Question

Discuss how the service person in a restaurant is part of the product the customer receives when purchasing a meal.

Answer 1

Lead students to answer this question by thinking about not only the technical quality (the quality of the food) but also the functional quality (the service provided in the restaurant) of the service.

• The service provider is the service. They provide the food product to the customer and aid in the money transaction. If there is a problem, they must solve it. If there is a need, they must try to fulfill it. In this respect, the service person is integral to the process. This is illustrated by the inseparability and variability of the industry.

1. Therefore, the evaluation of the service by the customer will be, in large part, due to the server’s performance. If the person is not attentive, or is obnoxiously so, this will be reflected in the customer’s perception of the experience. In the hospitality and travel industries, the employee is the product.

• Overall, the employees, atmosphere, and delivery of the service all have to be delivered to the guest’s satisfaction. The food being served as well as the way it is being served is part of the overall experience package that the customer is paying for at a restaurant. The service person is responsible for playing their role to perfection as provided for in the training.