MAJCAFE

Siti Zaleha Sahak, Amnah Mohamad, Maizura Abdul Samad , Aina Mardhiah Ahmad Faizul
Arshad Ayub Graduate Business School, Universiti Teknologi MARA

---

Abstract

Gen-Y consumers are well known for their sophistication, technology wise and less loyal to brand. The purpose of this study was to examine the way Gen-Y consumers evaluate the service of fast food restaurant by measuring and comparing their level of perceived and expected quality towards the restaurant’s outlet. Based on SERVQUAL measurement, five dimensions of service were examined in this study. They were tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. Data were obtained using questionnaire, and this was personally administered to dine-in customers of one of the major fast food restaurant’s outlets located in Shah Alam City, Malaysia. Convenience and purposive sampling techniques were utilized in this study. A total of 216 responses were obtained and the usable responses were 203. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and paired samples statistics. The results demonstrated that in all five SERVQUAL dimensions namely, tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy, there was a negative quality gap. Based on the descriptive statistic, it can be said that there may be a difference between perceived quality and experience at the outlet. Reliability aspect emerged as the most critical dimension of SERVQUAL as it recorded the highest negative gap. Tangibility aspect recorded the lowest negative gap. The findings suggested that the management and staff capable of handling customer’s problem and providing its service within the promised time are highly critical in fulfilling and exceeding the customers’ expectations, hence may improve the Gen-Y customers’ level of satisfaction towards the outlet.

Keywords: Customer satisfaction, Dine-in customers, Fast food restaurant, Generation Y, SERVQUAL