Do Chinese cultural values affect customer satisfaction/loyalty?

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to investigate the antecedent roles of the Chinese cultural values of “face” and “harmony” in influencing customer satisfaction/loyalty, and the service quality dimensions that are most salient to the context of Chinese diners. Design/methodology/approach – A self‐administered survey was conducted for a convenience sample of Chinese diners in Australia. Findings – A factor analysis revealed three service quality dimensions: interaction quality, food appeal, and performance comparison. The results of a series of regression equations showed that both cultural factors and three quality dimensions are significantly and positively correlated to both customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. “Face” was shown to have an influence on customer satisfaction, while food appeal and performance comparison were found to influence both customer satisfaction and loyalty. Gender moderated the influence of both cultural values and quality on customer satisfaction and loyalty. Research limitations/implications – A student sample limits generalisability of the findings to a wider population. Practical implications – In addition to insights on restaurant market segmentation, ideas to enhance the service encounter experience for diners are offered.