Don’t Sit Close To Me: Restaurant Table Characteristics and Guest Satifaction

Managing restaurant seating capacity effectively includes making sure that the dining room is equipped with sufficient tables of appropriate sizes and types to meet expected demand. In order to maximize seat utilization, customers are generally seated at the right-size table by the restaurant’s host. In some restaurants, tables are set fairly close together to make the best use of the available floor space. The distance between tables may provide the customers with more personal space, hence their greater satisfaction which may increase the number of hours and money spent in the restaurant. According to the research result, guests seated at tables that are larger than necessary do not have a significantly higher level of satisfaction or a greater spending from the seated at the right-size tables. However, diners who are seated at closely arranged tables show a significantly reduced level of satisfaction ans spend less as compared to diners seated widely placed tables. At fine-dining restaurants, diners seem uncomfortable when tables are set as close as forty centimeter apart, but more satisfied when the distance increase to ninety centimeter.

Complaint Communication:

How Complaint Severity and Service Recovery Influence Guest’s Preferences and Attitudes

In restaurants, guests bring various problems to the manager’s attention in more than one way. The mode of delivering such as feedback or complaints depends on how severe or sophisticated the problems are. More often than not, we would expect guests to file immediate complaints in person (face-to-face) if the problems are serious. However, some guests are more likely to write letters to address similar problems. The worst complaint possible would be guests’ dissatisfaction with both food and service provided in the restaurant. However, the manager still has a chance to save the situation by handling those issues/complaints responsibly. When their feedback and complaints are taken seriously and dealt with properly, the customers may simply ignore these past problems and return as patrons. It is undeniable that some issues allow immediate recovery because guests tend to feedback to the waiters straightaway if they are not satisfied with food or service. On the other hand, some non-food-or-service-related factors such as atmosphere may seem less severe, but they are generally brought to the manager’s attention much later. Due to such delay, those customers may just decide to never return to the restaurant even though such problems are resolved.

Ability versus Personality:

Factors that Predict Employee Job Performance

Ideally, the most effective hotel employee is a quick learner who works conscientiously. These two qualities are required at one point or another in an employee’s career. A quick learner benefits significantly from various staff trainings and workshops, hence can adapt quickly to unfamiliar working environment. This quality is good predictor of how well a new employee adapt to his or her new job especially in hospitality industry. Yet, conscientiousness is better predictor of a long-term success of an employee’s career. To an employee’s disappointment, employee with both qualities are limited in the job market. Even though a combination of the two qualities is ideal, an employee withe either one of the two qualities is good enough for a profession. Therefore, the hiring process varies from one firm / industry to another and depends largely on a firm’s specific requirements of their staff. For example, quick learner are more suitable for firms with a high turnover rate while conscientious employee are more suitable for firm with infrequent hiring because the tend to stay longer though they may require more trainings.

By : Phann Sopheara

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Reference :

- Norton University Newsletter, September 2010 / January 2011, Page: 46.