Ljubljana quality selection (LQS) - innovative case of restaurant assessment system

The purpose – The purpose of this paper is to briefly present the most well-known restaurant assessment systems where restaurant are assessed by experts. The aim is to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of each system. Design –The special focus is to give answers on questions: how are the restaurants assessed by experts, which are the elements and standards of assessment and whether they are consistent with the quality dimensions as advocated in the theory of service quality. Methodology – The methodology of the research include a case study methodology. Using case studies, it shows the characteristics of three well-known systems (Michelin, Gault Millau and AAA Diamond Rating) and the development of an unknown local restaurant assessment system. Approach – There are plenty of restaurants in the world and countless numbers of guests who wish to visit them. It is hard to figure out which one is best or most appropriate. In order to find this out, guests search for reference sources. These reference sources are regarded as restaurant reviews, restaurant assessments, restaurant ratings, restaurant quality systems and similar. The question arises regarding what scientific methodology and instruments on restaurant assessment stand for and why and how they develop. The question is again who should assess restaurants – experts or guests. These provocative questions surpass the scope and aim of this paper. Findings – The paper provides detailed information on the methodology and instruments for restaurant assessment and an in depth comparison of them. For the first time, it also explains in detail the development of the LQS regional restaurant assessment system.