Understanding new assurance attributes of hotel restaurants during COVID-19

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of studies were conducted to better understand “new normal” services from the perspectives of restaurant operators and customers (Kim & Liu, 2022; Wang et al., 2021). Having conducted in-depth analysis, the “new normal” services documented in literature are related to assurance, a SERVQUAL and DINESERV dimension, in regard to employees’ ability to inspire customer trust and confidence (Parasuraman et al., 1988). The review of literature indicates that the physical environment, the hygiene & cleanliness of restaurants, and contactless services are the key attributes that enhance customer confidence in restaurant services (Jeong et al., 2022; Kim & Liu, 2022). It is, therefore, important for restaurant operators to fully understand them to deliver better services to meet customer expectations. However, there is a lack of research that examines “new normal” services in relation to assurance attributes in full-service hotel restaurants during COVID-19. This research note employs a qualitative exploratory study to examine new assurance attributes in regard to hotel restaurants based on two sources of information. The study expects to expand the original knowledge on the assurance dimension in regard to restaurants and to help restaurant operators to acquire a better understanding of new assurance attributes, thereby providing both theoretical and practical contributions.