THAI AND FOREIGN CUSTOMERS SATISFACTION WITH RESTAURANT

SERVICE: A CASE STUDY OF MILLENNIUM HILTON BANGKOK

WANNALEKHA WANGSUPA
Advisor: Assoc. Prof. Nitaya Yuangsri

A RESEARCH PAPER SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF

THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
MASTER OF ARTS
IN
ENGLISH FOR CAREERS
LANGUAGE INSTITUTE, THAMMASAT UNIVERSITY
BANGKOK, THAILAND
MARCH 2010

THAI AND FOREIGN CUSTOMERS SATISFACTION WITH RESTAURANT

SERVICE: A CASE STUDY OF MILLENNIUM HILTON BANGKOK

WANNALEKHA WANGSUPA
Advisor: Assoc. Prof. Nitaya Yuangsri

A RESEARCH PAPER SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF

THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
MASTER OF ARTS
IN
ENGLISH FOR CAREERS
LANGUAGE INSTITUTE, THAMMASAT UNIVERSITY
BANGKOK, THAILAND
MARCH 2010

ABSTRACT

For the research entitled Thai and foreign customers satisfaction with
restaurant service: A case study of Millennium Hilton Bangkok, the researcher
proposed to study the level of Thai and foreign customers satisfaction with restaurant
service, measure and compare the satisfaction of Thai and foreign customers as well
as find out the influential factors with the restaurant service at Millennium Hilton
Bangkok hotel. The satisfaction is examined in terms of restaurant staff, food and
beverage products, facilities, pricing and hygiene.

The research design was quota sampling from 75 Thai and 75 foreign
customers who used the service in January 2010. The collected data were analyzed
using SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Science) version 15. The statistics used
in this research consisted of percentages, frequencies and means to measure and
compare the level of satisfaction. T-test and F-test will be used to find out the
influential factors with satisfaction levels.

The findings from the research study pointed out that most Thai and foreign
customers were strongly satisfied with the service of the restaurant service in the areas
of restaurant staff, food and beverage products, facilities and hygiene. However, some
were either satisfied or dissatisfied with food and beverage pricing. Comparing Thai
and foreign customers satisfaction, both were strongly satisfied with restaurant staff,
food and beverage products, facilities and hygiene. But Thai people felt neutral while
foreigners felt satisfied with food and beverage pricing. Apart from that, customers
problems and recommendations were also given.

ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First, I would like to thank my advisor, Assoc. Prof. Nitaya Yuangsri for her
continuous support in this Independent Study. Ajarn Nitaya always listened and gave
good advice. She taught me how to ask questions and expressed my ideas. She showed
me different ways to approach a research problem and the need to be persistent to
accomplish any goal.

Besides my advisor, I would like to thank my previous bosses, Mr. Alexander

Schoell and Mr. Simon Bender for helping to collect my questionnaires at Millennium
Hilton Bangkok hotel, including some worthwhile suggestions and questions in this
research.

In addition, I thank my MA friends who always supported me and gave some

good advice during my study at Language Institute. They always reminded and helped
me in my two years at Thammasat University.

Last, but not least, I thank my family: my mother, Mrs. Chaleenee Wangsupa
for giving me life, educating me in art and science, and supporting and encouraging
my interests. I also thank my sister, Jutaekae Wangsupa, for cheering me up when I
was depressed, listening to my complaints and frustrations and for believing in me.
Thammasat University

Wannalekha Wangsupa

Bangkok, Thailand

March 2010

iii

CONTENTS
PAGE
ABSTRACT. ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSiii
CONTENTS. iv
CHAPTER

1. INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Background.1
1.2 Statement of the Problem....2
1.3 Objectives of the Study.......3
1.4 Definitions of Terms...4
1.5 Scope of the Study...... 5
1.6 Significance of the Study5
1.7 Organization of the Study... 6

2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE 7
2.1 Definition of customer satisfaction.7
2.2 Concept of Service...7
2.3 Four Ps Concepts: Marketing Mix 8
2.4 Success Factors in Restaurant Management.....8
2.5 The Physical Facility...9
2.6 Relevant Research...10

3. METHODOLOGY12
3.1 Subjects..12
3.2 Materials.. 12
3.3 Procedures 13
3.4 Data Analysis.14

4. RESULTS 15
15
4.1 Demographic Information of Hotel Restaurant Customers..
4.2 Customer satisfaction level with Hotel Restaurant 16
4.3 Customer Satisfaction Comparison with Hotel Restaurant Service...19
24
4.4 Influential Factors to the Customers Satisfaction ...
4.5 Suggestion and Recommendation...28

5. CONCLUSIONS, DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS. 29

5.1 Summary of the Study... 29
5.2 Summary of the Findings.. 30
5.3 Discussion of the Study..31
5.4 Conclusions.....33
5.5 Recommendations for Further Research.... 34

REFERENCES. 35

APPENDIXES.... 37
A. Questionnaire in English 37
B. Questionnaire in Thai.. 40