These findings support the idea that restaurants must be able to compete on the basis of food quality alone, given its position at the top of consumer priorities. But the survey also suggests that, armed with the knowledge of what consumers want, restaurants can parlay their emphasis on food quality into a competitive advantage. In addition to questions about their dining-out habits, the survey asked consumers what qualities they consider important when choosing a restaurant. It also asked about food quality and what factors are most important when judging the quality of food served. Respondents were given a list of attributes, such as atmosphere and cleanliness, and asked to rate their importance when choosing a restaurant.
Some attributes clearly are less crucial than others.
That's not to say the survey respondents don't have high standards. No attribute received an average rating of less than 3.68 on a scale of 1 to 5. But the consistently top-rated factor was food quality, followed closely by cleanliness, with service trailing third. That order of preference suggests that while qualities such as menu variety and convenience are important, a lapse in food quality will most likely send consumers elsewhere. The survey also asked consumers what factors are most important when judging the quality of food served.