Customer perception towards service quality offered by table service restaurant in Kuala Terengganu

Abstract

This study aims to determine the customer perception on service quality at table service restaurants in Kuala Terengganu. The researcher adapted SERVQUAL model with five attributes of service quality; tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy, to measure the level of service quality from customer perception. Purposive, systematic random and convenience sampling were used to get the sampling frame. A total of 300 questionnaires were distributed to 30 selected restaurants, of which 290 were returned completed, representing a response rate of 96.7%. The findings indicate that responsiveness is the most important expectation of restaurants customer, followed by tangibles, assurance, empathy and reliability. While the customer perception of service quality most influence by reliability, followed by responsiveness, tangibles, assurance and empathy. The restaurants service fails to meet the customer expectation. Customer more satisfied with the service provided compared to the food served. Customer received more value for their money when restaurant provide a quality of food together with the service. But they perceived food is more valuable for their money compared to food when it comes separately. These shows, restaurants customers at Kuala Terengganu were not prepared to spend a lot of money for better service and considered as price sensitive. The results also indicate there were positive correlation between customer perception of service quality, with customer satisfaction and value for money.