CHAPTER 1

Introduction

Korean cuisines are recognized worldwide due to the Korean influence, and one of the

most distinguishable dishes is Samgyeopsal. Samgyeopsal, a popular Korean grilled dish, has

quickly become a popular social and dining activity in the Philippines. This popularity led to

the acknowledgment of Korean cuisine, music, and entertainment. The growing Korean food

market has led to the establishment of numerous Korean restaurants nationwide.

Samgyeopsal restaurants, where everyone gathers around the grill in the middle of the table,

will cook their desired food or grill their desired meat for the entire meal. This cooking-eating

style, which can sustain social interaction with companions and fellow customers, is a

significant factor in the popularization of Samgyeopsal. The Samgyeopsal Dining Experience

has been marketable in the Philippines, especially among Filipino millennials and younger

crowds.

Samgyeopsal restaurants have a different approach to the business; this revolves

around their strategies to achieve competitiveness in the market. They offer attributes

different from other restaurants, including various kinds of meat, side dishes, cooking style

experience, price range, and even drinks that make customers dine in such restaurants.

Despite the Korean restaurant's popularity and efforts to penetrate the Philippine market, it is

crucial to identify what satisfies Filipinos when eating at Samgyeopsal restaurants over other

local restaurants. Consumer satisfaction is one of the main goals of a business, particularly a

restaurant. It is a secret ingredient that drives every successful restaurant.

Satisfaction has become the primary focus of every business strategy across industries

to keep up with the pace and structure of today's competition. Satisfaction is highly subjective

to a customer's experience; businesses focus on maintaining and sustaining excellence in

business operations. The satisfaction of individuals has evolved into a driving force and a

motivating factor that helps organizations come up with creative and innovative ways to

ensure that they can measure consumer satisfaction based on how their customers have

utilized the service that is being offered. Consumer satisfaction is a situation that occurs when

the needs, wants, and expectations of the customer are satisfied by the product that they

consume, particularly if the product has significance to the consumer.

Satisfaction is very pivotal to the success of a business organization. It is essential for

people to be satisfied with the products and services of restaurants. Customer satisfaction is

described "as the customer's subjective assessment of the consumption experience, grounded

on certain associations between the perceptions of customer and objective characteristics of

the product" Rhou Y, Singal M (2020). However, satisfaction is a complex topic for

researchers because satisfaction is subjective to experiences, and experience is highly

dependent on a customer's perspective. One customer's experience may differ from another

based on their expectations, preferences, and past experiences. Therefore, to ensure that

consumers are satisfied, businesses must understand their customers' needs and expectations

and tailor their products and services accordingly.

The number of meals eaten outside the home is increasing, making restaurants one of

the fastest-growing service industries. It is of utmost importance that food service operators

take the time to understand their market consumers better, considering that it is also the

fastest-growing industry in the global market. The worldwide restaurant industry has

expanded as the demand for eating out has increased with economic growth, improved

standards of living, and changing food consumption patterns (Kim & Choi, 2019). The spread

of other country cuisines is one main reason is because of cultural influences. Cultural

influences lead to variations in the practices of preparation and the consumption of food and

cuisine. It influences and shapes the fundamental structure of food attitudes. The consumers’
experiences, beliefs, and values are shaped by culture, which is connected to attitudes,

emotions, social norms, intentions, and behavior (Ong et al., 2023). The Korean food industry

in the Philippines has been swept up. According to a 2020 survey conducted by the Korea

Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) in Manila, the number of Korean Restaurants

in the Philippines has climbed by 81.2 % from 2014-2018.

The restaurant businesses are segmented by the level of services they offer consumers.

As the number of restaurants increases, there are more options. When consumers eat out, they

begin to assess what they are experiencing and form a perception of restaurants from any

previous encounters or other references. Satisfying consumers is crucial because a happy

customer will visit the same restaurant (Kukanja et al., 2020). Previous research identified the

determinants of restaurant attributes, such as food quality and dining service, location, price,

and environment, which could impact customer satisfaction and loyalty (Danthanarayana &

Arachchi, 2020). The quality of food and service is one of the most essential items customers

perceive in a restaurant. Food and beverage quality can be an essential determinant

influencing consumers' choice of a restaurant (CHO et al., 2020).

Service quality determines whether the consumer eventually remains with the

company or turns to a competitor. Perceptions of high service quality and customer

satisfaction lead to higher purchase intentions and repeat purchases. Offering services of

higher quality than competitors is a ticket to customer satisfaction. Since the quality of

service has a solid attachment to customers, they will become satisfied and loyal when their

needs and demands are met. Meeting these factors also means success for food chain

businesses. Therefore, customer service is more than simply listening to the customer's needs.

It is just as important to anticipate a customer's needs to respond. They are understanding

customers' needs before buying allows a business to create an even better experience (S. Lee

et al., 2020).
 Samgyeopsal restaurants have different approaches to pricing. Some offer low prices,

but the quality of products and services is reasonable for what you paid, and some offer

higher prices and premium products and better services. Price is one of the factors that

influence customer satisfaction. Prices, seen from consumers' point of view, are often used as

an indicator of value when the price is associated with the perceived benefits of goods or

services. Consumers will be very sensitive about prices because consumers will compare

prices with what they get. It is believed that pricing significantly affects consumers' buying

behavior because the higher a product is priced, the fewer units are sold. By contrast,

products selling at lower prices than the market rate are assumed to sell at a higher volume

(Sadiq et al., 2020). However, most consumers prefer cheaper ones because price is vital in

determining whether consumers buy goods or services. Consumers spend little time deciding

whether to eat; instead, they spend more time deciding where to get and eat food. Consumers

have become more aware of what value is equivalent to their ability to buy products. They

have been unconsciously calculating the benefit they could drive from spending on a cost

presented to them. They will know which is good and which is not even worth it.

Convenience plays a crucial role in influencing customers in dining restaurants.

Research has shown that various aspects of convenience, such as visual appeal, menu

informativeness, online food ordering convenience, and service conveniences, significantly

impact customer satisfaction, intention to revisit, and purchase intention. (Scott et al., 2019)

Food should be coupled with a good store ambiance and the best customer service from the

businesses and people delivering food. In addition, people know the difference not just

between the restaurant design and the different qualities of a restaurant. Consumers perceive

value regarding any product and service as necessary for building loyalty. In Samgyeopsal

restaurants, to make a consumer loyal is the ultimate goal of providing value-based services

and products.
 The Samgyeopsal restaurant in the selected municipalities of the 1st district of Ilocos

Sur is a potential target to identify the food quality of Samgyeopsal through consumer

feedback and possible growth and development of hospitality care and tourism management.

This research is significant because it aims to provide information and clarity

concerning the improvement of Samgyeopsal Restaurants to meet the expectations of its

consumers, as well as for the consumers to manage their expectations. The researchers

consider the following determinants of consumer satisfaction for samgyeopsal restaurants:

product quality, customer service, price, convenience, and loyalty. Samgyeopsal restaurant

consumers in the 1st district of Ilocos Sur are diverse, following their demographic

information. This research can help us gain a variety of perspectives. This study will benefit

the following:

To Samgyeopsal restaurants to gain knowledge and know the areas where they need

to improve for better service, a strong reputation, and a competitive advantage in the food

industry to meet consumer satisfaction. This will also help people planning to engage in this

kind of business.

To the academic community and research and development institutions, especially in

business, management, economics, and related fields, this research is hoped to be a valuable

reference for further and other related studies.

To the community, this study provides information on how to start and sustain a food

business, especially Samgyeopsal restaurants in the 1st District of Ilocos Sur.

To faculty members in the field of business education, this study is of great help in

updating knowledge and information regarding business, specifically in marketing, finance,

human resources, operations, and management in general.

 Therefore, this study is highly significant to the researchers, who are students at the

University of Northern Philippines pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Business

Administration. This study would further enrich their study of business and can help them

improve their knowledge in the business field.

Statement of the Problem

The study aims to explore the consumer level of satisfaction on samgyeopsal

restaurant in the 1st district of Ilocos Sur.

1. What is the profile in terms of the following:

A. Personal Related-Factors

a.1 Age

a.2 Sex

a.3 Civil Status

a.4 Educational Attainment

a.5 Monthly Salary/Allowance

a.6 Source of Income

a.7 Frequency of Visit

B. Business Related-Factors

b.1 Form of Ownership

b.2 Capitalization

b.3 Number of Employees

b.4 Years of Operation

 2. What is the level of satisfaction of consumers on Samgyeopsal restaurant in

the 1st district of Ilocos Sur along:

A. Convenience

B. Product Quality

C. Customer Service

D. Price

E. Loyalty Program

3. Is there a significant relationship between the profile and the consumer level

of satisfaction on Samgyeopsal restaurant?

Scope and Delimitation of the Study

This study will focus on assessing the level of satisfaction of consumers of

Samgyeopsal restaurants in the 1st district of Ilocos Sur. Mainly, it will focus on convenience,

product quality, customer service, price, and loyalty programs.

The respondents of this study are Samgyeopsal restaurants located in the 1st district of

Ilocos Sur, which includes the Municipalities of Bantay, Santa Catalina, and the City of Vigan

and their respective consumers. The researcher will gather data from possible consumers of

each Samgyeopsal restaurant.

Theoretical Framework

This section contains the gathered researchers from different sources, such as

published or unpublished thesis and those articles and statements from other media and

people, local and international. This study will be used as a guide and support for the

researchers.
Samgyeopsal

According to Argarin's (2021) article, samgyeopsal was originally served in Kaesong,

South Korea, in the early 20th century. However, the meat dish was first mentioned in a

Donga-Ilbo article published on November 3, 1984, titled "How to Distinguish Between

Good and Bad Meat," where the meal is referred to as "segyepsal" rather than samgyeopsal.

The word Samgyeopsal was recognized in the Standard Korean Dictionary in 1994,

according to Tongyeong Newspaper (2020). Along with reading Argarin's piece from 2021,

Koreans celebrate "Samgyeopsal Day" on March 3. The average daily sales of samgyeopsal

in South Korea, where it is observed annually, increase as more Koreans appear to mark this

special day. Every March 3, it is observed because the number three in Korean is pronounced

"ssam."

The term "Hallyu wave" refers to the global spread of popularity of Korean culture.

Before the year 2000, most Filipinos were unaware of the cuisines of Korea until their

curiosity led them to taste the spiciness of their fermented vegetable, known as "kimchi." As

the year progressed, Korea's influence on Filipinos grew more profound, and it did not stop at

admiring their culture but also piqued their interest in the trendy Korean cuisine of today, the

Samgyeopsal (Canet, 2020).

According to Baclid (2020), Korean culture has revolutionized and awakened our

Filipino telenovelas, music, and food by bringing a new taste to the Filipino market. The most

well-known Korean foods are kimchi, spicy noodles, ramyeon, bulgogi, milk tea, and the

most popular Samgyeopsal or Korean barbecue. Because of social media trends,

Samgyeopsal became instantly famous in the Philippines. Korean dramas and films reflect

Korean culture, including food. Several famous Korean dramas, including Weightlifting
Fairy, Fight for My Way, Coffee Prince, reply 1988, and Let's Eat 2, feature samgyeopsal

scenes that make Filipinos drool and crave more. Baclid (2020) also stated that because of

these Korean Dramas,

many Filipinos have become interested in this food for its delicious food and the

revolutionary Samgyeopsal dining experience it brings to the restaurant industry.

As the Samgyeopsal gained popularity in the Philippines, many restaurants opened to

serve this Korean dish. Furthermore, many Filipino entrepreneurs have begun to see an

opportunity in this type of business. Samgyeopsal restaurants have become the talk of the

town because the ambiance and environment inside make you feel like you are in another

country. Furthermore, some reasons Filipinos are interested in samgyeopsal restaurants are:

(1) it is unlimited. (2) There are various side dishes on the table, and (3) it is ideal for

bonding, sharing experiences, and demonstrating togetherness (Cinco, 2020).

Consumer Satisfaction and Customer Satisfaction

Consumer Satisfaction is a feeling of pleasure or disappointment of someone who

appears after comparing the performance (results) of the product against the expected

performance results (Kotler 2006:177, 2019. Consumer satisfaction is broadly investigated in

consumer behavior and social psychology. Consumer satisfaction is described “as the

customer’s subjective assessment of the consumption experience, grounded on certain

associations between the perceptions of consumer and objective characteristics of the

product” Rhou Y, Singal M (2020)

Customer satisfaction is the amount of overall enjoyment or customer satisfaction,

and as a result the ability of the product or service to satisfy their desires, expectations, and

needs. By reviewing the researchers' point of view on the definitions of satisfaction, it can be

seen that there are three main factors in all definitions that the combination of these factors
can provide the basis for a comprehensive definition of satisfaction. These factors include

customer satisfaction, emotional response, or a state of mutual understanding and cognition.

However, Noor Ul Hadi et al. (2019) conclude in their study that practically, customer

satisfaction follows when the purchasers in a buying situation feel convinced of being fully

compensated for the cost being paid by them. This satisfaction is gained from comparing

actual past purchases and the customers’ experiences of the potential benefits the brand offers

for its foreseen possibilities to appease the customer intents and purposes.

Customer satisfaction is defined by Copley et al. (2020) as an assessment that

determines how satisfied customers or purchasers are with an organization's products,

services, and capabilities. Reviews and ratings from devoted customers can help a business

determine how best to modify or improve its products and services. The amount of

anticipation between a company's product and the expectations of its customers is measured

by customer satisfaction, which is a very important factor in a company's product.

Satisfaction is important in consumer behavior and in the food service industry because it

guides what needs to be done managerially (DiPietro & Levitt, 2019). Satisfaction can also be

evaluated through consumer attitudes toward products or services. Consumers who feel

satisfied will be willing to repurchase or seek experience of products or services in the future

and are willing to recommend them to others (Suhartanto et al., 2019). In quite a while

customer happiness will also have an impact on the business and the product since satisfied

customers would buy more products and generate more revenue. Each business can develop

with the help of devoted customers. Furthermore, there is a close connection between

customer happiness and loyalty because neither of these factors exists independently. That

had previously been noted. The quality of the products and services that businesses offer to

their consumers has an impact on how satisfied those customers are.

 There will always be competition among businesses, and customer loyalty means

sticking with one company's goods or services over those of its competitors. Since most

businesses aim to satisfy their customers, the main area that most researchers seek to study

entails achieving customer satisfaction (Gopi & Samat, 2020). This area requires constant

research because customer needs change on a timely basis—customers are the most

unpredictable stakeholders in a business. Despite the impact of other attributes such as price

and product on customer satisfaction, the main emphasis of this research is on service quality

since it has been regarded as the main determinant of satisfaction (Fida et al., 2020). Also,

mostbusinesses focus on the quality of their services when attempting to boost their sales.

This factor, therefore, indicates that service quality is an essential aspect when studying

customer satisfaction.

Consumer satisfaction is crucial for companies because it can facilitate product or

service improvement, market analysis, and consumer loyalty (Bi et al.,2019). The Kano

model can categorize the quality attributes based on consumer satisfaction (Jach et al., 2022).

It is a powerful tool for creating profitable products and services. It helps organizations

evaluate consumer satisfaction, identify weak attributes, and determine attractive features that

should be incorporated into future services (Shen et al., 2021). Since most businesses aim to

satisfy their customers, the main area that most researchers seek to study entails achieving

customer satisfaction (Gopi & Samat, 2020). This area requires constant research because

customer needs change on a timely basis—customers are the most unpredictable stakeholders

in a business.

The dimension or indicator of Consumer Satisfaction is if the performance is below

the expectations of eating dissatisfied customers; if the performance meets expectations, the

customer is satisfied; if the performance exceeds expectations, the customer is very satisfied

or happy (Kotler 2006:177, 2019). However, Noor Ul Hadi et al. (2019) conclude in their
study that customer satisfaction practically follows when the purchasers in a buying situation

feel convinced of being fully compensated for the cost being paid to them. This satisfaction is

gained from comparing past purchases and the customers’ experiences of the potential

benefits the brand offers for its foreseen possibilities to appease the customers' intents and

purposes.

Customer satisfaction is a measurement that determines how well a company’s

products or services meet customer expectations. In order to prevent customer churn, keep

them loyal, and benefit from their ongoing business and development, it is crucial to monitor

and assess customer satisfaction. Finding unhappy consumers is vital, but so is finding the

pleased ones. Beyond the financial benefit, happy customers also serve as ambassadors and

marketers for a brand by referring the establishment to others. Customers who are satisfied

are more likely to make repeat purchases. (Bryson et al., 2020.)

As a consequence of a better level of customer satisfaction, customers are less likely

to be motivated to leave the firm. The formation of long-term relationships is helped by an

increase in the amount of client loyalty. Customers who are content with products or services

are far less likely to switch to one of its rivals, which contributes to the company's long-term

success. Customers, particularly those that are won back, are likely to recommend and enjoy

business while one monitors customer satisfaction and seeks to address any issues. Gaining

evaluations and recommendations can aid in attracting customers and increasing sales.

(Bryson et al., 2020.) Customer satisfaction is a very important side of the business. One of

the main goals of any business is to generate revenue by providing better customer

satisfaction (Bryson et al., 2020).

Studies show that there is a direct connection between the level of satisfaction of the

customers and the amount of money earned by that business. Customer satisfaction helps to
improve the repeat purchase rate. It singlehandedly boosts customer loyalty. Customer

satisfaction provides word-of-mouth referrals, which increases an organization's business.

Customer satisfaction is also at the center of making business decisions (Piccoli et al., 2021).

A totally satisfied customer tends to come back to repeat purchases 3 to 10 times more than a

"somewhat satisfied” customer (Bryson et al., 2020).

Customer satisfaction is so varied and unpredictable that it is dependent not only on

the efficiency and provision of the product or services but also on an efficient means of

customer service. In this context, customer service refers to the system that a company

implements after a product is purchased. This is critical in convincing customers to stay with

the company. Customers are always looking for efficient customer service methods that will

provide them with better results than they are looking for. As a result, customer satisfaction is

centered not only on the product or service itself but also on the aftermath of the purchase.

(Juhana, 2019.)

Customers become significantly interested in the company's products and services

once they are satisfied, and the company retains the customers by providing quality products

and services. This is also extremely beneficial for businesses in terms of launching new

products or services, and interested and satisfied customers show interest in the company's

new products (Vats, 2019).

Customer Behaviour and Satisfaction

Customers always want to experience new and innovative food products and services

from restaurants, and as such, restaurants also engage in the race to please customers and

increase their sales rates (Khairawati, 2019). As the restaurant industry is all about offering

delicious and quality food services to customers, customer satisfaction is especially important

for restaurants. The restaurant industry is the only industry with so many local and major
restaurants and restaurant chains, and they have become increasingly popular among

customers based on their food offerings and overall customer service (Bryson et al., 2020).

As such, restaurants always strive to increase customers, and once customer demand

increases, they also increase their service variations and quality (Wardana & Sumarmi, 2019).

Customer Satisfaction and Its Impact

Customer satisfaction is such a diverse and unpredictable aspect that it not only

depends on the efficiency and provision of the product or services but also on an efficient

means of customer service. Here, customer service entails the system a company conducts

after the purchase of the product. This is important to persuade the customers to stay with the

company. Customers always search for efficient means of customer service that will provide

them with better output than they are looking for. This is why customer satisfaction revolves

not only around the product or services but also the aftermath of the purchase. This is the

most important aspect of customer satisfaction. Once the customers are satisfied not only

with the products but also with the aftermath following the purchase of the product, the result

becomes beneficial for the company in terms of increased revenue and sales growth.

Customer satisfaction positively impacts the profitability of the business. It is the

process of delivering long-term business goals by achieving customer satisfaction. Satisfied

customers are more likely to come back in the future and become loyal customers. It is

impossible to have loyal customers without satisfying them first (Bryson et al., 2020). It is

very common for unsatisfied customers to choose the competitors. One of the main reasons

behind brand switching is poor customer service experience. It takes several positive

experiences to cover up one single negative experience.

Customers generally do not wait that long if they are not loyal customers. When

business decisions are based on customer satisfaction, they deliver better results. Any areas of
the business decisions should be cohesive with the customers. In today’s business

environment, it is important to hold a long-term relationship with customers. Relations

marketing with customers is more popular and successful nowadays. By regularly surveying

customer satisfaction, the business can become more efficient and reflective. By surveying

customer satisfaction, the desires and expectations of the customers can be met. The results of

these surveys can also help to find the strengths and weaknesses of a company (Juhana,

2019).

Importance of Customer Satisfaction

First of all, customer satisfaction is the primary reason behind increased customer

loyalty. This is because customers who have an unhappy experience with the purchase or the

aftermath of the purchase will surely move on to a more efficient and effective company that

can provide quality customer service, not only quality products or services (Juhana, 2019). As

such, customer satisfaction drives an increased amount of customer loyalty, and companies

can retain loyal customers with sales benefits following this fact. Second of all, customer

satisfaction helps companies to reflect on their business performance. This is because the

product or service of the company has a significant impact on customer behavior in terms of

purchasing the products of the company or staying with the company (Khairawati, 2019). If

the business performance of the company is efficient, the company is likely to produce

quality products or services and customer service (Khairawati, 2019). This gives the

customers the expected pleasure they seek in a company. Third of all, customer satisfaction

encourages the customers to buy the product or services repeatedly. As such, the customers

stay with the company and also refer to their friends, colleagues, or family. This results in

repeated purchases of the products.

 Customer satisfaction also increases the lifetime value of the customers (Khairawati,

2019). Once the customers are satisfied with the products or services of the company and also

the customer service, they become attached to the company for life, and this is a beneficial

factor for the company (Khairawati, 2019).

The theory of assimilation

Festinger’s theory of dissonance (1957) forms the basis for the theory of assimilation.

The theory of dissonance states that the consumer makes a sort of cognitive comparison

between the expectations regarding the product and the product’s perceived performance. If

there is a discrepancy between expectations and the product’s perceived performance, the

dissonance will not fail to appear. This point of view on post-usage evaluation was introduced

in the literature, which discusses satisfaction under the form of the theory of assimilation.

(Anderson, 1973).

According to Anderson, consumers try to avoid dissonance by adjusting their

perceptions of a certain product to bring it closer to their expectations. In a similar way, the

consumers can reduce the tension resulting from the discrepancy between expectations and

the product’s performance, both by distorting the expectations so that they could be in

agreement with the product’s perceived performance and by increasing the level of

satisfaction through minimizing the relative importance of experimental disconfirmation

(Olson & Dover, 1979).

The theory presumes that consumers are motivated enough to adjust both their

expectations and their product performance perceptions. If the consumers adjust their

expectations or product performance perceptions, dissatisfaction will not result from the post-
usage process. Consumers can reduce the tension resulting from a discrepancy between

expectations and product/service performance either by distorting expectations so that they

coincide with perceived product performance or by raising the level of satisfaction by

minimizing the relative importance of the disconfirmation experienced (Olson & Dover,

1979) Some researchers have discovered that the control on the actual product performance

can lead to a positive relationship between expectations and satisfaction. (Anderson, 1973)

Consequently, it is assumed that dissatisfaction could never appear unless the evaluation

process began with the customers’ negative expectations.

Peyton et al. (2003) argue that Assimilation Theory has a number of shortcomings.

First, the approach assumes that there is a relationship between expectations and satisfaction.

However, it does not specify the way in which the expectation disconfirmation can lead to

satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Second, the theory also posits that consumers are motivated

enough to adjust either their expectations or their perceptions about the performance of the

product. Some researchers have found that controlling for actual product performance can

lead to a positive relationship between expectation and satisfaction. Therefore, it would

appear that dissatisfaction could never occur unless the evaluative processes were to meet

negative consumer expectations.

The theory of contrast

This theory, first introduced by Hovland, Harvey, and Sherif (1957), presents an

alternative approach to the evaluation post-usage process that was presented in assimilation

theory, in that post-usage evaluations lead to results in opposite predictions for the effects of

expectations on satisfaction (Cardozo, 1965). Dawes et al. (1972) define contrast theory as

the tendency to magnify the discrepancy between one’s own attitudes and the attitudes

represented by opinion statements. This approach states that whenever the customers
experiment with disconfirmation, they try to minimize the discrepancy between their previous

expectations and actual product/service performances by shifting their evaluations away from

expectations. While the theory of assimilation asserts that the consumers will try to minimize

the expectation-performance discrepancy, the theory of contrast insists on a surprise effect

that can lead to exaggerating the discrepancy.

According to the contrast theory, any discrepancy of experience from expectations

will be exaggerated in the direction of discrepancy. If the firm raises expectations in its

advertising, and then a customer’s experience is only slightly less than that promised, the

product/service would be rejected as totally unsatisfactory. Vice-versa, under-promising in

marketing communications and over-delivering will cause positive disconfirmation also to be

exaggerated (Vavra, 1997, pp. 44-60)

On Convenience

Consumers consider convenience to be an important experience in the quality

dimension of food, but it means much more than ease of purchase or quick consumption.

Consumers perceive convenience as a saving theme in the overall meal process: preparation,

consumption, and the cleanup disposal of leftovers.

Ready meals and convenient cooking spare the consumer effort in preparing a meal

while providing high energy levels and pronounced if mostly artificial, flavor. Employees of

Samgyeopsal restaurants give customers individual attention and are always willing to help

customers with their concerns regarding the equipment needed during the cooking process.

Samgyeopsal restaurants have convenient opening hours for foods in home-prepared meals.

High costs of labor and energy, equipment, food ingredients, and the lack of culinary skills

are reasons why food managers are attracted to convenience. (Junalyn et al. 2022). In

addition to the quality of customer service, customer convenience (service convenience) is

one of the other factors that affect the level of customer satisfaction in transactions. Berry,

Seiders, and Grewal reveal that service convenience is an individual's perception of time and

energy related to the purchase or use of goods and services offered. According to a research

from Benoit, Klose, and Ettinger, service convenience has a positive impact on consumers'

experiences of goods and services that encourage increased customer satisfaction, because

consumers tend to prefer service processes that can save time and energy expended to get

goods and services desired by consumers.

On Customer Service

Service quality is a specific function of a product or service, and conformity quality is

a measure of how much the level of conformity between a product or service and

requirements or specifications quality that has been determined previously; service quality is

a measure of how well the level of service provided can match customer expectations.

Service quality is another important factor affecting customer satisfaction (Santos et

al., 2019), where strategies are necessary (Barbosa et al., 2020). If customers have a bad

experience with the restaurant service, it reduces the customer's satisfaction level (Kim et al.,

2019). Customers who have bad experiences with the service quality of a restaurant will not

revisit the particular restaurant. Moreover, these customers share their sad experiences with

other potential customers. As a result, the restaurant's image is greatly affected, and the

number of customers decreases daily. Therefore, restaurant owners should clearly understand

the customers' evaluation criteria for service quality. Consumer satisfaction develops from

gaining what customers expect from the service.

Service quality is a way for companies to continuously improve the processes,

products, and services they produce. Dimensions or indicators of service quality are that the

higher the quality of service the company provides, the higher the customer satisfaction, and
vice versa. (Marnovita, 2020). Quality of Service is good and bad or satisfied, or customers

are unsatisfied with the service provided. Dimensions or indicators of quality of service are

the level of satisfaction measured through questionnaires or questionnaires to assess the

quality of service. (Risdah, 2019). However, the findings of a study by Shin & Yu (2020),

which interviewed 202 respondents to assess the effects of service quality in a Korean

restaurant on customers' satisfaction, loyalty, and trust, reveal that both the tangible food

quality and service quality have a sizable impact on customers' trust.

Despite the impact of other attributes, such as price and product, on customer

satisfaction, the main emphasis of this research is on service quality since it has been

regarded as the main determinant of satisfaction (Fida et al., 2020). Also, most businesses

focus on the quality of their services when attempting to boost their sales. This factor,

therefore, indicates that service quality is an essential aspect when studying customer

satisfaction.

The relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction is mainly grounded

in the SERVQUAL model and was first tested in the hospitality industry. Hence, the study

sought to gather evidence on the phenomenon from the industry where the model was

initially applied to validate the causal effects of tangibility, reliability, responsiveness,

assurance, and empathy dimensions of quality service on customer satisfaction in the

hospitality sector across countries. In that light, Marsrurul (2019) applied the SERVQUAL

model to quantitatively examine the influence of service quality on customer satisfaction in

the Bangladeshi tourism industry. The study used a convenience sampling technique to select

a sample size of 100 participants, and the data were analyzed using descriptive statistics,

correlation analysis, and regression analysis. The results reveal a good influence of service

quality dimensions on customer satisfaction. Similarly, Alauddin et al. (2019) employed the

same model within the same industry in Bangladesh to quantitatively analyze the relationship
between service quality, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty. They collected the data

from 100 local and international tourists and analyzed them using correlation analysis and

regression analysis in SPSS. The findings confirm a positive relationship between service

quality attributes and customer satisfaction, as well as evidence of service quality resulting in

customer satisfaction and customer satisfaction resulting in customer loyalty. In addition, Ali

et al. (2021) conducted a quantitative investigation on the effect of service quality on

customer satisfaction within the hospitality industry in Iraq using the SERVQUAL model.

The study applied a random sampling technique to select a sample size of 111 participants

who provided the data, which were analyzed using factor analysis, correlation analysis, and

regression analysis. While four service quality dimensions, including tangibility,

responsiveness, assurance, and empathy, reveal positive effects on customer satisfaction, the

reliability dimension negatively impacts customer satisfaction.

The study conducted by Cheng et al. (2021) analyzed the influence of service quality

on consumer satisfaction and loyalty to online food delivery platforms operating in Tacloban

City. The OFD-SERV scale was used to examine the similarities and differences between the

expectations and perceptions of customers concerning service quality that they experience

from local OFD platforms. The study also evaluates the six service quality dimensions

(reliability, maintenance of meal quality and hygiene or MMQH, assurance, security, system

operation, and traceability) of the OFD-SERV scale by using a modern configurational

approach such as the Fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (FsQCA) to assess the

credibility of the proposed theories pertaining to relationships of the six dimensions on

customer satisfaction and loyalty.

On Product Quality
 Product Quality is the ability of a product to perform its functions, including the

overall product, reliability, accuracy, ease of operation, repair, and other attributes.

Dimensions or indicators of Product Quality are that customers can get all the benefits of the

products offered. (Novia et al., 2020)

It is one of the key factors affecting customer satisfaction. Customers usually choose a

restaurant based on the quality of the food of a restaurant Kukanja et al. (2020). Customers

evaluate the quality of food based on their consumption experience and expectations (Kim &

Tang, 2020). Therefore, restaurant owners should clearly understand the customer's

evaluation criteria for quality food. Numerous definitions of quality are found in the literature

(Patrícia et al., 2019). However, the definition given by ISO is widely used. According to

ISO, quality is “the totality of features and characteristics of a product or service that bear on

its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs” (Soni et al., 2020, p. 214).

There are eight dimensions of product quality, including performance, features,

reliability, conformance, durability, serviceability, perceived quality, and aesthetics. There are

also seven reasons why quality is needed for companies as a Company Reputation. For

example, companies that can produce quality products or services will be judged by

companies prioritizing quality and getting more value in customers' eyes. First, cost reduction

is needed to produce quality products or services that are still oriented toward customer

satisfaction. Second, market improvement through cost minimization is achieved because the

company can lower prices while prioritizing quality. Third, accountable products and

services require companies always to be responsible for meeting customer needs and

expectations in increasing market competition by producing quality products or services.

Fourth, if a quality product or service can be offered and introduced to the international

market, the company will give a good impression of that quality. Fifth, the appearance of
products and services will be known, and customers will know and trust the company that

produces these products.

Based on previous research, product quality is significant to customer loyalty. The

higher the quality of the products offered at Sakinah Restaurant to customers, the more loyal

customers will be to products offered, and another previous research states that it was found

that product quality has a significant effect on customer loyalty at RM Ampalu Raya Padang

(Anggraeni et al., 2016; Kurnia &Besra, 2020).

On Price

Price is an element that the customer pays directly. Therefore, the Choice of a

restaurant depends on the customer's perception of food prices (Yeh et al., 2019). The number

of customers increases in those restaurants where good food is available at cheaper prices.

Moreover, food price is important in third-world countries where people's purchasing ability

is limited. Pei et al. (2020) pointed out that the owners of restaurants declare numerous

discounts on food prices to draw potential customers. This creates price differences between

restaurants for the same food. Such unfair competition results in unfairness of food prices,

and as a result, the satisfaction level of customers declines. Pakurar et al. (2019) stated that

the food price varies from restaurant to restaurant when the food price is determined by

including the service charge. As a result, the satisfaction level of customers declines.

It is believed that pricing significantly affects consumers' buying behavior because the

higher a product is priced, the fewer units are sold. By contrast, products selling at lower

prices than the market rate are assumed to sell at a higher volume (Sadiq et al., 2020). Several

studies have shown that pricing is more critical and relevant to consumer buying behavior

(Huo et al., 2021). When discussing the combined effect of product pricing and packaging
relationships on consumer buying behavior, pricing alone plays a more critical role than

packaging, partially affecting buying behavior (Jabarzare & Rasti-Barzoki, 2020). Thus,

using this analogy, products can be sold, surprisingly, at a much higher volume. One can

increase the prices of the products if the competitors' products are scarce in the market or if

the manufacturers are low in number. This behavior may not affect the number of sales or the

consumer's attitude toward buying. If the product is already in abundance in the market, then

pricing will play an essential role because the price increase will discourage customers from

buying it. Similarly, if prices are lowered under such market conditions, consumers will

increase the amount they purchase significantly.

Price and purchasing behavior depend on decision-making options; reasons such as

references, price insensitivity, and the high probability of choosing favorite brands can affect

purchasing decision processes. For example, sales promotion techniques can be essential

when two products are equally attractive. In such a case, consumers are more likely to prefer

promotional products. In addition, there are many studies on the effect of price on purchasing

decision-making (Mohammed & Murova, 2019; Qalati et al., 2019; Auf et al., 2018). These

studies reveal a relationship between various aspects of the price and the consumer

purchasing decision process and that the price can affect the purchase probability positively /

negatively.

When discussing the combined effect of product pricing and packaging relationships

on consumer buying behavior, pricing alone plays a more critical role than packaging,

partially affecting buying behavior (Jabarzare & Rasti-Barzoki, 2020). Thus, using this

analogy, products can be sold, surprisingly, at a much higher volume. One can increase the

prices of the products if the competitors' products are scarce in the market or if the

manufacturers are low in number. This behavior may not affect the number of sales or the

attitude of the consumer toward buying. If the product is already in abundance in the market,
then pricing will definitely play an important role because the increase in price will

discourage customers from buying it. Similarly, if prices are lowered under such market

conditions, consumers will increase the amount they purchase significantly.

On Loyalty Program

Loyalty is a commitment to consistently return to buy a product or service (Koay et

al., 2022). Attracting more customers is really about listening to their needs, not being a

solution looking for a problem," says Paige Arnof-Fenn, founder and CEO of Mavens &

Moguls, a strategic marketing consulting firm whose clients include Fortune 500 companies

as well as early-stage and emerging businesses. "There are many existing problems out there

that need to be solved that customers are willing to pay for today."

A consumer loyalty program is a program offered to customers to build an emotional

bond with the company or the brand of the company. This program is a technique for growing

and maintaining existing customers and supporting rebuying through the incentive scheme.

Loyalty programs encourage buyers to return to shops where they make purchases (Isoraite,

2019). There is no better or cheaper way to build a business than with loyal customers.

Acquiring new customers is expensive. Each one represents a huge investment of time,

money, and talent. You will grow faster and operate more profitably if you add your new

customers to a solid base of existing customers. (Brodsky, 2019).

According to recent studies, community satisfaction impacts consumer loyalty and

community participation. A study community’s level of satisfaction is determined by how its

members rate it (Jarman et al., 2021). Based on previous interactions, the community may be

evaluated. When the members are satisfied with their communities, it is manifested through

joyful emotions, which affect the behavior of community members. In short, satisfaction

creates active participation and community loyalty (Shujaat et al., 2021).

 Brand loyalty is the tendency to be loyal to a brand, and loyalty demonstrates the

consumer’s buying intention (Atulkar, 2020). Additionally, Zhang X. et al. (2020) stated that

a loyal consumer characterizes a basis for a price premium, a barrier to entry, protection

against deleterious price accomplishment, and a response to competitors. The basic

dimension of brand equity is brand loyalty. Similarly, the objective of brand management is

brand loyalty. If the company needs to examine the strengths and weaknesses of its consumer

loyalty, it can be examined whether the consumer is promoting its product more than

competitors (Coelho et al., 2019). Moreover, it is the consumer's attitude toward brand

preferences based on prior shopping experiences of a product (Bairrada et al., 2018).

Furthermore, attitudinal loyalty is the degree of dispositional guarantees for some preferences

linked with the brand, whereas behavioral loyalty is the repeated buying intention of a

consumer (Diallo et al., 2020).

Customer Loyalty

Customer loyalty is an important factor in the customer strategy of any organization.

Organizations and institutions that successfully gain customer loyalty have a major

competitive advantage. For the restaurant industry, it is important to understand the attributes

that influence customers' decisions to return to a restaurant for another meal.

A restaurant business must depend on more than customer satisfaction to survive in a

competitive business. More than that, the restaurant business needs to have loyal customers.

Loyalty is a strong commitment to buy regularly or experience a product in the future, even

though various factors can influence it. Loyal consumers will be willing to recommend to

others and pay a premium price (Ahmed et al., 2022).

Customer loyalty can be considered to be a by-product of customer satisfaction. The

satisfaction of organizational customers leads to customer loyalty. Customer loyalty increases

significantly when satisfaction accomplishes a certain level, and at the same time, customer

loyalty declines automatically if the satisfaction level drops to a certain point. Moreover,

highly satisfied customers tend to be more loyal than merely satisfied customers. Overall, it is

clear that there is a significant positive relationship between customer satisfaction and

customer loyalty. Customer loyalty leads to an increase in both sales and profitability.

It is worth noting that customer satisfaction is not the only factor in building

relationship strength; environmental factors such as market concentration can also affect the

relationship's longevity. Hence, in the present-day environment, there is an increasing interest

in relationship strategies where the focus is evidently on building customer satisfaction and

loyalty. Further, the priority goal of the organization is profitability, and one way to achieve

this is to gain and maintain loyal customers. If the organization invests resources to enhance

customer loyalty without focusing on profitability, it can lead to failure in the long run.

According to Abbas, Islam, Hussain, Baqir, and Noor (2021), Customer loyalty is one

of the fundamental reasons for business ownership, which is a major outcome of brand image

and the degree of service they provide to the customers. As a result, if the firm wants to

compete with its rival. To keep customers loyal to their products and services, they must

deliver high-quality goods and services. The brand's overall image improves due to increased

product awareness and satisfaction. Marketing is based on the principle of client happiness.

Customer happiness demonstrates how items are given to customers. A consumer is happier

when he receives high-quality goods at a reasonable price. Moreover, as the client becomes

happier, the brand's image improves, and the customer becomes more loyal to the product.

Customer loyalty becomes important to the organization when it results in purchase

behavior. Firstly, it is much less expensive to retain current customers than it is to seek new

ones. Secondly, loyal customers are more likely to mention past service experiences
positively than non-loyal customers, creating a potential for word-of-mouth advertising at no

extra cost to the organization. Lastly, it secures the relationship between customer and service

provider, which means loyal customers spend more time and money with the organization.

The development of customer loyalty has four phases, namely (i) cognitive loyalty, which

means that the product attributes information valuable to the consumer, intimates that one

product is preferable to its alternatives; (ii) affective loyalty, which means that a liking or

positive attitude toward the brand has developed based on cumulatively satisfying usage

occasions, (iii) conative loyalty (behavioral intension) which means that the customer’s

expressed future buying intension, and (iv) action loyalty which means the motivated

intentions in the previous loyalty states is converted into actions.

Advantages of Customer satisfaction and loyalty

According to Lashkarashvili (2022), understanding the relationship between customer

happiness, loyalty, and corporate success is crucial. Customer satisfaction and customer

loyalty are both important to improve business performance. Customer satisfaction includes

meeting customer requirements and customer expectations and delivering customer value.

According to the study, customer loyalty includes behavioral loyalty and attitudinal loyalty.

Getting business performance from an existing client is less costly than getting it from a new

one. Customer retention, loyalty, and satisfaction are all closely correlated with a company's

operational success.

Customer loyalty and satisfaction are additional factors that aid in measuring

company effectiveness. Customer satisfaction measures how well a company's whole product

or service meets customer needs. Customer satisfaction, therefore, is a gauge of the

customer's commitment to the effectiveness of the service or product supply. In contrast,

customer loyalty refers to how consumers feel about and are committed to a company's
services or goods. Customer devotion to a company and its offerings is measured by

customer loyalty. Business performance is effectively utilising labor and other resources to

generate distinctive value and preserve it. (Lashkarashvili, 2022.)

According to the literature, 90 percent of customers tend to spend more on the

products of companies that have offerings to customers with streamlined customer service

and experience (Lashkarashvili, 2022). It is a fact that quality customer service not only has

positive impacts on the customer's lifetime but also customer acquisition (Lashkarashvili,

2022). Quality customer service not only retains existing customers but also successfully

attracts new customers in the market, and this is a continuous process through which the

company gains new loyal customers (Lashkarashvili, 2022). If the quality of customer service

continues, the new customers will help to gain more new customers in the market

(Lashkarashvili, 2022). This is a continuous process by which the company gains an immense

competitive advantage in the market with an increased number of loyal customers. Customer

satisfaction thus helps the company to stay on top in the market with quality customer service

and streamlined customer experience. (Vats, 2019.)

Moreover, strong and quality customer service has many positive impacts on the

company’s growth and competitive advantage. Customer satisfaction helps the business to be

afloat in many ways, with an increased sales drive. Customer satisfaction helps to identify

certain customer pain points, and thus, the company can improve its products or services and

customer service to help retain and attract customers. (Lashkarashvili, 2022.)

On Personal Related-Factors

In the study conducted by SH Wang & YL Pang (2021), demographic factors do

significantly impact customer satisfaction. For example, people with low income would not

tend to go to high-level restaurants; customers with high education usually have a wider
selection when facing meals because some of them expressed that eating is relaxing, so they

do not so care about price but restaurant environment and food quality; while customer age

varies, their preference is also diversified; gender factor also shows variances in restaurant

satisfaction because individual preference is varied. In sum, demographic factors significantly

impact on customer satisfaction.

Personal Factors That Impact Consumer Buying Behavior

In the study conducted by Albrecht et al. (2023). Personal factors, such as your

occupation, age and life cycle stage, economic situation, lifestyle, and personality and self-

concept, also play a major role in your buying behavior. Age is a major factor that influences

buying behavior because consumer needs and wants change with age. Your buying habits as a

teenager or twentysomething are likely to be vastly different from your buying habits in

middle age and beyond.

Furthermore, the life cycle stage has a major influence on your buying habits.

Consider the different buying choices you would make as a single person who is renting an

apartment in an urban area versus the choices you would make as a homeowner in the

suburbs with children. It should be noted, though, that age and life cycle stage can often be

poor predictors of buying behavior.

Economic situation (income) is a huge influence on your buying behavior. Higher

income typically means higher disposable income, and that disposable income gives

consumers more opportunity to spend on high-end products. Conversely, lower-income and

middle-income consumers spend most of their income on basic needs such as groceries and

clothing. Occupation is also a significant factor in your buying behavior because you tend to

purchase things that are appropriate to your profession.

 Your lifestyle reflects your attitudes and values. Personality and self-concept are also

important factors influencing your buying behavior. Personality is the characteristic patterns

of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that make a person unique. It is believed that personality

arises within the individual and remains fairly consistent throughout life. Some examples of

personality traits people might have include self-confidence, individualism, extroversion,

introversion, aggression, or competitiveness. Your personality greatly influences what you

buy as well as when and how you use or consume products and services.

On Business Related-Factors

In the study conducted by SJD Claveria & FE Mendoza (2021), sole proprietorship is

the most basic form of business ownership, with one sole owner responsible for the business.

It is not a legal entity that separates the owner from the business, meaning that the owner is

responsible for all of the debts and obligations of the business on a personal level. In

exchange for that liability, the owner keeps all the profits from the business. This implies that

this form of business ownership is easy and inexpensive to create and has few government

regulations, making it a more flexible type of ownership with complete control at the owner's

discretion. In addition, profits are taxed once, and some tax breaks are available if the

business struggles. Sole proprietorships are often limited to the resources the owner can bring

to the business. For these reasons, sole proprietorships are often most appropriate during the

early stages of a business, where the owner has little capital/resources to work with but also

has few debts to pay.

Diaz (2024), in his study, “Risk Factor of Newly Opened Restaurants in the New

Normal: Basis for Risk Management Plan,” states that most of the restaurant owners in

Bacolod City are sole proprietors since it is simpler in terms of decision making. Most of

them chose to run a cafe due to the trend in this period of time; it is easy to operate, and, most
especially, it requires a small capital. Also, students, young professionals, and professionals

nowadays are coffee lovers. The respondents in the small and big categories have equal

percentages because cafes and fast-casual restaurants do not require much manpower. Lastly,

most respondents belong to named barangays since some named barangays are located in a

business area, near schools and offices, and have a large population.

According to Rosemarie et al. (2023), The micro-business in Ilocos Sur has existed

for five years and below, into merchandising and a sole proprietorship, have employed 5 to

10 workers, with an initial capital of Php. 500,000.00 and below and generating an average

annual sale of 150,000 and below. Results showed that the financial management status of

micro-businesses in Ilocos Sur is Moderate, which means that a few financial management

systems were practiced. There are pressing problems with the micro-enterprises in Ilocos Sur

and financial management.

Korean Cuisine as Inspiration for Local Businesses

A study conducted by Otmazgin and Lyan (2019) about how Hallyu fans explore new

business and social opportunities inspired by their fandom. In one interview from their

research, Noga, an Israeli K-drama fan since 2007, started a Korean Food Business and then

went to learn more about Korean Cuisine after seeing a Facebook advertisement looking for a

chef to cook for a team of Korean engineers in a city in Israel. She then opened a small

Korean food catering business, initiated Korean food workshops, and participated in Food

Fairs. Her journey, together with other Hallyu fans, shows that their passion and motive drive

them to promote Hallyu and Korean Cuisine Culture in their hometown. By adapting Korean

Cuisine to their Local Cuisine, which focuses on Kosher Foods because of their religion,

Noga’s skills could attract more audiences, especially religious Hallyu fans. The clients of

these entrepreneurs are the Hallyu Fans themselves, but there will also be a second wave of
consumers who would want to try Korean Foods. Otmazgin and Lyan’s paper about Hallyu

entrepreneurship shows how entrepreneurs can be influenced or inspired by Korean Cuisine

when it comes to opening Local Businesses.

The study by Malabanan et al. (2022) shows that the Korean wave, or ''Hallyu'' has a

significant role in Filipinos' purchasing intentions for Korean products. The study was

conducted in Metro Manila, Philippines, and they found that the image and popularity of

Korean culture scored the highest out of all the purchasing factors tested. Product placements

on different Korean movies and series also received a high score, following the factor of

popularity, while advertisements for popular Korean personalities scored the same. These

results meant that the popularity of Hallyu significantly impacted why Filipinos continue to

support Korean Products, and without these factors, Korean products would not be as popular

today.

Conceptual Framework

The focus of this study was undertaken using the following conceptual framework.

Independent Variable Dependent Variable

A. Personal Related Factors

The level of Consumer
a.1 Age Satisfaction along:
a.2 Sex
a.3 Civil Status
a.4 Educational Attainment
A. Convenience
a.5 Monthly Salary/Allowance
a.6 Source of Income B. Product Quality
a.7 Frequency of Visit
C. Customer Service
D. Price
B. Business Related Factors
E. Loyalty Program
b.1 Form of Ownership
b.2 Capitalization
b.3 Number of Employees
b.4 Years of Operation
 Figure 1. The Research Paradigm

Figure 1. The diagram shows the relationship between two prolonged variables: The

independent variables and the dependent variables. The independent variable includes

personal-related factors: age, sex, civil status, educational attainment, monthly

salary/allowance, source of income, and frequency of visits. Also included are business-

related factors: ownership, capitalization, number of employees, and years of operation. On

the other hand, the dependent variable consists of the level of consumer satisfaction along

with convenience, product quality, customer service, price, and loyalty programs.

Operational Definition of Terms

This section aims to provide clear definitions of essential terms crucial for

understanding within the scope of this research.

Consumer Satisfaction: The degree to which customers are pleased with the products,

services, or experiences a business provides, often measured through surveys or feedback.

Level of Satisfaction: the extent to which a customer's experience with a product,

service, or company exceeds their predetermined satisfaction goals.

Convenience: The ease and accessibility of obtaining products or services.

Customer Service: A company or business takes actions to help customers.

Product Quality: The characteristics and attributes of a product that determine

its performance, durability, and overall customer satisfaction level.

Price: The monetary value assigned to a product or service determined by

factors such as production costs, competition, and perceived value to customers.

 Loyalty Program: A structured marketing strategy designed to reward and

incentivise repeat customers for their continued patronage through discounts and exclusive

offers.

Personal Related Factors: Characteristics or attributes specific to an individual, such

as age, sex, education level, personality traits, or cultural background.

Age: The number of years a person has lived since birth.

Sex: The biological classification of individuals as male and female.

Civil Status: The legal and social status of an individual in terms of their

marital situation, including single, married, divorced, or widowed.

Educational Attainment: The highest degree of education a respondent has

completed.

Monthly Salary/Allowance: The amount of money earned or received by an

individual monthly from employment, grants, or other sources of income.

Source of Income: The methods or sources through which an individual earns

money.

Frequency of Visit: The number of times an individual visits a particular

location, establishment, or website within a specific period, often measured per week, month,

or year.

Business Related Factors: Factors that influence the operations and success of a

business, including market conditions, competition, and internal sources.

Form of Ownership: The legal structure through which a business entity is

owned and operated.

 Capitalization is the amount of money or assets the owner/ owners invest to

establish the business.

Years of Operation: The length of time a business has been in existence and

actively operating since its establishment.

Number of Employees: The total count of individuals employed by a business

or organization, including full-time, part-time, and temporary workers.

Hypothesis

1. There is no significant relationship between personal and business-related factors to

the determinants of the level of customer satisfaction.

Methodology

The research design of the study, the population and sample, the instruments to be

used in data gathering, the statistical treatment of data, and ethical considerations are

presented in this portion.

Research Design. The researchers consider using the descriptive and correlational

methods of research. A simple linear correlational analysis will be employed in this study.

This research method will collect data to determine whether and to what extent a relationship

exists between two or more measurable variables. Data collection will be done using a survey

questionnaire validated by the field experts and an evaluation checklist. Therefore,

descriptive analysis will be used to evaluate significant variables' frequencies, means,

maximum, and minimum values.

 Population and Sample. The respondents of this study will be the samgyeopsal

restaurants and their consumers located in the three selected municipalities in the 1st district

of Ilocos Sur, namely Bantay, Santa Catalina, and the City of Vigan. The data will be

gathered from 4 different samgyeopsal restaurants in the said area of the study namely

Samgyup Ji Balay by Chistealaok Bantay, Ilocos Sur, MG D’Griddle & Grill Restaurant Sta.

Catalina, Ilocos Sur, Streetvibes BBQ Grill House Vigan City, Ilocos Sur, Samgyup-Koi Grill

House Vigan City, Ilocos Sur. The distribution of respondents utilized the number of seating

capacity or the average allowable customers of samgyeopsal restaurants.

Determining Sample Size (Using Yamahe’s Formula)

Margin of error: if e = 0.05
n= N ÷ 1+Ne^2
= 534 ÷ 1+534*(0.05)^2
= 534 ÷ 2.335
n = 228.693
The distribution of the respondents is shown in Table 1.
Table 1
Distribution of Respondents
Samgyeopsal Restaurant Owner/Manager Seating Capacity Consumer
(N) (N) Respondents (n)
Samgyup Ji Balay by 1 56 24
Chistealaok Bantay, Ilocos Sur
MG D’Griddle & Grill 1 130 56
Restaurant Sta. Catalina,
Ilocos Sur
Streetvibes BBQ Grill House 1 300 128
Vigan City, Ilocos Sur
Samgyup-Koi Grill House 1 48 21
Vigan City, Ilocos Sur
Total: 4 534 229

Data Gathering Instrument. The primary means the researcher will use to gather

information about consumer satisfaction with Samgyeopsal restaurants is a validated

questionnaire. The data gathering tool employed was in three sets accustomed to the two

respondents of the study – business owners/managers and consumers of the restaurant.

Moreover, the survey questionnaire contained the following parts:

Part I: This part is intended to collect information on the personal factors related to

managers/owners and consumers, such as age, sex, civil status, educational attainment,

monthly salary/allowance, source of income, and frequency of visits.

Part II: This part is intended to collect information about the business through the

owners/managers in each Samgyeopsal restaurant.

Part III: This section dealt with the level of satisfaction of consumers in terms of

convenience, product quality, customer service, price, and loyalty programs. The researchers

constructed this part of the questionnaire.

To determine the content validity of the questionnaire, the following guide will be

used:

Numerical Value Statistical Range Descriptive Rating

5 4.21-5.00 Very High
4 3.41-4.20 High
3 2.61-3.40 Moderate
2 1.81-2.60 Low
1 1.00-1.80 Very Low

In analyzing and interpreting the data on the level of consumer satisfaction in

Samgyeopsal restaurants in the 1st district of Ilocos Sur, the following norms will be used in

the study:

Norm:

Scale Statistical Range Item Descriptive Rating Overall Descriptive Rating

1 4.21-5.00 Strongly Agree (SA) Very High (VH)
2 3.41-4.20 Agree (A) High (H)
 3 2.61-3.40 Neutral (N) Moderate (M)
4 1.81-2.60 Disagree (D) Low (L)
5 1.00-1.80 Strongly Disagree (SD) Very Low (VL)

Data Gathering Procedure. To facilitate the distribution and retrieval of necessary

data, the researchers will enable the floating and retrieval of questionnaires to the

respondents. To conduct this study, the researcher will ask permission and assistance from

each Samgyeopsal restaurant's respective management and consumers as necessary in the

research process. The study's respondents will be oriented by researchers about the study's

objectives to avoid misinterpretations. The researchers will collect the questionnaires to

tabulate and subject them to statistical analysis to answer the problem raised in this study.

Statistical Treatment of Data. The following statistical tools will be used to analyze

the data in this study.

1. Frequency and Percentage will be employed to describe the profile of the

business and the profile of consumers of the Samgyeopsal restaurant.

2. Mean will be used to determine the level of consumer satisfaction, convenience,

product quality, customer service, price, and loyalty program.

3. Simple linear correlation analysis will be employed to determine the

relationship between the variables, such as personal factors, business-related

factors, and consumer satisfaction, along with convenience, product quality,

customer service, price, and loyalty programs.

Ethical Considerations.

The conduct of this research will employ the following ethical considerations.
 Conflict of Interest. There is no conflict of interest in the conduct of the study because

the researcher is just interested in the participants' lived experiences for research purposes.

Recruitment. The researchers will solicit voluntary participation from respondents.

Respondents will be informed that they can withdraw their participation anytime.

Informed Consent. The researcher will provide the participants with proper orientation

on the purpose of the study. The researchers will explain the benefits they may get from the

research. Their willingness to participate by answering the questions during the interview is

tantamount to implied consent.

Security and Confidentiality. Personally identifiable data are anonymized so that they

can't be linked to other data by anyone else. After the research, the researchers will destroy

the documents by shredding and burning them.

References

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management/final-thesis-122222222-2/42258901?origin=home-recent-1
Albrecht, D. M. G., Green, D. M., & Hoffman, L. (2023, January 25). 3.2 Factors That
Influence Consumer Buying Behavior - Principles of Marketing | OpenStax. Openstax.org.
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Alvarez, S. et. al. (2024, January 28). Research Publish Journals. Www.researchpublish.com.
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