Browse > Article

Developing a Measure of Service Quality in the United States Fast Food Restaurant Segment  

Hyun, Sung-Hyup (Division of Tourism & Convention, Pusan National University)
Kim, Yi-Tae (Division of Tourism & Convention, Pusan National University)
Publication Information
Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life / v.20, no.2, 2010 , pp. 328-339 More about this Journal
Abstract
This study was conducted to develop a service quality measurement scale suitable for the fast food restaurant segment. After reviewing the relevant literature, it was decided that the current service quality measurement scales (SERVQUAL, SERVPERF, DINESERV) are not appropriate for the fast food restaurant segment. Based on Cronin & Taylor's (1994) argument, perceived service quality is a form of attitude that represents a long-term overall evaluation of the company. Therefore, this study selected SERVPERF items for the initial pool of service quality items. Through a systematic scale development process, the SERVPERF instrument was then refined and a new concise scale was produced. Specifically, a focus group discussion with a group of patrons who are very familiar with fast food restaurants was conducted and the new service quality measure was refined so that it would be more realistic and closely describe service operation in the fast food industry. Moreover, the data collected from 112 college students who visit fast food restaurants frequently were used to statistically evaluate each of the items again via EFA (Exploratory Factor Analysis) and three sub-dimensions were derived: (1) responsiveness, (2) tangibles, and (3) reliability. Additionally, the data collected from 179 fast food restaurant consumers was used to conduct CFA (Confirmatory Factor Analysis). During this process, the convergent validity, discriminant validity, and internal consistency were double-checked. Overall, the newly developed scale achieved validity and reliability on a theoretical and statistical basis. Possible interpretations and managerial implications are also suggested.
Keywords
Service quality; fast food; restaurant; SERVPERF; scale development;
Citations & Related Records
연도 인용수 순위
  • Reference
1 Zikmund W (2003) Business research method. Mason, OH: Thomson South-Western.
2 Walker JR (2007) Introduction to hospitality management, Prentice-Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ.
3 You B, Donthu N (2001) Developing and validating a multidimensional consumer-based brand equity scale. J Bus Res 52: 1-14.   DOI   ScienceOn
4 Law AKY, Hui YV, Zhao X (2004) Modeling repurchase frequency and customer satisfaction for fast food outlets. International Journal of Quality and Reliability Management 21: 545-563.   DOI   ScienceOn
5 Lee S, Kim Y, Hemmington N, Yun D (2004) Competitive service quality improvement (SCQI): A case study in the fast-food industry. Food Service Technology 4: 75-84.   DOI   ScienceOn
6 Paeratakul S, Ferdinand DP, Champagne CM, Ryan DH, Bray GA (2003) Fast-food consumption among US adults and children: Dietary and nutrient intake profile. J Am Diet Assoc 103: 1332-1338.   DOI   ScienceOn
7 Fornell C, Larcker DF (1981) Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. J of Marketing Res 18: 39-50.   DOI   ScienceOn
8 Gilbert GR, Veloutsou C, Goode MMH, Moutinho L (2004) Measuring customer satisfaction in the fast food industry: A cross-national approach. J Serv Mark 18: 371- 383.   DOI   ScienceOn
9 Goyal A, Singh NP (2007) Consumer perception about fast food in India: An exploratory study. Brit Food J 109: 182-195.   DOI   ScienceOn
10 Brady MK, Robertson CJ, Cronin JJ (2001) Managing behavioral intentions in diverse cultural environments: An investigation of service quality, service value, and satisfaction for American and Ecuadorian fast-food customers. J Int Manag 7: 129-149.   DOI   ScienceOn
11 Ryu K, Han H, Jang SC (2010) Relationships among hedonic and utilitarian values, satisfaction and behavioral intentions in the fast-casual restaurant industry. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management 22: 1-28.
12 Babbar S (1992) A dynamic model for continuous improvement in the management of service quality. Int J Oper Prod Man 12: 38-48.
13 Baek S, Ham S, Yang I (2006) A cross-cultural comparison of fast food restaurant selection criteria between Korean and Filipino college students. Int J of Hosp Manag 25: 683-698.   DOI   ScienceOn
14 Stevens P, Knutson B, Patton M (1995) DINESERV: A tool for measuring service quality in restaurants. Cornell Hotel Rest A 36: 56-60.
15 Tucci LA, Talaga JA (2000) Determinants of consumer perceptions of service quality in restaurants. Journal of Food Products Marketing 6: 3-13.   DOI   ScienceOn
16 Turner WL, Reisinger Y (2001) Shopping satisfaction for domestic tourists. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services 8: 15-27.   DOI   ScienceOn
17 Parasuraman A, Zeithaml VA, Berry LL (1988) SERVQUAL: A multiple-item scale for measuring consumer perceptions of service quality. J Retailing 64: 12-40.
18 Qin H, Prybutok VR (2008) Determinants of customer-perceived service quality in fast-food restaurants and their relationship to customer satisfaction and behavioral intentions. The Quality Management Journal 15: 35-50.   DOI
19 Spears MC, Gregoire MB (2007) Foodservice organization: A managerial and system approach (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
20 Hair JF, Anderson RE, Tatham RL, Black WC (1998) Multivariate data analysis. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs.
21 Knight AJ, Worosz MR, Todd ECD (2007) Serving food safety: Consumer perceptions of food safety at restaurants. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management 19: 476-484.   DOI   ScienceOn
22 Byrne NM (1989) A primer of LISREL: Basic applications and programming for confirmatory factor analytic models. New York: Springer.
23 Cronin JJ Jr, Taylor SA (1992) Measuring service quality: A reexamination and extention. J Marketing 56: 55-68.
24 Cronin JJ Jr, Taylor SA (1994) SERVPERF versus SERVQUAL: Reconciling performance-based and perceptionsminus-expectations. J Marketing 58: 125-131.
25 Hinkin TR, Tracey JB, Enz CA (1997) Scale construction: Developing reliable and valid measurement instruments. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research 21: 100-120.   DOI
26 Kim WG, DiMicelli P, Kang J (2004) Measuring brand equity of restaurant chains. FlU Hospitality Review 22: 28-41.
27 Knutson BJ (2000) College students and fast food - how students perceive restaurant brands. Cornell Hotel Rest A 41: 69-74.
28 De Mast J (2004) A methodological comparison of three strategies for quality improvement. International Journal of Quality and Reliability Management 21: 198-213.   DOI   ScienceOn
29 DeVellis RF (1991) Scale development: Theory and applications. Newbury Park, CA: SAGE Publications.
30 Bagozzi RP, Yi Y (1988) On the evaluation of structural equation models. J Acad Market Sci 16: 74-94.   DOI
31 Beach LR, Burns LR (1995) The service quality improvement strategy. Int J of Serv Ind Manag 6: 5-15.   DOI   ScienceOn
32 Bitner MJ (1990) Evaluation service encounters: The effects of physical surroundings and employee responses. J Marketing 54: 69-82.   DOI   ScienceOn
33 Bloemer J, Ruyter K, Wetsels M (1999) Linking perceived service quality and service loyalty: A multi-dimensional perspective. Eur J Marketing 33(11112): 1082-1106.   DOI   ScienceOn
34 Bolton RN, Drew JH (1991) A multistage model of customers' assessments of service quality and value. J Consum Res 17: 375-384.   DOI   ScienceOn
35 Austin SB, Melly SJ, Sanchez BN, Patel A, Buka S, Gortmaker SL (2005) Clustering of fast-food restaurants around schools: A novel application of spatial statistics to the study of food environments. American J Public Health 95: 1575-1581.   DOI   ScienceOn