Measuring Restaurant Patrons’ Perceptions and Expectations: An Importance–Performance Analysis Using the DinEX Model

This pilot study analyzes the importance and performance of specific restaurant attributes presented in the DinEX instrument, which focuses on newer dimensions such as social connectedness. An importance-performance analysis was conducted using the attributes presented in the DinEX model to assess customers’ expectations, and to analyze whether the performance of a specific casual-dining restaurant in the southeastern United States meets those expectations or not. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed and a sample of 209 respondents was obtained. Results show that food, service, and atmosphere are important attributes for customers, while social and health domains are not. Implications for practitioners and academics are discussed.