Influence of Service Quality on Customer Satisfaction and Return Intention at a Restaurant: The Case of a Student-Operated Restaurant in South Africa

This study uses an Institutional DINESERV model to examine the influence of service quality dimensions (i.e., food quality, atmosphere, service quality, convenience, and price) on customer satisfaction and return patronage in a Student Operated Restaurant (SOR). A total of 62 guests were surveyed at a university SOR in South Africa. Factor analysis, ANOVA, correlation, and regression analyses were used to analyse data. The findings show that all service quality dimensions significantly and positively affected customer satisfaction and revisit intentions. Hospitality programs that use restaurants as teaching labs must concentrate their efforts in these areas to equip students with competencies that better meet these industry needs. This study is unique because it extensively explored the influence of service quality on customer satisfaction and return patronage in an immersive experiential learning program, the student-operated restaurant. This area has been underexplored in contemporary literature.