Quality assessment in small businesses: the case of Dutch culinary restaurants

Abstract

Research material on quality definitions in the specific small business segment of culinary restaurants is scarce. Defining quality in culinary restaurant small businesses deserves increased attention in order to further develop professionalism within this segment. For this research nine Dutch senior key-stakeholders were interviewed. The stakeholders held different viewpoints about quality but shared certain elements. Most important determinants of quality were ‘product quality’ and ‘service quality’. Offering information to potential customers about these two factors are very important in customer decision-making. This research will stimulate discourse on quality in the relatively underexplored sector of culinary restaurant small businesses.

Keywords:culinary restaurants, quality assessment, service management, small business

Research in Hospitality Management 2012, 1(2): 75–84