Customer behaviour in restaurants before and during COVID-19: A study in Vietnam

ABSTRACT

The foodservice industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world and it contributes to the development of the Vietnamese economy. However, with the appearance of COVID-19, this industry has been affected. The purpose of this study is twofold, to find out if there is a difference in customer behaviour before and during COVID-19, and to determine the most important factor that customers consider before and during their visit to a restaurant. To reach this aim, a quantitative method is conducted together with a snowball, and volunteer sampling method in which 117 people have participated from different age groups. The study found out that layout /design has the biggest influence on customer satisfaction and cleanliness is the factor that guests care about the most when choosing a restaurant to dine out. Additionally, safety regulations affect customer experience and their decision on restaurant selection. Moreover, delivery service is proved to continuously develop after the quarantine starts. Thus, restaurant managers are recommended to pay more attention to the cleanliness and safety regulations of the outlets during COVID-19. Regarding delivery companies, they should have competitive prices to attract more users.