, ingredients and
texture.
• Overall, gastronomic offer needs a new dimension, i.e. the
offer needs to be extended to dishes made of ingredients
which are perceived as healthy by guests, such as whole
grains, organic low-calorie, low-fat, gluten-free groceries. The
innovation in offer may also include vegetable-based salads
with the addition of chicken, turkey, fish, low-fat cheese etc.
• In order to maintain a long-term relationship with guests,
personalized care and service plays the key role in this
process, therefore it is important to create a business
surrounding where all staff will give their best in order to
please the guests.
• The management must recognize the importance of
education of its staff and invest in their training since their
obligation is not only to serve the guests but also to sell
everything the restaurant has to offer as well as build the
image of the facility through intangible elements of the
service.
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International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management 12 (1), 13–30.
Krasavćić. M. (2012). Uticaj menadžmenta na kvalitet usluga u restoraterstvu Beograda, doktorska disertacija, Novi Sad: Prirodno-matematički
fakultet, Departman za geografiju, turizam i hotelijerstvo.
Liu, Y., Jang, S. (2009). Perceptions of Chinese restaurants in the US: what affects customer satisfaction and behavioral intentions? International
Journal of Hospitality Management, 28 (3), 338–348.
Luo, X., Homburg, C. (2007). Neglected Outcomes of Customer Satisfaction, Journal of Marketing, 71(2), 133-149.
Namkung, Y., Jang, S., (2007). Does food quality really matter in restaurant? Its impact on customer satisfaction and behavioral intentions.
Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research 31(3), 387–410.
Oh, H. (2000). Quality, value, and satisfaction: a practical viewpoint, The Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 41(3), 58-66.
Olsen, S.O. (2002). Comparative evaluation and the relationship between quality, satisfaction, and repurchase loyalty. Journal of the Academy
of Marketing Science 30(3), 240–249.
Raajpoot, N.A. (2002). TANGSERV: a multiple item scale for measuring tangible quality in foodservice industry, Journal of Foodservice Business
Research, 5(2), 109-27.
Rimmington, M., Yuskel, A. (1998). Tourist Satisfaction and food service experience: Results and implications of an empirical investigation,
Anatolia, 9(1), 37-57.
Rolls, B. J., Morris, E. L., Roe, L. S. (2002). Portion size of food affects energy intake in normal-weight and overweight men and women, The
American journal of clinical nutrition, 76(6), 1207-1213.
Ryu, K., Han, H. (2011). New or repeat customers: How does physical environment influence their restaurant experience?, International Journal
of Hospitality Management, 30, 599-611.
Susskind, A. M., Chan, E. K. (2000). How restaurant features affect check averages: a study of the Toronto restaurant market, The Cornell Hotel
and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 41(6), 56-63.
Susskind, A. M., Chan, E. K. (2000). How restaurant features affect check averages: a study of the Toronto restaurant market, The Cornell Hotel
and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 41(6), 56-63.
Tombs, A., McColl-Kennedy, J. R. (2003). Social-servicescape conceptual model, Marketing Theory, 3(4), 447-475.
Tombs, A., McColl-Kennedy, J. R. (2003). Social-servicescape conceptual model, Marketing Theory, 3(4), 447-475.
Weiss, R., Feinstein, A. H., Dalbor, M. (2005). Customer satisfaction of theme restaurant attributes and their influence on return intent, Journal
of Foodservice Business Research, 7(1), 23-41.
Yach, D., Stuckler, D., Brownell, K. D. (2006). Epidemiologic and economic consequences of the global epidemics of obesity and diabetes,
Nature Medicine, 12, 62-66.