When Waiting Time Requires Manager Attention: A Field Study in the Restaurant Industry

Past research demonstrated that waiting time satisfaction has a positive effect on service evaluation. However, where many services consist of multiple stages, few studies consider an evaluation of waiting in stages. This research explores the relative importance of waits before, during, and following the actual service delivery in the restaurant industry. our results indicate that the service-entry wait is the most important wait in the traditional restaurant and the gourmet restaurant. In contrast, in the fast-food restaurant the in-service wait is the predominant wait. The customers’ regulatory focus and fit may explain these findings and suggest that the multi-stage approach is a fruitful avenue for future research into waiting for service.