Canteen service quality and customer satisfaction: a mixed method study / Mylen C. Cano and Vonzhemar M. Hijada II

The main objective of the study was to propose a program design to improve the service quality and customer satisfaction of a private school canteen in Davao City, Philippines. The study employed a mixedmethod research approach utilizing a sequential explanatory design. The sample population of 371 students and employees of the school was determined using a stratified random sampling technique using Yamane’s formula. For the first phase of the study, research instruments were adapted. The data was collected during the 2nd semester of the 2022–2023 school year. Mean, ANOVA, Pearson r, linear regression, and thematic analysis were used to treat the gathered data. The results revealed that the level of canteen service quality and customer satisfaction are both high in the school canteen. Also, there is no significant difference on the level of service quality and customer satisfaction when analyzed by sex. Consequently, there is an overall significant difference on the level of service quality and customer satisfaction when analyzed by year level and category. Also, there is a significant relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction, and tangibility, responsiveness, and empathy are found to have a significant influence on customer satisfaction. The quantitative result implies that when the canteen increases its level of service quality, customer satisfaction will also increase. Finally, the thematic analysis results explain why four variables possess a high level. At the same time, an explanation was provided regarding why the availability of food and dining experiences got the lower mean values.