Unveiling the role of service quality in the quick service restaurant sector: An integrative review

Abstract

This study methodically examines the extant literature on service quality assessment in the Quick-Service Restaurant (QSR) sector to gain a deeper understanding of its role in this particular sector and to identify consistent criteria for its future assessment and management by scholars and practitioners. An integrative review method is used to synthesize the literature from 1990 to 2024 and offer fresh insights and perspectives through critical analysis. A total of 108 studies assessing perceptions of service quality have been identified, of which nine identify factors that drive service quality, 69 assess the effects of service quality on various attitudinal and behavioral responses of customers, and only ten assess moderating effects on the relationships between service quality and various customer responses. However, this review reveals that only one study has evaluated items related to self-ordering technologies when measuring perceived service quality. The primary contribution is the presentation of a conceptual landscape of service quality in the QSR context, along with recommended guidelines for assessing service quality. Additionally, ten avenues for future research are proposed.