INTRODUCTION

The restaurant industry is growing rapidly throughout the world nowadays. As the numbers of
restaurants are increasing continuously hence, people have a numerous options for taking food
choices (Snjezana et al., 2013). Currently, the market of food restaurants an emerging industry in
Pakistan intensely change standard of living. In the present frantic lifestyles products that are
meant to save time are gaining attention and fast foods are the most evident among them. The
customer disbursement on restaurant industry has directed from past 10 years (Yahya et al.,
2013). In that time of hurry, customer perform multiple tasks i.e work, shopping or travel while
eating food at restaurants which results an inclined trend in restaurants. Furthermore, fast food
chains have strive hard to grab the attention of customers via provision of good quality food,
competitive price, diversified food products and better service so that customer visit again after
getting satisfied with their experience (Mashhadi and rehman 2012). They have a significant task
of identifying the factors that contribute to customer satisfaction so that focus more on those
particular aspects and eventually improved it. A number of studies conducted to find out those
factors that determine the customer satisfaction and has been unveiled that the customers at large
look for food quality, service quality, value for their time and money and ambiance (Darian and
Tucci, 2011).
Consumers cognitively evaluate their experience during dine out at restaurants. Food quality,
employee services, environment and hygienic conditions are the chief components in evaluating
the restaurant service. Perceived quality has been recognized as prime antecedent of consumer
satisfaction (Mensah and Rebecca, 2018). The two core concepts in marketing theory and
practice are the customer satisfaction and service quality. Although customer satisfaction is
sighted as broader concept than quality of service provided to the customers. Service quality a
fundamental constituent which produces a high level of customer satisfaction that leads to
generate massive sales revenue (Snjezana et al., 2013). In the era of intense competition, the
prime factor for sustainable competitive advantage embossed in delivering high quality service
that will in turn found satisfied customers. As it has a connection with customer satisfaction;
quality service providers give an enhancement to food restaurants to develop a strong connection
with customers. Generally quality of food and other factors are determined by customer
perception, so the responses from customers consider as worthwhile contribution for developing
various strategies (Feliks and Hotman, 2014). Service quality is cognitive evaluation on the other
hand satisfaction involves both cognitive and affective evaluation. Likewise, perceived service
quality a long run overall evaluation of a food product or service while satisfaction is a
transaction oriented evaluation (Blesic et al., 2011).
Customer satisfaction is defined as a customer overall evaluation and consumption experience of
product or service (Johnson et al., 1995). Similarly, perceived quality is the consumer judgment
about the service or product performance. Satisfaction and perceived quality are inter related
elementary factors in effective service management. Thus, perceived quality one of the vital
antecedents of customer satisfaction generally refers to food and service quality of the restaurant.
Researchers found that profitability of any industry directly proportional to customer satisfaction
(Jalil et al., 2016). It determines the quality of services at the restaurant. If a restaurant strives for
achieving maximum customer satisfaction, then it will be very effective in bolstering the
restaurant operations and sales. The inhabitants of Faisalabad are busy bees, being swapped they
prefer to consume food at the restaurant most of the time (Bera et al., 2020).
Customer satisfaction increases customer loyalty (Danish Ali et al., 2021). Satisfied customers
make repeated visits to the respective restaurant. It is noted that the restaurants in Faisalabad
have a more comfortable, enlightened, airy, and family environment that shows better
performance in quality management and customer satisfaction. There are various chief
parameters like dining environment, delivery of food, budget loving prices and order accuracy
must be considered while dealing with customers (Javed et al., 2021). The mentioned factors
have importance in uplifting the contentment and loyalty of the customers. There is a close
relation between customer loyalty and satisfaction. The manifestation of customer’s willingness
to make repeated purchases and visits as compared to the opponents of the same business is
termed as loyalty of customers. When all preferences and needs of customers are fully met, this
results in improved customer satisfaction. Satisfied customers will help to make a positive and
successful image of the business. Therefore, there is a dire need of taking necessary measures to
ensure customer satisfaction in Faisalabad restaurants (Cha and Borchgrevink, 2018).
Customers prefer to choose a restaurant having a good reputation. Customer satisfaction
advocates for the good reputation and fame of the particular restaurant. When people find good
reviews about the services, quality, food, behavior of staff, prices, and peaceful environment,
they show more readiness to visit and enjoy their meals at particular restaurants. The escalated
prices result in less influx of customers (Shahzadi et al., 2018). It is observed that prices and
quality of services are the major concerns of the customers. If restaurants want to collect
reasonable revenue and increased sales then they must strive for ensuring all the preferences and
requirements of customers so that satisfaction levels of customers may enhance (Liu and Tse,
2018).
Although Faisalabad citizens are friendly, they do not like the over-friendliness and
unprofessional attitudes of the working staff of restaurants (Alhelalat et al., 2017). Assessing the
paramount features of restaurants in Faisalabad will allow the hoteling and restaurant business
communities to consider the utmost parameters to foster customer satisfaction, operational
performance, quality management, and sales. Different methods have been used to assess and
evaluate customer satisfaction and contentment like online Performa filling, online feedback, on-
the-spot feedback taking, and some other methods (Carlson et al., 2018). But these methods are
not up to the mark in assessing absolute customer satisfaction. People show reluctance in filling
out the Performa and feedback online. Furthermore, the feedback and comments chronicles do
not cover all the essential factors (Park et al., 2018).
The current study was designed to found the impact and influence of the multiple prominent
characteristics of restaurants on customer satisfaction in vicinity of Faisalabad.
In today's environment, changes in socioeconomic value lead to changes in lifestyle. Adult lifestyles,
particularly those of children and adults, have changed as a result. People don't have time to cook
at home because of their busy lives. This has had a significant impact on peoples' eating habits. The
introduction of fast food and home delivery services has significantly changed how people around
the world eat. (Elahi, 2021)

Pakistan is expanding quickly along with the global trend toward fast food and junk eating. The
Pakistani cuisine is changing for a variety of reasons. People, especially college students, are very
glad to eat at home thanks to the urbanization movement. Fast food has an extremely nice flavor.
Families with greater financial resources also spend more on fast food and dining out. (Erickson,
2006).