FOOD SERVICE ATTRIBUTES AND CUSTOMER PATRONAGE IN CAMPUS CAFETERIAS IN RIVERS STATE

Abstract

One of the major marketing management challenges facing cafeterias today is matching customers’ expectations and experiences with their product/service offerings. Yet, not much is understood about the interplay between food service characteristics, customer experience and patronage of campus cafeterias. Our study was, therefore, designed to empirically validate the effect of food service attributes on customer patronage of campus, with a focus on the university of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. The study involved 264 customers of the cafeterias most of whom were students, purposively selected to generate primary data for the study through the questionnaire method. Descriptive and inferential statistical analytical tools were adopted for data analysis. The findings showed that price of food and service setting/environment had significant effect on customer patronage, while quality of food did not have any significant effect on patronage in the context of campus fast-food restaurants operating on the university of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. The study concluded that price of food and service setting were important predictors of patronage of campus cafeterias in the context of university of Port Harcourt. The study recommended that price of food should be properly communicated and quality of food should be improved upon to drive patronage and that regular employee training programmes be implemented as part of the service marketing strategy to enhance quality service delivery.