Dining experience and customer satisfaction: Evidence from service quality and health-supportive food quality in Padang, Indonesia

This study examines how casual dining restaurants in Padang, Indonesia, respond to the growing demand for healthy eating by positioning health-supportive food quality and service quality as primary drivers of customer satisfaction, alongside atmosphere and physical environment as complementary factors. Data were collected from 123 customers through a structured questionnaire and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to examine the relationships between dining experience attributes and satisfaction. The findings reveal that health-supportive food quality (β = 0.282, p = 0.001) and service quality (β = 0.472, p < 0.001) significantly enhance customer satisfaction, while atmosphere and physical environment do not have a significant impact. Descriptive analysis shows consistently high ratings for freshness, cleanliness, and serving temperature, but relatively lower ratings for the availability of highfiber, low-sugar menu options. These findings highlight the need for managers to expand health-oriented menu offerings and strengthen proactive service behaviors, while treating atmosphere and physical environment as baseline expectations.