A comprehensive review of the literature on continuous improvement approaches in food services management

Continuous improvement (CI) have been recognised as one of the most effective ways to improve organisational performance. However, there is a lack of research on this topic from a food service perspective. Thus, the aim of this work is to explore the adoption of CI-focused methodologies in food services and to understand how they contribute to improving the performance of these services. Critical success factors and barriers to the implementation of CI are also analysed. This systematic review was conducted using the PRISMA methodology and a total of 43 studies were included in the analysis. This review shows that CI is effective in improving operations and performance, as well as increasing stakeholder satisfaction in the food service sector. Additionally, the review reveals that CI-focused tools are mainly used in problem identification, waste identification, planning, operations, and logistics. Human-related issues are the most frequently mentioned when it comes to the factors determining the success or failure of CI in food services.