TASTE OF PLACE: HOW LOCAL-INGREDIENT SOURCING AFFECTS GUEST SATISFACTION AND MENU PROFITABILITY IN HOTEL RESTAURANTS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20720289Keywords:
Guest satisfaction, menu profitability, willingness to payAbstract
The study examines whether local ingredients on hotel menus make guests happier and more willing to pay.
The topic is important because food and beverage services are no longer only a basic hotel function. They also influence
guest experience, hotel image, destination identity, and possible menu value. The research uses a qualitative design based
on semi-structured interviews with seven hotel guests. The interview data were analysed through manual thematic analysis.
The findings indicate that local ingredients had a positive effect on guest satisfaction because respondents associated them
with freshness, authenticity, better quality, and a stronger connection to the destination. However, willingness to pay was
more conditional. Guests were open to a small premium only when the local claim was specific, believable, and supported
by strong overall dining quality. The study concludes that local ingredients can strengthen guest satisfaction and moderate
price acceptance, but they cannot replace the basic elements of restaurant quality such as taste, service, atmosphere, and
value for money.
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