Drama in the dining room: theatrical perspectives on the foodservice encounter

Abstract

This paper examines the development of the theatrical metaphor in the services management and consumer behaviour literature, and explores the insights this metaphor provides for the management of the encounter between the consumer and the foodservice provider. At one level, regarding foodservice as a theatrical performance encourages managers to ‘put on a show’– to use staff (actors), processes (scripts) and physical evidence (props and sets) to enhance the customer experience. If, however, the metaphor is applied in a deeper way where the customer is seen not as the audience but as a participant in the show, then the managers' role becomes one of providing the space in which the experience is co-created; a stage on which the customer is the star, and the staff the supporting cast. An analysis of the service encounter as a drama can reveal the role the customer is playing, the superobjective behind their visit to the restaurant, and the unspoken subtext behind critical incidents. The restaurant itself needs to remain in character, presenting a consistent message, for example of hospitableness and generosity.