Predictors and outcome of customer satisfaction: moderating effect of social trust

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to present an integrative model of predictors and outcome of customer satisfaction in the fast food industry and also examined its effects. Moreover, we also examined the contingent effect of social trust on the relationship between customer satisfaction and brand loyalty. Both offline survey and online survey were conducted with four hundred Pakistani fast food customers; valid data were assessed and analyzed through structural equation modeling and moderation step-by-step approach. Results demonstrate that restaurant stimuli such as food quality, service quality, restaurant atmosphere, restaurant location, price and a variety of food have strong significant effects on customer satisfaction, and customer satisfaction engendered brand loyalty. Social trust has a positive significant impact on the relationship between customer satisfaction and brand loyalty. Customers with high social trust have a positive strong bonding with restaurants than those who held low social trust. This study has practical implications for both restaurateurs and government. Restaurateurs should keep a close eye on the changing needs of the customer, ensure the safety standards of foods, disclose the menu information, and permit to often visit the kitchen; in this way it strengthens consumer specific trust and general trust on society. Moreover, the government can take an initiative to set proper policy and maintain the food safety standards by regulation.