Assessing foodservice quality in university cafeteria for health promotion: an importance-performance analysis approach

Background: Campus dining services significantly influence students’ dietary choices, nutritional status, and overall health. Early detection of gaps in foodservice quality allows universities to implement preventive measures that promote healthy eating behaviours and prevent nutrition-related issues. This study aimed to evaluate the importance and satisfaction of foodservice attributes at university cafeterias using the Importance–Performance Analysis (IPA) method, with a focus on identifying priority areas for preventive intervention. Methods: A cross-sectional survey involving 231 students was conducted across three main campus cafeterias. Data was collected using a validated questionnaire consisting of 25 attributes across food quality, food selection, food price, interactional quality, and atmospheric quality using a 7-point Likert scale. Mean scores were calculated and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (IBM SPSS Statistics) Version 29. The IPA grid was used to identify priority improvement areas. Results: While students generally considered food and service aspects to be highly important, the findings revealed that several areas did not meet their expectations. These included food hygiene, staff friendliness, speed of service, and cleanliness of dining spaces. In contrast, food freshness, nutritional value, reasonable pricing, and staff knowledge were viewed more positively. Aspects such as entertainment and dining ambiance were less emphasised for improvement. Conclusion: Overall, the results indicate a gap between student expectations and the current performance of foodservice operations in key operational areas. This study highlights the need for targeted enhancements, particularly in hygiene standards. Recommended actions include comprehensive staff training, regular cleanliness inspections, and the adoption of responsive customer service protocols.