Designing customer experiential satisfaction between people- and technology-driven services: Empirical evidence from upscale restaurants

Purpose The study investigates how Michelin-starred restaurants (MSRs) design customer experiential satisfaction (CXS) by examining the dimensions, determinants, and attributes of CXS regarding people-driven and technology-driven services. Design/methodology/approach Based on the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) model, this research employs a qualitative approach utilizing the Gioia methodology. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with managers, owners, and chefs of MSRs with two stars in 15 countries to examine the planned CXS. Findings This research highlights product quality, service quality, and experience quality of people-driven and technology-driven services as stimuli of planned CXS (organism), generating an approach behavior (response) consisting of willingness to stay, to spend more time in, and to revisit the restaurant. The results indicate that while MSRs invest in both people- and technology-driven services, there is a clear preference for human-centered interactions supported by technological enhancements rather than full automation. Research implications The research contributes to the hospitality management literature by proposing a conceptual model of the CSX design in upscale restaurants. Practical implications This study offers practical insights to managers of MSRs to increase their competitive advantage by investing in people-driven services supported by technology-driven services. The research results guide restaurant managers looking to raise experiential quality through a balanced interplay of traditional hospitality and innovative service solutions. Originality Unlike previous studies that primarily focus on realized CXS from the customer’s viewpoint, this research provides a novel exploration of planned CXS from a managerial perspective, highlighting the strategic elements involved in its design and execution. Moreover, this study is among the first to examine CXS as a purposely designed construct rather than a factor related to customer perceptions.