Gender and age as moderators in the satisfaction-loyalty nexus: insights from franchise restaurant brands in Kuwait

Purpose This paper explores the influence of age and gender on the relationship between customer satisfaction and loyalty. It models the loyalty process, examining why and how these demographic factors are critical. The study focuses on their impact within the context of franchise restaurant outlets and multi-outlet brands in Kuwait. Design/methodology/approach Trained interviewers gathered data by surveying over 1,500 users from 120 multi-outlet franchise restaurant brands. The analysis was performed at the brand level using the Univariate General Linear Model, which categorized users based on their preferred brands. This model assessed the main and interaction effects of age, gender, and satisfaction on customer loyalty. Findings This paper highlights that female customers typically exhibit higher loyalty, which diminishes as the proportion of male customers increases. Loyalty declines when highly satisfied customers diversify their brand preferences, but improves among male and older customers as their satisfaction levels rise. The findings underscore the importance of age and gender as pivotal factors in shaping consumer behavior. Research limitations/implications This study focuses on franchise-restaurant outlets in Kuwait, which limits its generalizability. Future research could examine these dynamics in other cultural or business contexts. Practical implications This paper outlines strategies to boost satisfaction among male and older customers, maintain high satisfaction for female customers, increase their representation, and leverage customer relationship management (CRM) tactics to foster brand loyalty and reduce multi-brand usage. Originality/value This paper addresses the need to examine how age and gender affect customer satisfaction and loyalty in franchise restaurants and multi-brand outlets.