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Assessment of service quality in a la carte restaurants within the mega city of Istanbul: A mystery shoppers’ study

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  • Sormaz Ümit

    (Akdeniz University, Faculty of Manavgat Tourism, Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts, Antalya/Turkey)

  • Onur Neslihan

    (Assoc. Prof., Necmettin Erbakan University, Faculty of Tourism, Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts, Konya/Turkey and Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University, Faculty of Tourism, Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts, Bishkek/Kyrgyzstan)

  • Akdağ Gürkan

    (Assoc. Prof., Mersin University, Faculty of Tourism, Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts, Mersin/Turkey)

  • Yılmaz Mustafa

    (Assist. Prof. Dr. Karabük University, Faculty of Safranbolu Tourism, Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts, Karabük/Turkey)

Abstract

In recent years, as consumer income levels have increased, restaurant customers’ preferences have changed, and this is especially reflected in ALCR customers with high service quality. The research was based on the hypothesis that ALCR’s service quality is high. In this study, tourism professionals and academicians aimed to evaluate the product and service quality offered by restaurants — a service sector that aims to provide high-level service — using the secret shopper (SS) method. In the research, 311 restaurant establishments serving in Istanbul, a mega tourism city, were evaluated using the SS method. Since the SS method is an observational technique, the research took a long time (12 months). As a result of the research, it was determined that interaction (p

Suggested Citation

  • Sormaz Ümit & Onur Neslihan & Akdağ Gürkan & Yılmaz Mustafa, 2025. "Assessment of service quality in a la carte restaurants within the mega city of Istanbul: A mystery shoppers’ study," European Journal of Tourism, Hospitality and Recreation, Sciendo, vol. 15(1), pages 167-182.
  • Handle: RePEc:vrs:ejothr:v:15:y:2025:i:1:p:167-182:n:1012
    DOI: 10.2478/ejthr-2025-0012
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Eunhye (Olivia) Park & Bongsug (Kevin) Chae & Junehee Kwon & Woo-Hyuk Kim, 2020. "The Effects of Green Restaurant Attributes on Customer Satisfaction Using the Structural Topic Model on Online Customer Reviews," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-20, April.
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