THE QUALITY OF SERVICE DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND ITS

EFFECT TO CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AMONG SELECTED

COMMERCIAL RESTAURANTS IN COTABATO CITY

A Research
Presented to the Faculty of
Tourism and Hospitality Management
STI College Cotabato

In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management

Abdulsalenin K. Adang
Asmera N. Kasim
Sarah G. Kedtog
Lilali Kristine D. Tiempo

January 2022

i
 ENDORSEMENT FORM FOR FINAL DEFENSE

TITLE OF RESEARCH: The Quality of Service during COVID-19 Pandemic and its effect
to Customer Satisfaction among Selected Commercial Restaurants in Cotabato City

NAME OF PROPONENTS: Abdulsalenin K. Adang

Asmera N. Kasim
Sarah G. Kedtog
Lilali Kristine D. Tiempo

In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements

for the degree Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management
has been examined and is recommended for Final Defense.

ENDORSED BY:

MR. GUIAMEL P. SABDULLAH

Research Adviser

APPROVED FOR FINAL DEFENSE:

MR. AVERELL N. SAGLAYAN, MTHM

Research Coordinator

NOTED BY:

MR. AVERELL N. SAGLAYAN, MTHM

Program Head

January 2022

FT-CRD-113-00 | STI College Cotabato ii

 APPROVAL SHEET
This research entitled: THE QUALITY OF SERVICE DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC
AND ITS EFFECT TO CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AMONG SELECTED
COMMERCIAL RESTAURANTS IN COTABATO CITY prepared and submitted by
ABDULSALENIN K. ADANG; ASMERA N. KASIM; SARAH G. KEDTOG; and LILALI
KRISTINE D. TIEMPO, in partial fulfillment of the Bachelor of Science degree requirements
in Tourism Management, has been examined and is recommended for acceptance and approval.

MR. GUIAMEL P. SABDULLAH

Research Adviser

Accepted and approved by the Research Panel

in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management

Mr. Averell N. Saglayan, MTHM Ms. Ronnalyn A. Navarro

Panel Member Panel Member

Mr. Rommy J Mohammad U. Nalang, MPA

Lead Panelist

NOTED BY:

ALFRED B. TABOADA, PhD

Academic Head

January 2022

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

“For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.” Surah Ash-Sharh [verses, 5-6]

Despite our current situation, everything is becoming harder for us. It has been a long and
difficult journey. From title proposal, multiple revisions, sleepless nights, mental breakdowns to
final defense, I cannot fathom how we managed to finish this research. It was indeed a roller
coaster experience, and we would not have been able to complete this journey without the
myriad blessings, wisdom, and strength Allah, the Most Beneficent, the most Merciful, has
bestowed upon us, as well as the countless people who have been with us for the past few
months.  We express our heartfelt gratitude to our Research Coordinator Mr. Averell N. Saglayan,
MTHM for his endless patience, considerations, and dedication to support us. Likewise, to our
beloved research adviser, Mr. Guiamel P. Sabdullah, for the enriching insights and constructive
criticism that have tremendously contributed to the success of this study.

We also want to extend our gratitude to our research panelists, Mr. Rommy J. Mohammad U.
Nalang, MPA; Mr. Averell N. Saglayan, MTHM; and Ms. Ronnalyn S. Navarro. The time they
spent reviewing our manuscript and the effort in giving valuable suggestions for the
improvement of the study are all greatly appreciated. We will certainly be unable to complete our
studies without all their advice, guidance, and supervision. To all our respondents, customers in
Cotabato City, thank you so much for the prompt response during the research survey. Also, big
thanks to restaurant establishments in Cotabato City for the approval and encouragement
(Penong's Barbeque Seafood and Grill, Hukad sa Golden Cawrie, Cavestone Restaurant, Mang
Gorio, and Kai’s Lounge). To our Academic Head, Mr. Alfred B. Taboada, PhD, for his
unwavering support. To our grammarian, Mr. Joey Suan, thank you very much for taking the
time and commitment to proofread the content of our study. For our statistician, Mr. Donato B.
Pidlaon, for sharing knowledge and skills in the analysis and statistical computations, we are
deeply indebted to him for the help in the completion and success of this study.

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Furthermore, we revere the patronage and moral support extended with love, by our parents;
Omaira D. Devera and Joselito S. Tiempo; Mohha Usman Kusa and Boysan Wahab Adang;
Mohammad G. Kasim (late) and Arifa N. Kasim; Itin Taha Kedtog (late) and Parida Kadil Gani,
the emotional and financial support as well as their passionate encouragement, has motivated us
to surpass all the hurdles of life. To our loving and supportive classmates and friends, thank you
so much for the prayers and laughter, especially when needed.

Above all-to Allah, the Almighty-without His everlasting grace, this success would not have
been possible. To Him be all the glory and honor forever.

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 ABSTRACT

Title of research: The Quality of Service during COVID-19 Pandemic and its effect to
Customer Satisfaction among Selected Commercial Restaurants in Cotabato City

Researchers: Abdulsalenin K. Adang

Asmera N. Kasim
Sarah G. Kedtog
Lilali Kristine D. Tiempo

Degree: Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management

Date of Completion: July 2022

The change from a restaurant's typical customer care to a mandatory modification due to local
policies and regulations placed on delivered services was both drastic and dramatic. The
COVID-19 pandemic has caused restaurants to struggle with delivery and providing quality
service to customers due to health protocols such as social distancing, wearing face masks, face
shields, and sanitary paraphernalia. Hence, this study aimed to determine the quality of service
during COVID-19 pandemic and its effect to customer satisfaction among selected commercial
restaurants in Cotabato City. The study employed a descriptive-correlational research design. The
adaptive-modified questionnaire was used to gather data from 30 selected customers in five
selected commercial restaurants in Cotabato City. The researchers used the convenience
sampling technique due to the difficulty of getting samples to answer the questionnaires in
person, limited movement, and limited time to conduct the study during this time of the
pandemic. The study utilized a mean score, standard deviation, and Pearson Product Moment
Correlation Coefficient (Pearson r) to interpret and analyze all the data gathered. The results
showed that the commercial restaurants in Cotabato City provide a satisfactory level of service
quality to their customers amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in a satisfactory level
of customer satisfaction. Therefore, it implies that the service quality of these restaurants amidst
the COVID-19 pandemic influences their customers’ satisfaction. Meaning, that the higher the
level of service quality that these restaurants provide the higher the level of the customers’
satisfaction.

Keywords: Tourism Management, Service Quality, Customer Satisfaction, Quantitative,

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Philippines

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Title Page i
Endorsement Form for Final Defense ii
Approval Sheet iii
Acknowledgments iv
Abstract vi
Table of Contents vii
List of Tables viii
List of Figures ix
List of Abbreviations x
Chapter I: Introduction 1
Background of the Study 1
Research Questions 3
Significance of the Study 3
Scope and Limitations 4
Chapter II: Review of Related Literature 5
Chapter III: Theoretical and Conceptual Framework 9-10
Chapter IV: Research Methodology 11
Chapter V: Presentation and Discussion of Findings 13
Chapter VI: Conclusions and Recommendations 23
References 25
Appendices 28

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 LIST OF TABLES
Table Page
1 Level of Service Quality in the Restaurants in Cotabato City in this time of 14
Covid-19 Pandemic
2 Level of Customer Satisfaction to Services Offered by Restaurants in 17
Cotabato City in this Time of Covid-19 Pandemic
3 Significant Relationship between the Restaurants’ Level of Service Quality 20
on the Level of Customer Satisfaction Amidst Covid-19 Pandemic in
Cotabato City
4 Gantt Chart 47
5 Actual Research Expenses 48

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 LIST OF FIGURES
Figure Page
1 The Conceptual Framework 9-10
2 Graphical Presentation of the Demographic Profile of the 14
Respondents Using Pie Charts

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 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
Abbreviations Page

1. SERVQUAL Service Quality 9

2. DINESERV Dine Service 9
3. CFFRSERV Chinese Fast-Food Restaurant Service 9

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 CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION

The sudden transition from normal customer services offered by a restaurant to an obligatory
change due to local policies and regulations imposed to rendered services was both drastic and
dramatic. In the food business sector, providing excellent services is vital to their survival in a
competitive market to which the Covid-19 pandemic is also prevalent. As customers, one of the
most essential factors in the highly competitive foodservice industry's success, and that customer
satisfaction serves as a baseline standard of performance and a standard of excellence for any
business sector Shinde, R., Chavan, P., & Ali, M. M. (2018). Likewise, consumers are concerned
not just with how a service was offered, but also with the quality of the product they received.
Therefore, they engage with their restaurant once they believe the value, they receive from the
restaurant's offerings is adequate Itani, O. S., Kassar, A. N., & Loureiro, S. M. C. (2019).

Service quality is determined by the customer's expectations of a service provider's performance

and their evaluation of the services they received. As a result, the relationship between service
quality and customer happiness has evolved into a major and strategic concern Shinde, R.,
Chavan, P., & Ali, M. M. (2018). With service quality in mind, modern business management
commits to alter with the different variability of market challenges they come into face. To
improve business success, service quality outlines to be a service provider's ability to properly
please clients. In addition, a vital component of corporate success in the service industry are
evident that it correlates well with profits, market share, and customer satisfaction (Ramya,
Kowsalya, & Dharanipriya, 2019).

Background of the Study

The progressing rise of Covid-19 cases has caused restaurants to struggle on the delivery and
provide quality service to customers due to health protocols such as social distancing, wearing
face masks, face shields, and sanitary paraphernalia. Restaurant businesses have a lot to offer in
gaining customers satisfaction. Hence, customers tend to be vulnerable that a business can lose
them at any point which begs the issue of what sort of service quality are essential to them.

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Knowing that the customers are the assets in a business, their continues engagement, thoughts
about profits, business service environment and its service quality are essential component.
Driving consumer satisfaction and that several factors or dimensions of service quality may show
different processes and outcomes for customers satisfaction (Pan & Ha, 2021).

On an international standpoint, in a response to the COVID-19 eating restrictions imposed by

countries, several different methods to altering corporate structures were explored, specifically in
the United States. These approaches resulted in the development of themes, which led to the
discovery of specific recommendations such as developing contingency plans, being adaptive
and inventive, eliminating menu items, investing in a communication platform, and participating
in local government as stated by (Norris, Taylor Jr., & Taylor, 2021). As was stated by Winsight
Restaurant (2020) an amazon web sponsored report, the growth of take away and delivery
services was one of the most major changes brought about by the pandemic. Shifts to curbside
and contactless pickup helped reduce people's exposure. On the other hand, third-party delivery
firms let small, local eateries to serve meals to-go without having to employ full- or part-time
delivery staff.

In the Philippines, food industry is one of the main growing sectors in our country as reported by
the Philippine Statistical Authority (2021), with restaurants and mobile food services as the
leading group with a 73.6% activity rate within the sector, it is truly an economic foundation of a
city, more importantly in Cotabato City. As even with the current situation, many new foods
service businesses emerged and is still emerging, from left and right milk-tea shops to grand
coffee shops to chill around, from fast-food chain, to classic home-made, the food industry
within the City is still visibly increasing.

On the contrary, with the impeding threat the pandemic has done and is still inflicting. The
restaurant sector was vastly affected as policies and regulations were enforced. Some businesses
have slowed down, limited services including some that are deemed to close. It is with all those
noted points that there perchance a visible impact to service quality on restaurant, affecting the
satisfaction to customers. With that scenario that the researchers were prompted to conduct this
study, specifically within the City of Cotabato as the scarcity of published information relating to

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the said topic have not been conducted in the city, the researchers intended to conduct a survey to
know the impact of service quality to commercial restaurants within the said City.

Research Questions

This study’s main objective is to understand the quality of service during COVID-19 pandemic
and its effect to Customer Satisfaction among selected commercial restaurants in Cotabato City
that will seek to answer the following;

1. What is the level of service quality in the restaurants in Cotabato City in this time of Covid-
19 pandemic?

2. What is the level of customer’s satisfaction to services offered by restaurant in Cotabato City
in this time of Covid-19 pandemic?

3. Does the restaurants’ level of service quality have a significant relationship (influence) on the
level of customer satisfaction amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in Cotabato City?

Significance of the Study

The aim of knowing the impact of service quality on commercial restaurant in Cotabato City
aims to signify the determination of strategies that restaurants implemented during the
current crisis to offer a better solution for customers' satisfaction. Given that an enhanced
delivery of service is being done to ensure both COVID-19 policies are met, customers still
feel the satisfaction a restaurant offers.

The outcome of this study could be highly significant and beneficial to the following:

 Department of Tourism - The result of the study will help the Department of Tourism
be guided on monitoring the highly strategic commercial restaurants that are showing
improvements and innovations amidst the pandemic.

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  Commercialized Restaurant Owners - The result of this study may help future business
owners be guided of how the currently established restaurants deal with the changes to
service in their current state and to better understand how service quality works for
developing businesses.
 Employees - The results of this study can benefit employees in finding suitable
workplace that are well-equipped to handle the transition of the new normal during this
time of pandemic.
 Customers - The results of this study will help customers identify commercial
restaurants that are offering services that can be both satisfactory in terms of food quality
and the services being delivered.
 HRM/TM Instructors - With this research, instructors may benefit in improving their
techniques and strategies in teaching what commercial restaurants are using during the
pandemic as new data emerges and new insights and learning are bound to arise.
 HRM/TM Students and Future Researchers - The tourism and hospitality industries
may use this as a reference for their research. They may use the findings and evidence in
this study to venture into a new kind of research.

Scope and Limitations

The scope of this study is the food business sectors in the Cotabato City to determine the
quality of service during COVID-19 pandemic and its effect to customer satisfaction. The
study is limited only to 30 randomly selected customers per commercial restaurant,
regardless of the medium they used, ex. [Online orders (Pick-up/Deliveries), Drive thru,
walk-in]. The study was conducted within selected commercial restaurants in Cotabato City
and will represent the entire established commercial restaurants population.

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 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter presents the related literature and studies found by the researchers
particularly on service quality, customer satisfaction and the effect of the Covid-19
pandemic to the food service industry. This will also present some evidence of related
literature pertaining to the impact of service quality on restaurants for customer
satisfaction.

Service Quality

Given that the term service quality can be hard to describe as the difference of defining
the term is slim and the main point of it is the output of service itself as a criterion for a
customer to have the likelihood of returning to the business the services had been offered
(Ramya, Kowsalya, & Dharanipriya, 2019).

In the study of Khanh and My Hanh (2020) service quality could affect the customer
satisfaction through the way the staff communicates and attends to the need of the
customers. The need to train the service staff in an ethical and professional ways to
response accordingly to the feedback and complaints of the customer was also emphasize
in the study of Abdul Razak, Aminuddin, and Ghazali (2020).

Customer Satisfaction

Customer satisfaction plays a critical role in a business's capability to deliver and

maintain a competitive edge. Businesses that construct components of the marketing mix
by acknowledging customers' expectations are compensated with client loyalty and in
return a profit. Organizations gain not just customer knowledge but also market
knowledge by assessing customer satisfaction. Aside from improving the food quality
and service quality offered by a restaurant in achieving higher customer satisfaction, it is
also important to understand the customers’ preferences through their likes and dislikes,

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this would help in attracting new customers and retaining the old ones (Golani, Manglik,
& Pawar, 2017). Moreover, in the same study, customers are more likely to choose a
restaurant to dine in through the Word of Mouth which came from the customer who had
experience satisfaction from a said restaurant.

Influence of service quality on customer satisfaction

According to the study that was conducted on Arab restaurants in Malaysia, with both
studies adopted the factors of service quality as the tangible, reliability, responsiveness,
assurance and empathy factors, with the same positive outcome using statistical tools in
knowing the relationship of each and every factors, given that both studies demonstrated
positive and highly significant relationship that connects both service quality to customer
satisfaction with the side note of the responsiveness which illustrated a negative trend
(Monther & Mahadevan, 2019).
Among the three dimensions of service quality studied by Abu Bakar and Choo (2020)
two of the dimensions, food quality and price, have significant effect on the customer
satisfaction which is in line with the findings of various researchers while the other
dimension which is the physical environment showed no significant effect on the
customer satisfaction.
In addition, according to the study of Kristiawan, Hartoyo, and Suharjo (2021), the better
the service quality offered to the customer the higher would be the customer satisfaction.
With the customer retention, firms must focus on building customer loyalty to have a
long-term and mutually profitability relationship which in return be a great advantage in
the market (Tu, Lin, & Chang, 2011; Keshavarz, Jamshidi, & Bakhtazma, 2016).

Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on the food service industry

The worldwide effect and devastation of the Covid-19 pandemic has brought industry far
from their limits and capabilities, with some struggle with employment issues which
resulted to reduced staffing needs or temporary closure itself, as financing issues arise
due to less customer traffic and far greater restrictions that leads to lesser income for

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businesses. Currently, as reported by the legal news outlet JDSupra, most full-service
restaurants are operating however, with small groups of people that their facility can only
hold, with regards to the imposed policies and regulations that the local or national
government issued (JDSupra, 2021).
Reopening of businesses like restaurants is challenging because the main source of
income is coming from those customers dining in. With the additional restrictions
implemented by the government regarding on the number of employees and customers
inside establishments recovery from economical losses would be at slower rate.
Adaptability is one solution to cope up with the adverse effects of Covid -19 in food
service industry. According to Young (2021) outdoor dining bubbles caught the interest
of many restaurants' owner as part of the shift from indoor dining to outdoor dining.
However, Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) pointed out that outdoor
dining bubbles have the same high Covid-19 risks as indoor dining. There are
considerations that must be put into in reopening businesses specifically in restaurants
during Covid 19 pandemic. The top priority to consider is the health and safety of
employees and customers and next would be the finance and the technology (Lakshmi &
Shareena, 2020).
Aside from the losses both in sales and income, impact on the well-being of people under
the food service industry were noticed. Owners, operators as well as employees had
experienced anxiety, fear, and stress in their workspace (Vigilia, Portana, Santos,
Salamanca, & Dela Cruz, 2021).

Customer value and loyalty amidst Covid-19 pandemic

Customer's loyalty comes with superior dining experience and the feeling of being
valued. (Golani, Manglik, & Pawar, 2017). However, with the ongoing restrictions in
indoor dining restaurant owners and operators were drawn to recreate their services like
in dine-in experience with the assurance of the maximum health and safety management
for the customers and through empowering technology by introducing pickup and
delivery models from mobile or online orders (Crimaldi, 2020). Aside from recreation of
services, the use of loyalty rewards and programs was established to ensure customer

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retention as well as customer gain. An article at CNBC stated that a surged of 124% of
restaurant digital orders were recorded in the year ended in March according to NPD
group. Same result of increase loyalty programs engagements was seen in PYMNTS
wherein the customers who orders the most belong to the millennials and Gen Z age
group (Lucas, 2021; PYMNTS, 2021).

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 CHAPTER III
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

This study adapts the modified DINESERV model which is the CFFRSERV model.
According to Tan, Oriade, and Fallon (2014), CFFRSERV is a model that includes food
quality as part of service quality dimensions together with assurance, empathy, reliability,
responsiveness, and tangibles. In the study of Saneva and Chortoseva, (2018) pointed out
that the measure of food quality is one of the most important factors that could influence
the overall customers’ experience of restaurant service in which this dimension is absent
in both SERVQUAL and DINESERV model. Moreover, in study of Taylor and Cronin
(1994), even though SERVQUAL is said to be good measurement for many industries,
researchers reported that it is not suitable in some areas and some of its factors are
inconsistent.

Service quality is multidimensional and may vary in different food service industry.
Identification of the overall customer satisfaction through measurement of service quality
enables the restaurant operators and managers to establish better operation and services as
well as to improve and introduce new strategies to increase their customer satisfaction
ratings (Ghotbabadi, Feiz, & Baharun, 2015). In addition, through service quality
measurement and overall customer satisfaction it could easily identify both advantages
and weaknesses of a restaurant.

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 Conceptual Framework

This study seeks to determine the quality of service during COVID-19 pandemic and its
effect to customer satisfaction among selected commercial restaurants in Cotabato City.
Intervening
Variable

COVID-19
PANDEMIC

Independent
Dependent Variable
Variable

SERVICE CUSTOMER
QUALITY SATISFACTION

Figure 1. The Conceptual Framework.

This study will provide the insights for the quality of service during COVID-19 pandemic
and restaurants for customers satisfaction. In above model, there are different variables
which directly and indirectly affect the customer satisfaction in services offered by a
restaurant. Independent variables are services quality and its dimensions. The customer
satisfaction is the dependent variable which change due to these independent variables
because the customer satisfaction relies on these variables. The COVID-19 pandemic is
the intervening variable since it both affects the quality of service and customer
satisfaction.

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 CHAPTER IV
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the methods that will be used in the study, the respondents, the research
instrument, and the statistical tools.

Research Design

This study used a descriptive-correlational research design to analyze the relationship between
the quality of service and customers satisfaction in commercialize restaurants within Cotabato
City during COVID-19 pandemic.
The study is descriptive because it aims to describe the impact in customer satisfaction of the
respondents from the quality of service offered by the restaurants. It is correlational since it
determined whether the quality of service has an influence or has significant relationship with
customer satisfaction.

Locale of the Study

This study was conducted in selected commercialize restaurants located in Cotabato City,
namely, Penong's Barbeque Seafood and Grill, Hukad sa Golden Cawrie, Cavestone Restaurant,
Mang Gorio and Kai’s Lounge. This place was selected for the convenience of the researchers in
knowing the quality of service during COVID-19 pandemic and its effect to customer
satisfaction.

Respondents of the Study

The respondents of the study are the customers of selected commercialized restaurants located in
Cotabato City.

Research Instrument

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A survey questionnaire was used to gather data from respondents. The researcher used an
adapted-modified survey questionnaire. The survey questionnaire is composed of the socio-
demographic profile for customers and restaurant business profile and set of questions adapted
from various published studies that will measure the quality of service and its impact in customer
satisfaction during COVID-19 pandemic.

Sampling Technique

The researchers used the convenience sampling technique. The technique was used due to the
difficulty of getting samples to answer the questionnaires in person, limited movement, and
limited time to conduct the study during this time of the pandemic.

Data Gathering Procedure

The researchers wrote a letter to the Head of the Tourism and Hospitality Management
Department for the conduct of the study. Upon approval, letters to the owners/ managers of the
commercialized restaurants in Cotabato City were also sent to gather data from their customers.
With their permission, proper instructions were given to the customers. The datawere gathered
from the survey questionnaire prepared by the researchers. A letter of consent for the
confidentiality of the data was also given to each customer. The answered questionnaires were
collected personally by the researchers. The data gathered were collated, tabulated, and encoded
using the computer programs EXCEL and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS)
Version 20.0.

Statistical Tools

The frequency distribution, percentage and pie chart were used to present the profile of the
respondents. For the level of service quality of the restaurants and customers’ satisfaction to the
services offered by these restaurants, the weighted mean and the standard deviation were
utilized. On the other hand, for the significant relationship or influence of service quality to the
level of customers’ satisfaction, the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (Pearson r)
was applied.

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FT-CRD-113-00 | STI College Cotabato 13
 CHAPTER V
PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

This chapter presents the statistical results of the analyzed data regarding the impact of service
quality on commercialized restaurants in Cotabato City for customer satisfaction amidst Covid-
19 Pandemic, its interpretation and discussion of the findings of the study.

Demographic Profile of the Respondents

Age of the Respondents

3%
7%
3% 3%
20-25 yrs old
26-31 yrs old
32-37 yrs old
38-43 yrs old
53%
44-49 yrs old
50-54 yrs old
30%

Gender of the Respondents

43%
Male
Female
57%
 Services Availed by the Respondents

9% Walk-in (Dine-in)
8%
Walk-in (Take-out)
43% Drive-thru service
15% Online Order (Via social
media page and delivery)
Online order (via social
media page and pick-up)

25%

Figure 2. Graphical Presentation of the Demographic Profile of the Respondents Using Pie
Charts

The demographic profile of the respondents consists of the age, gender and services availed by
the customers from commercialized restaurants in Cotabato City as well as the problems
encountered upon receiving the restaurant services. From a total of 30 respondents, majority (16
or 54%) of them are in the age bracket of 20 – 25 years old followed by those who are in the age
group of 26 – 31 years old (9 or 30%) and 32 – 37 years old (2 or 7%) while others were in the
age bracket of 38 – 43 years old, 44 – 49 years old and 50 – 54 years old (all with 1 or 3%).
Their mean age is 27.5 or 28 years old. Most (17 or 57%) are female while the rest (13 or 43%)
are male. Many (28 or 43%) of them avail the walk-in (dine-in) service of the restaurants
followed by those who are walk-in (getting take-out) (16 or 25%) and those who uses the drive
thru service of the restaurant (10 or 15%). Only a few are using online order services such as via
social media page and delivery (6 or 9%) and via social media page and picking up order in store
(5 or 8%).

Level of Service Quality in the Restaurants in Cotabato City in This Time of Covid-19
Pandemic

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The level of service quality in the restaurants in Cotabato City in this time of Covid-19 Pandemic
was subdivided into five domains: tangible, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy, and
food quality.

Scale Range Interpretation

1 1.00 – 1.49 Strongly Agree

2 1.50 – 2.49 Agree

3 2.50 – 3.49 Disagree

4 3.50 – 4.00 Strongly Disagree

Table 1
Level of Service Quality in the Restaurants in Cotabato City in this time of Covid-19 Pandemic

Level of Service Quality in the Restaurants in

Mean SD Interpretation
Cotabato City in the time of Covid-19 Pandemic

TANGIBLE

1. The equipment of the restaurant works well 1.53 0.507 Agree

2. The equipment of the restaurant is suitable and

1.47 0.507 Strongly Agree
comfortable

RELIABILITY

3. When these restaurants promise to do something by

1.73 0.450 Agree
a certain time, they should do so

4. When customers have problems, this restaurant is

1.63 0.556 Agree
sympathetic.

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 5. All parts of the restaurant are reassuring 1.77 0.504 Agree

6. They provide their services at the time they promise

1.63 0.556 Agree
to do so

7. The restaurant is dependable and accurate. 1.77 0.430 Agree

RESPONSIVENESS

8. The restaurant tells customers exactly when services

1.80 0.805 Agree
will be performed

9. You receive prompt service from the restaurant’s

1.53 0.629 Agree
employees

10. Employees of the restaurant are not always willing

2.63 1.098 Disagree
to help customers

11. The restaurant has employees who are sympathetic

1.80 0.484 Agree
and calm when something is wrong.

ASSURANCE

12. You can trust employees of the restaurant 1.47 0.571 Strongly Agree

13. You feel safe in your transactions with the

1.73 0.583 Agree
restaurant`s employees

14. Employees of the restaurant are polite. 1.53 0.629 Agree

15. Employees have knowledge about the services and

1.77 0.568 Agree
products they serve

EMPATHY

FT-CRD-113-00 | STI College Cotabato 17

 16. Different parts of the restaurant give customers
1.67 0.547 Agree
individual attention

17. Employees of the restaurant give customers

1.73 0.640 Agree
personal attention.

18. Employees from different parts of the restaurant

1.70 0.596 Agree
like the customers wholeheartedly

19. The restaurant provides alternative models like

pick-up and delivery models to cater other 1.63 0.490 Agree
customers.

20. Employees have the tendency to ignore the

2.33 0.994 Agree
customer’s request

Overall Mean 1.74 0.607 Agree

Table 1 shows the level of service quality in the restaurants in Cotabato City in this time of
Covid-19 Pandemic. In the level of quality service that the restaurants in Cotabato City provide
during the Covid-19 pandemic, in terms of tangible, the respondents strongly agree that the
equipment of the restaurants are suitable and comfortable (highest mean at 1.47); in terms of
reliability, they agreed that when customers have problems, the restaurants are sympathetic
(highest mean of 1.63), they provide their services in the time they promise to do so (highest
mean of 1.63); in terms of responsiveness, they agreed that customers received prompt services
from the restaurants’ employees (highest mean at 1.53); in terms of assurance, they agreed that
employees of the restaurants can be trusted (highest mean at 1.47); and in terms of empathy,
they agreed that restaurants provide alternative models like pick-up and delivery models to cater
other customers (mean of 1.63).
This finding is related to the study of Ramya, Kowsalya and Dharanipriya (2019) when they
expressed that given the term service quality can be hard to describe as the difference of defining
the term is slim and the main point of it is the output of service itself as a criterion for a customer
to have the likelihood of returning to the business the services had been offered. Moreover, the

FT-CRD-113-00 | STI College Cotabato 18

study of Khanh and My Hanh (2020) observed that service quality could affect the customer
satisfaction through the way the staff communicates and attends to the need of the customers. For
Abdul Razak, Aminuddin, and Ghazali (2020), there is a need to train the service staff in ethical
and professional ways to respond acordingly to the feedback and complaints of the customers.

Level of Customer Satisfaction to Services Offered by Restaurant in Cotabato City in This

Time of Covid-19 Pandemic
The level of customer satisfaction to services offered by restaurant in Cotabato City in this time
of Covid-19 Pandemic was subdivided into five domains: physical facilities, employee etiquette,
food quality, post-pandemic questions and customer’s satisfaction.

Scale Range Interpretation

1 1.00 – 1.49 Strongly Agree

2 1.50 – 2.49 Agree

3 2.50 – 3.49 Disagree

4 3.50 – 4.00 Strongly Disagree

Table 2
Level of Customer Satisfaction to Services Offered by Restaurants in Cotabato City in this Time
of Covid-19 Pandemic

Level of Customer Satisfaction to Services Offered

Mean SD Interpretation
by Restaurants in Cotabato City

PHYSICAL FACILITIES

1. The restaurant is equipped with modern and 1.53 0.629 Agree

updated furniture.
2. The restaurant is spacious and comfortable. 1.57 0.728 Agree

FT-CRD-113-00 | STI College Cotabato 19

 3. The restaurant has visually attractive parking areas 1.93 0.691 Agree
and appealing interior and exterior decors.
4. The restaurant is well ventilated. 1.73 0.64 Agree

5. The restaurant has a well-maintained restroom 1.97 0.85 Agree

area.
EMPLOYEE ETIQUETTE

1. The customers receive prompt service from the 1.43 0.626 Strongly Agree
restaurant’s employees.
2. The employees of the restaurant are always willing 1.47 0.629 Strongly Agree
to help the customers.
3. The employees of the restaurant are polite and 1.47 0.629 Strongly Agree
professional.
4. The employees have knowledge about the services 1.30 0.466 Strongly Agree
and products they serve.
5. The employees are hospitable. 1.30 0.466 Strongly Agree

FOOD QUALITY

1. The restaurant is serving tasty food. 1.27 0.450 Strongly Agree

2. The food presentation is visually appealing. 1.47 0.507 Strongly Agree

3. The food is served in an appropriate temperature. 1.47 0.571 Strongly Agree

4. The restaurant is serving fresh food. 1.33 0.479 Strongly Agree

5. The restaurant’s menu has variety of items. 1.43 0.504 Strongly Agree

POST-PANDEMIC QUESTIONS

1. The restaurant follows maximum health protocols

from the entrance up to the interaction with staff 1.50 0.630 Agree

and customers.

FT-CRD-113-00 | STI College Cotabato 20

 2. The restaurant provides alternative models like
pick-up and delivery models to cater other 1.63 0.615 Agree
customers.

3. The restaurant observes cleanliness, inside and

1.50 0.572 Agree
outside the store.

4. The restaurant doesn’t allow unvaccinated

2.73 1.015 Disagree
customers to dine-in.

5. The restaurant provides different services between

2.80 1.186 Disagree
vaccinated customers and unvaccinated customers.

CUSTOMER’S SATISFACTION

1. The restaurant satisfies their customers because of

1.43 0.568 Strongly Agree
good food and services.

2. The restaurant is recommendable. 1.50 0.630 Agree

Overall Mean 1.63 0.640 Agree

Table 2 reveals the level of customer satisfaction to services offered by restaurant in Cotabato
City in this time of Covid-19 Pandemic.
In terms of physical etiquette, majority of the customers agreed that the restaurants here in
Cotabato City are equipped with modern and updated furniture (highest mean at 1.53), are
spacious and comfortable (mean of 1.57), and well-ventilated with the least statement they
agreed upon is that the restaurants have well-maintained restroom areas (lowest mean at 1.97).
With regards to employee etiquette, most of the respondents strongly agreed that the employees
at restaurants are hospitable and have knowledge about the services and products they serve
(both with the highest mean at 1.30) while the least they strongly agreed on are whether
employees are polite and professional and are always willing to help the customers (both with
lowest mean at 1.47)

FT-CRD-113-00 | STI College Cotabato 21

In terms of food quality, majority of the customers strongly agreed that the restaurant are serving
tasty food (highest mean at 1.27), are serving fresh food (mean of 1.33) and their menu has a
variety of items (mean at 1.43) while the least they strongly agreed on are about the food
presentation being visually appealing and that it is served in an appropriate temperature (both
with a mean of 1.47).
With regards to post-pandemic regulations, many of the customers agreed that the restaurant
follows maximum health protocols from the entrance up to the interaction with staff and
customers as well as observes cleanliness, inside and outside the store (both with the highest
mean at 1.50) and that they also provide alternative models like pick-up and delivery models to
cater other customers (mean of 1.63). On the other hand, they disagree with the restaurants not
allowing unvaccinated customers to dine-in (mean of 2.73) and provide different services
between vaccinated customers and unvaccinated customers (lowest mean at 2.80).
When it comes to customer satisfaction, the respondents strongly agreed that the restaurants
satisfy their customers because of good food and services (highest mean of 1.43) while they only
agreed with the restaurants being recommendable (lowest mean at 1.50).

This result is similar to the findings found by Golani, Manglik and Pawar (2017) that aside from
improving the food quality and service quality offered by a restaurant in achieving higher
customer satisfaction, it is also important to understand the customers’ preferences through their
likes and dislikes, this would help in attracting new customers and retaining the old ones.
Customers are more likely to choose a restaurant to dine in through the Word of Mouth which
came from the customer who had experience satisfaction from a said restaurant.

Table 3
Significant Relationship between the Restaurants’ Level of Service Quality on the Level of
Customer Satisfaction Amidst Covid-19 Pandemic in Cotabato City

Variable p-value Correlation Significance

Restaurants’ Level of Service Quality and
Level of Customer Satisfaction Amidst .0013 Highly Correlated Significant
Pandemic in Cotabato City

FT-CRD-113-00 | STI College Cotabato 22

Table 3 shows the significant relationship between the restaurants level of service quality on the
level of customers satisfaction amidst Covid-19 pandemic in Cotabato City. To determine
whether service quality influence the customers satisfaction, their relationship should be
established using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (Pearson r).

Since the p-value of .0013 is less than the .05 level of significance using the Pearson r to
determine the significant relationship between the level of service quality and the level of
customers satisfaction amidst the pandemic in Cotabato City, then it is indicative that there is a
significant relationship between them. It implies that service quality influence customers
satisfaction.

Therefore, the level of service quality of these restaurants influences the level of satisfaction of
their customers.

This finding is parallel to the study of Monther and Mahadevan (2019), who produced the same
study on Arab restaurants in Malaysia, with both studies adopted the factors of service quality as
the tangible, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy factors, with the same positive
outcome using statistical tools in knowing the relationship of each and every factors, given that
both studies demonstrated positive and highly significant relationship that connects both service
quality to customer satisfaction with the side note of the responsiveness which illustrated a
negative trend. For Abu Bakar and Choo (2020), among the three dimensions of service quality,
two of the dimensions, food quality and price, have significant effect on the customer satisfaction
which is in line with the findings of various researchers while the other dimension which is the
physical environment showed no significant effect on the customer satisfaction.

In addition, Kristiawan, Hartoyo, and Suharjo (2021), presented in their study that the better the
service quality offered to the customer the higher would be the customer satisfaction. In the
study Tu, Lin, & Chang, (2011), Keshavarz, Jamshidi, & Bakhtazma (2016), pointed out that
with the customer retention, firm must focus on building customer loyalty to have a long term
and mutually profitable relationship which is a great advantage to the market.

FT-CRD-113-00 | STI College Cotabato 23

 Major Findings of the Study

1. In the level of quality service that the restaurants in Cotabato City provide during the
Covid-19 pandemic, in terms of tangible, the respondents strongly agree that the equipment of
the restaurants are suitable and comfortable; in terms of reliability, they agreed that when
customers have problems, the restaurants are sympathetic, they provide their services in the time
they promise to do so; in terms of responsiveness, they agreed that customers received prompt
services from the restaurants’ employees; in terms of assurance, they agreed that employees of
the restaurants can be trusted ; and in terms of empathy, they agreed that restaurants provide
alternative models like pick-up and delivery models to cater other customers.

2. In the level of customer satisfaction in terms of physical facilities, majority of the

customers agreed that the restaurants here in Cotabato City are equipped with modern and
updated furniture, spacious and comfortable, and well-ventilated. With regards to employee
etiquette, most of the respondents strongly agreed that the employees at restaurants are
hospitable and have knowledge about the services and products they offered while the least they
strongly agreed on are whether employees are polite and professional and are always willing to
help the customers. In terms of food quality, majority of the customers strongly agreed that the
restaurant is serving tasty food, are serving fresh food and their menu has a variety of items
while the least they strongly agreed on are about the food presentation being visually appealing
and that it is served in an appropriate temperature. With regards to post-pandemic regulations,
many of the customers agreed that the restaurants follow maximum health protocols from the
entrance up to the interaction with staff and customers as well as observe cleanliness, inside and
outside the store and that they also provide alternative models like pick-up and delivery models
to cater other customers. On the other hand, they disagree with the restaurants not allowing
unvaccinated customers to dine-in and provide different services between vaccinated customers
and unvaccinated customers.
When it comes to customer satisfaction, the respondents strongly agreed that the restaurants
satisfy their customers because of good food and services while they only agreed with the
restaurant being recommendable.

FT-CRD-113-00 | STI College Cotabato 24

3. There is a significant relationship between the restaurants level of service quality on the
level of customers satisfaction amidst Covid-19 pandemic in Cotabato City. It implies that
service quality influence customers’ satisfaction. Meaning, that the higher the level of service
quality that these restaurants provide the higher the level of the customers’ satisfaction.
Therefore, the level of service quality of these restaurants influences the level of satisfaction of
their customers.

FT-CRD-113-00 | STI College Cotabato 25

 CHAPTER VI
Conclusions and Recommendations

This section includes the conclusion of the study related to policies, theories, and practices,
recommendations for the improvements to be made in the way the research was implemented
including future research directions that can still be made with regard to the chosen research
area.

Conclusion

Based on the results of the study, the researchers concluded that commercial restaurants in
Cotabato City provide satisfactory level of service quality to their customers amidst Covid 19
pandemic in the areas of tangible where the equipments of the restaurants are suitable and
comfortable; reliability such that if the customers have problems, the restaurants are sympathetic;
responsiveness where the employees provide prompt service; assurance where the employees
can be trusted and empathy like providing alternative models such as pick and delivery
services. Related to this is the satisfactory level of customer satisfaction to their services in
terms of: physical facilities where the restaurants are equipped with updated furniture, the rooms
are spacious, comfortable and well ventilated; employee etiquette where their employees
hospitable, polite and professional in dealing with the customers; food quality where they serve
tasty, fresh and variety of foods and post-pandemic regulations, they follow the maximum
health protocols and customers’ satisfaction related to the food and services that they offer.

There is a significant relationship between the restaurant’s level of service quality and the level
of customers satisfaction amidst Covid-19 pandemic in Cotabato City. It implies that the service
quality of these restaurants amidst Covid 19 pandemic influence their customer’s satisfaction.

FT-CRD-113-00 | STI College Cotabato 26

 Recommendations

Based on the findings and conclusion of the study, the researchers are recommending
that:

1. Employees of the restaurants should always be available and willing to help the
customers.

2. These employees should not ignore the customer’s request.

3. The restaurants should provide rooms/ spaces/ venues for vaccinated and unvaccinated
customers for those who are going to dine-in.

4. These restaurants should provide similar or equivalent services to both vaccinated and
unvaccinated customers.

5. These restaurants should devise ways to have a faster operation/service.

6. They should always provide a well-maintained and sanitized restrooms for customers
health and convenience.

7. Restaurants should improve their food presentation so that it is visually more appealing,
and the food should be served in an appropriate temperature.

8. Problems with ordering online should be addressed immediately.

FT-CRD-113-00 | STI College Cotabato 27

 Recommendations for Further Study

1. Impact of Service Quality on Shopping Centers in Cotabato City for Customer

Satisfaction Amidst Covid-19 Pandemic

2. Impact of Service Quality on Motor Vehicle Repair Shops in Cotabato City for Customer
Satisfaction Amidst Covid-19 Pandemic

3. Impact of Service Quality on Health Spas in Cotabato City for Customer Satisfaction
Amidst Covid-19 Pandemic

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Service Activities Sector For All Establishments: Final Results. (2019, September 18).
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id/144079

Abdul Razak, N., Aminuddin, Z., & Ghazali, A. (2020). Service Quality and Customer
Satisfaction in Restaurant Industry Using Partial Least Square. European Proceedings of
Social and Behavioural Sciences, 218-225. doi:10.15405/epsbs.2020.10.20

Abu Bakar, S., & Choo, C. (2020). Factors influencing service quality in restaurant business: A
case of SME Bank Cafeteria. Advances in Economics, Business and Management
Research, 184, 41-45.

Crimaldi, V. (2020, July 10). How Restaurants Can Maintain Customer Loyalty Post-Pandemic.
Retrieved from QRS: https://www.qsrmagazine.com/outside-insights/how-restaurants-
can-maintain-customer-loyalty-post-pandemic

Ghotbabadi, A. R., Feiz, S., & Baharun, R. (2015). Service Quality Measurements: A Review.
International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 5(2), 267-
286.

FT-CRD-113-00 | STI College Cotabato 28

Golani, N., Manglik, A., & Pawar, S. (2017). Factors Influencing Customer Satisfaction &
Customer Delight in Fine Dining Restaurants. International Journal for Research in
Applied Science & Engineering Technology (IJRASET), 5(2), 629-638.

Guidelines on minimum health protocol for dine-in restaurants and fast food establishments.
(2019). Retrieved from Department of Trade and Industry: https://dtiwebfiles.s3-ap-
southeast-1.amazonaws.com/COVID19Resources/COVID-19+Advisories/
310520_Guidelines_Dine-In_Restaurants_Fastfoods.pdf

Itani, O. S., Kassar, A. N., & Loureiro, S. M. C. (2019). Value get, value give: The relationships
among perceived value, relationship quality, customer engagement, and value
consciousness. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 80, 78-90.

JDSupra. (2021, March 31). Retrieved from JDSupra Legal News:

https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/impact-of-covid-19-on-the-restaurant-56944/

Johnson, E. C., & Karlay, J. S. (2018). Impact of Service Quality on customer: Liberia Revenue
Authority. Liberia : Faculty of Education and Business Studies.

Keshavarz, Y., Jamshidi, D., & Bakhtazma, F. (2016). The Influence of Service Quality on
Restaurants' Customer Quality. Arabian Journal of Business and Management Review
(Oman Chapter), 6(4), 1-16.

Khanh, L., & My Hanh, T. (2020). Research factors impact on customer satisfaction in Vietnam
restaurants. Thu Dau Mot University Journal of Science, 2(4), 389-400. Retrieved from
https://doi.org/10.37550/tdmu.EJS/2020.04.083

Kristiawan, Y., Hartoyo, & Suharjo, B. (2021). Customer Satisfaction on Service Quality or
Product Quality: A Case Study at Fast Food Restaurant in Jabodetabek. Binus Business
Review, 12(2), 165-176. doi: 10.21512/bbr.v12i2.6672

Lakshmi, B., & Shareena, P. (2020). Impact of COVID 19 on the Restaurants. Journal of
Interdisciplinary Cycle Research, 12(8), 1327-1334.

Lucas, A. (2021, June 11). Beyond the punch card: Restaurants lean into loyalty programs to
hold onto pandemic digital gains. Retrieved from CNBC:
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/11/restaurants-lean-into-loyalty-programs-to-hold-onto-
digital-gains.html

Monther, W., & Mahadevan, A. (2019). The Impact of Service Quality on Customer
Satisfaction : A Study of Arab restaurants in Malaysia. International Journal of
Accounting & Business Managment.

Norris, C. L., Taylor Jr., S., & Taylor, D. (2021). Pivot! How the restaurant industry adapted
during COVID-19 restrictions. Emerald Insights.

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Pan, H., & Ha, H.-Y. (2021). Service Quality and Satisfaction in the Context of Varying Levels
of Restaurant Image and Customer Orientation during the COVID-19 Pandemic. MDPI.

PYMNTS. (2021, February 17). Loyalty Brings Restaurant Customers To The Table More Often.
Retrieved from PYMNTS: https://www.pymnts.com/news/retail/2021/loyalty-brings-
restaurant-customers-to-the-table-more-often/

Ramya, N., Kowsalya, A., & Dharanipriya, K. (2019). Service Quality and its Dimensions.
EPRA International Journal of Research and Development.

Shinde, R., Chavan, P., & Ali, M. M. (2018). Assessing the role of customer satisfaction in
attaining customer loyalty: A study of fast food restaurant in Kolhapur city. Research
Expo International Multidisciplinary Research Journal, 8(4), 30-40.

Saneva, D., & Chortoseva, S. (2018). Service Quality in Restaurants: Customers’ Expectation
and Customers’ Perception. SAR Journal, 1(2), 47-52. doi:10.18421/SAR12-03

Taylor, S. A., & Cronin, J. J. (1994). SERVPERF versus SERVQUAL: Reconciling

performance-based and perceptions-minus-expectations measurement of service quality.
Journal of Marketing, 58(1), 125-131. Retrieved from. https://doi.org/10.2307/1252256

Vigilia, A. Y., Portana, H. V., Santos, S. B., Salamanca, R. L., & Dela Cruz, K. P. (2021).
Impact and Coping Mechanism of Restaurant Business Amidst Covid-19 Global
Pandemic. International Journal of Advanced Engineering, Management and Science
(IJAEMS), 7(1), 34-37. doi:https://dx.doi.org/10.22161/ijaems.71.6

Young, M. (2021, January 8). Outdoor Dining Bubbles: The Pros, Cons, and Costs. Retrieved
from Square, Inc: https://squareup.com/us/en/townsquare/outdoor-dining-bubbles-pros-
and-cons

FT-CRD-113-00 | STI College Cotabato 30

 APPENDICES
November 24, 2021

GUIAMEL P. SABDULLAH
THM Instructor
STI College Cotabato
A. Dorotheo Street, Cotabato City

Sir:

We, the 4th year students of STI College Cotabato, taking up Bachelor of Science in Tourism
Management, are having our Research subject. Among the requirements to pass the subject is to conduct
a research study.

In line with this, we decided to conduct a research study entitled “The Quality of Service during
COVID-19 Pandemic and its effect to Customer Satisfaction among Selected Commercial
Restaurants in Cotabato City”. We humbly ask if you could be our research adviser and guide us
through our research study. We believe that your expertise, experience, and knowledge will greatly help
us to improve our study.

We are looking forward for your approval. Thank you.

Sincerely,

ADANG, ABDULSALENIN K.

KASIM, ASMERA N.

KEDTOG, SARAH G.

TIEMPO, LILALI KRISTINE D.

Researchers

Noted by:

AVERELL N. SAGLAYAN, MTHM ALFRED B. TABOADA, PhD

THM Department Head/Research Coordinator Academic Head
STI College Cotabato STI College Cotabato

Approved by:

GUIAMEL P. SABDULLAH
THM Instructor
STI College Cotabato

FT-CRD-113-00 | STI College Cotabato 31

November 24, 2021

JOEY SUAN, LPT

SHS Instructor
STI College Cotabato
A. Dorotheo Street, Cotabato City

Sir:

We, the 4th year students of STI College Cotabato, taking up Bachelor of Science in Tourism
Management, are having our Research subject. Among the requirements to pass the subject is to conduct
our research paper.

In line with this, we decided to conduct a Research paper entitled “The Quality of Service during
COVID-19 Pandemic and its effect to Customer Satisfaction among Selected Commercial
Restaurants in Cotabato City”. We humbly ask if you could be our grammarian and guide us
through our research. We believe that your expertise, experience, and knowledge will greatly help us to
be successful in doing our research paper.

We are looking forward for your approval. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Noted by:

ADANG, ABDULSALENIN K. GUIAMEL P. SABDULLAH

Research Adviser
STI College Cotabato
KASIM, ASMERA N.
AVERELL N. SAGLAYAN, MTHM
THM Dept. Head/Research Coordinator
KEDTOG, SARAH G. STI College Cotabato

TIEMPO, LILALI KRISTINE D. ALFRED B. TABOADA, PhD

Researchers Academic Head
STI College Cotabato

Approved by:

JOEY SUAN, LPT

SHS Instructor
STI College Cotabato

FT-CRD-113-00 | STI College Cotabato 32

December 22, 2021

DONATO B. PIDLAON
Faculty
Notre Dame Hospital and Siena College of Cotabato, Inc.
Governor Gutierrez Ave., Cotabato City

Sir:

We, the 4th year students of STI College Cotabato, taking up Bachelor of Science in Tourism
Management, are having our Research subject. Among the requirements to pass the subject is to conduct
a research study.

In line with this, we decided to conduct a research study entitled “The Quality of Service during
COVID-19 Pandemic and its effect to Customer Satisfaction among Selected Commercial
Restaurants in Cotabato City”. We humbly ask if you could be our statistician and guide us through
our research study. We believe that your expertise, experience, and knowledge will greatly help us to
improve our study.

We are looking forward for your approval. Thank you.

Sincerely,

ADANG, ABDULSALENIN K.

KASIM, ASMERA N.

KEDTOG, SARAH G.

TIEMPO, LILALI KRISTINE D.

Researchers

Noted by:

AVERELL N. SAGLAYAN, MTHM ALFRED B. TABOADA, PhD

THM Department Head/Research Coordinator Academic Head
STI College Cotabato STI College Cotabato

Approved by:

DONATO B. PIDLAON
Faculty
Notre Dame Hospital and Siena College of Cotabato, Inc.

FT-CRD-113-00 | STI College Cotabato 33

November 24, 2021

THE HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGER

Establishment Name
Establishment Address

Sir/Madam:

We, the 4th year students of STI College Cotabato taking up Bachelor of Science in Tourism
Management, are required to conduct a Research Study which will measure our ability to defend
certain topic. Our group has decided to conduct a Research Study entitled “The Quality of
Service during COVID-19 Pandemic and its effect to Customer Satisfaction among
Selected Commercial Restaurants in Cotabato City”. Your knowledge, concerns ad response
is a sure help for us in achieving our goal.

With this, we are asking for permission from your good office to allow us to conduct a survey by
means of questionnaire. Rest assured that all the information gathered will be kept with utmost
confidentiality and would be used for academic purposes only. Your favorable response on this
matter will be highly appreciated.

Sincerely,
Noted by:

ADANG, ABDULSALENIN K. GUIAMEL P. SABDULLAH

Research Adviser
STI College Cotabato
KASIM, ASMERA N.
AVERELL N. SAGLAYAN, MTHM
THM Dept. Head/Research Coordinator
KEDTOG, SARAH G. STI College Cotabato

TIEMPO, LILALI KRISTINE D. ALFRED B. TABOADA, PhD

Researchers Academic Head
STI College Cotabato

Approved by:

NAME OF ESTABLISHMENT

FT-CRD-113-00 | STI College Cotabato 34

 INFORMED CONSENT
Dear Respondents,

The researchers would like to ask your kind-hearted support on the approved thesis entitled “The
Quality of Service during COVID-19 Pandemic and its effect to Customer Satisfaction among
Selected Commercial Restaurants in Cotabato City” at STI College Cotabato as a requirement
to complete our BS Tourism Management degree. Data will be collected through this survey
questionnaire and your participation will be highly appreciated.
By answering this questionnaire, you are giving your voluntary consent to participate in this
study. Your responses will be kept confidential and will only be used according to the purpose of
this study.
Thank you very much.
Abdulsalenin K. Adang
Asmera N. Kasim
Sarah G. Kedtog
Lilali Kristine D. Tiempo
Researchers
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY
Name (Optional): ________________________ Age: ________ Sex: _____________
Address (Optional): _______________________
Date: ______________________
DIRECTION: Please put a check (✓) mark on the appropriate box for each statement that
corresponds to your answer.

1. What services do you avail? (Check as many as possible)

□ Walk-in (Dine-in)
□ Walk-in (Take-out)
□ Online Order (Via Social Media Page and Picking-up order in store)
□ Online Order (Via Social Media Page and Delivery)
□ Drive Thru
□ Other (Specify) __________________________
2. Is there any problem you have encountered upon receiving the restaurant services?
□ Yes
□ No

If YES, please indicate what problem you have encountered.

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
DIRECTION: Please put a check (✓) mark in the appropriate box for each statement that corresponds to
your answer. Respond with values of between 1-4. 1= Strongly Agree, 2= Agree, 3= Disagree, and
4=Strongly Disagree.

PHYSICAL FACILITIES 1 2 3 4
6. The restaurant is equipped with modern and
updated furniture.
7. The restaurant is spacious and comfortable.
8. The restaurant has visually attractive parking
areas and appealing interior and exterior decors.
9. The restaurant is well ventilated.
10. The restaurant has a well-maintained restroom
area.
EMPLOYEE ETIQUETTE 1 2 3 4
6. The customers receive prompt service from the
restaurant’s employees.
7. The employees of the restaurant are always
willing to help the customers.
8. The employees of the restaurant are polite and
professional.
9. The employees have knowledge about the
services and products they serve.
10. The employees are hospitable.
FOOD QUALITY 1 2 3 4
6. The restaurant is serving tasty food.
7. The food presentation is visually appealing.
8. The food is served in an appropriate temperature.
9. The restaurant is serving fresh food.
10. The restaurant’s menu has variety of items.
POST-PANDEMIC QUESTIONS 1 2 3 4
6. The restaurant follows maximum health protocols
from the entrance up to the interaction with staff
and customers.
7. The restaurant provides alternative models like pick-
up and delivery models to cater other customers.
8. The restaurant observes cleanliness, inside and
outside the store.
9. The restaurant doesn’t allow unvaccinated customers
to dine-in.
10. The restaurant provides different services between
vaccinated customers and unvaccinated customers.
CUSTOMER’S SATISFACTION 1 2 3 4
3. The restaurant satisfies their customers because of
good food and services.
4. The restaurant is recommendable.
 SERVICE QUALITY SURVEY
The questions used are from the study of Keshavarz, Jamshidi, and Bakhtazma (2016) and Canny (2013).
DIRECTION: Please put a check (✓) mark in the appropriate box for each statement that corresponds to
your answer. Respond with values of between 1-4. 1= Strongly Agree, 2= Agree, 3= Disagree, and
4=Strongly Disagree.
TANGIBLE 1 2 3 4 5
1. The equipment of the restaurant works well.
2. The space of the restaurant is suitable and
comfortable.
RELIABILITY
3. When these restaurants promise to do something
by a certain time, they should do.
4. When customers have problems, this restaurant is
sympathetic.
5. All parts of the restaurant are reassuring.
6. They provide their services at the time they
promise to do so.
7. The restaurant is dependable and accurate.
RESPONSIVENESS
8. The restaurant tells customers exactly when
services will be performed.
9. You receive prompt service from the restaurant’s
employees.
10. Employees of the restaurant are not always
willing to help customers.
11. The restaurant has employees who are
sympathetic and calm when something is wrong.
ASSURANCE
12. You can trust employees of the restaurant.
13. You feel safe in your transactions with the
restaurant`s employees.
14. Employees of the restaurant are polite.
15. Employees have knowledge about the services
and products they serve.
EMPATHY
16. Different parts of the restaurant give customers
individual attention.
17. Employees of the restaurant give customers
personal attention.
18. Employees from different parts of the restaurant
 like the customers wholeheartedly.
19. The restaurant provides alternative models like
pick-up and delivery models to cater other
customers.
20. Employees have the tendency to ignore the
customer’s request.

Approved by:

GUIAMEL P. SABDULLAH
Research Adviser
STI College Cotabato
 RESTAURANT SERVICES SURVEY
Restaurant Name: ________________________
Date Established: ________________________
Address: _______________________________
Date: ___________________

(For the Commercial Restaurants protection and privacy, all information that will be gathered are to be;)
□ Can be disclosed within the research paper

□ Will not be disclosed within the research paper and will be represented by Restaurant and an
accompanied by a letter. (e.g., Restaurant A, Restaurant B)

□ When the research is done, and the restaurant has good performing service quality and satisfactory
results then information (Restaurant name and address) can be disclosed

SERVICES
1. What services are being offered to cater customers amidst Covid 19 Pandemic? (e.g., Online orders
and deliveries)

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

39
 APPENDIX A. GANTT CHART

September November December January

Activities October 2021
2021 2021 2021 2022

Title Proposal
Third Week
(Chapter 1-3)

Revision of First
Fourth Week First Week
Draft

Checking of
Questionnaire Second Week
and Letters

Revisions of
Third Week
Chapter 3

Consultation Fourth Week

First to
Gathering of Data Fourth
Week

Analysis First week

Second
Final Defense
Week

40
 APPENDIX B. ACTUAL RESEARCH EXPENSES

Quantity Specifics Approximate Cost Actual Cost

1 Grammarian ₱400 ₱400

1 Statistician ₱2,500 ₱2,500

4 Research Panel Fee ₱1,100 ₱4,400

1 Ream Bond Paper ₱200 ₱180

2 Ink Cartridge ₱1,500 ₱1,300

Prepared by:

Abdulsalenin K. Adang Asmera N. Kasim

Sarah G. Kedtog Lilali Kristine D. Tiempo

Noted by:

Abdulnazman K. Adang Benjamin N. Kasim

Alibabai Gani Kedtog Omaira D. Devera

Approved by:

Mr. Guiamel P. Sabdullah Mr. Averell N. Saglayan, MTHM

41