Restaurants are an integral component of society. Roberts and Sneed (2003) estimate that 40% of American adults eat in a restaurant on a typical day. It is therefore not surprising that customer satisfaction is a crucial dimensions of the restaurant industry (Heung & Lam, 2003; Namkung & Jang, 2007). DiPietro et al. (2007) in a study of selected restaurant chain managers found that the development of interpersonal and social responsibilities particularly with respect to food safety was regarded as one of the most important aspects of the food service business. Several studies have had similar outcomes suggesting that the relationship between interpersonal and social responsibilities depends on an array of tools to gauge workplace success (Blum & Harrah, 1996; Ingram, 1995; Lashley, 2000; Teare, 1996). Within this context, one of the critical management elements is with respect to ensuring that the food in restaurants is safe for consumption. This dimension is also reflected in consumer attitudes with Roberts and Steed (2003) noting that although restaurant industry sales are increasing, consumer confidence in food safety at restaurant has decreased.
Food safety is a serious matter. Concerns over food-borne diseases have existed throughout history with more than 200 different known diseases of humans being transmitted through food (Mohd Daud, 2004). Therefore, outbreaks of food-borne disease can lead to trade damage, loss of earnings, unemployment and litigation. Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) programmes are one of the ways to assure the safety of food. HACCP is a systematic approach to the identification, evaluation and control of those steps in food manufacturing that is critical to food safety (Spiegel et al., 2004). However, there are many food service operators who do not
71
implement programs such as HACCP when protecting food while it is in storage and production. Roberts and Sneed (2003) in their survey of independent restaurants in Iowa found that only approximately 8% of the restaurant managers indicated that they had a comprehensive HACCP plan in place. The majority did not implement the prerequisite programs.
Amjadi and Hussain (2005, p. 172) emphasized that “the food service manager must work with reputable suppliers and implement tight receiving procedures to help ensure safe food. Once food arrives, it must be stored, prepared and served using methods that maintain its safety”. They reiterated that the handling of human factor is critical as both employees and customers posed a major risk to food safety. In order to apply the system successfully, full commitment and involvement of the management and workforce are required. Amjadi and Hussain further mentioned that the development of HACCP in 1960s, along with other more recent food safety processes, to help ensure that food is safe and suitable for consumption is obviously a significant development. However, for Muslims, there is another religious and important issue that needs to be addressed and that is that safe food must also be halal.
Gregoire et al. (1995) noted that although commercial foodservice sales continue to grow, restaurant operators have to be aware with the needs and wants of the customers in order to attract and retain them. The employees’ job at a restaurant is not just to carry plates but they need to acquire the ability to interpret and deliver service to the customers to ensure success (Ingram, 1995; Lashley, 2000; Teare, 1996). Enz (2004) emphasized customer satisfaction that led to profitability, which led to establishing a strong sense of personal efficacy where the customers were allowed an element of customization. Similar observation were made by Øgaard et al. (2005) in relation to customers expecting sensitive attention to their individual needs via customized products. They highlighted on the notion of “extreme standardization” that needs to be developed to suit local customers’ food preferences with halal certification being one potential example. It could possibly be argued that the concept of “extreme standardization” does not apply to religious dietary restriction that may be quite global, although it may have significant implications for local variations in food customs. Nevertheless, as discussed in Chapter Two the prohibitions on certain foods and drinks are to assure Muslim followers that they are eating according to Quran, a standard guide by the Shariah (Islamic law), which is imposed via cultural and religious more and more formally by the halal certification process.
72
Øgaard et al. (2005) defined extreme standardization as adapting to local customs. For example McDonald’s adjusts the foods offered to some countries to suit the local tastes like including fish in the menus by promoting it as ‘McFisk’ in Norway and fish sandwiches in Hong Kong, beer and frankfurters in Germany and McSpaghetti in the Philippines. In addition, it also adjusts the production process to obtain halal (‘clean’, ‘acceptable’) certificates in Muslim countries. This means that local restaurant managers will need to ‘follow the book’ (Øgaard et al., 2005, p. 23) as well as to adapt products and personal service to local market conditions and to suit the tastes and preferences of the customers.
As this study focuses more on halal certification and its attributes, it recognized that a religious guided standards and the “extreme standardization” of business practice are two different dimensions of the food security process that provides halal consumers’ confidence in their purchasing. Thus, religious guided standards require the Muslims to adhere to the Quran and Sunah. In contrast, the secular business dimension of the food service industry suggests that local restaurant managers will not only be required to follow the system, but will also have to be more customer oriented and therefore be able to manage their personnel innovatively (Øgaard et al., 2005). In order to achieve this Reynolds (2000) suggested that a manager required several skills such as organizational skills, interpersonal skills, restaurant experience, knowledge, honesty, integrity, strong ethics and leadership skills.
In addition to food sanitation and handling, costs, food quality and nutrition are also areas of concern for restaurants (Enz, 2004). In addition, managers also face constraints when health related news as well as food safety and security issues are given media coverage that could potentially jeopardize sales (Dodd & Morse, 1994). Some of the steps taken by the food service industry to demand for healthier foods were to serve more nutritious foods, for instance salads and low fat dairy products on their menus (Lin et al., 1998; Lin et al., 2001). It demonstrated that the customers challenge restaurant managers to keep attracting them to their premises by offering healthy choices (Namkung & Jang, 2007). However, some restaurant operators have claimed that the customers do not always order the healthy foods they ‘demanded’. Nevertheless, restaurant managers were generally trying to ensure that the best possible food products are bought on the costings available to them (Enz, 2004).
As discussed, satisfying customer is a critical objective of a food business particularly because it leads to repeat purchase and loyalty (Kivela et al., 1999; Namkung & Jang, 2007; Sulek & Hensley, 2004). In this context, Namkung and Jang (2007) found that customer loyalty was
73
essential when customers expressed a preference for one company or brand over others, and continue to purchase from it or increase business with it in the future. However, they claimed that there were many “other factors” that could influence customer’s restaurant experience for a return visit despite food quality. Thus they suggested that restaurant owners and managers identify these other factors and stressed these in their total offerings. Nevertheless, it is interesting to note that there were no religious food restrictions or certification needs highlighted in their study although they did mention the importance of providing quality food by emphasizing critical food properties.