This paper examines quality management and control systems as applied to the casual dining restaurant industry. It begins by identifying the objectives of restaurant control systems, with particular attention to food quality control and customer service quality. The paper then outlines the general process for developing and evaluating control systems, noting where gaps exist — especially in measuring employee behavior and service standards. Drawing on ISO quality management principles, the paper evaluates several quality management techniques — including Kaizen, benchmarking, and knowledge management — and assesses their suitability for restaurant operations. The paper concludes by discussing the motivational impact of quality control strategies on employees and the overall importance of continuous improvement for restaurant success.
The process of globalization has significantly influenced the activity of most companies and their management processes. In order to create competitive advantage, these companies must improve the quality of their products and services while reducing costs in line with customers' incomes. This means companies are required to develop and implement quality management and control systems that meet the requirements of international organizations establishing quality standards in various fields.
Therefore, companies must develop quality control systems that are able to identify the required quality standards applicable to their products, the resources necessary to meet those standards, and the strategies that must be used in pursuit of them. Another important consideration is the evaluation of these control systems — that is, identifying the problems associated with them in order to counteract their effects on the company's activity.
Some business activities require stricter quality standards than others. The casual dining industry is characterized by such standards, primarily because of the health issues associated with the restaurant sector. The media has reported numerous cases in different countries of restaurant customers experiencing problems caused by eating at certain establishments.
Authorities in most countries are focused on developing regulations intended to reduce these problems. They conduct frequent inspections of restaurants to discover violations. The most common problems found include food storage conditions, quality of food and raw materials, and personnel hygiene, among others. To ensure they meet higher quality standards, some restaurants hire their own quality control inspectors.
The following sections focus on identifying the control systems used in the restaurant industry and evaluating them. The development and evaluation of control systems is also addressed, and several quality management techniques are discussed.
In order to properly evaluate the efficiency of control systems in restaurants, it is important to identify their objectives. Restaurant managers must develop control systems designed to determine whether the restaurant's performance is satisfactory relative to its efforts, which requires accurately measuring those objectives. The innovation level of managers within the company is also addressed by control systems.
However, the most important function of control systems in a restaurant is quality control. Managers must establish the quality standards for the restaurant's products and services and determine whether they meet the standards set by authorities. In addition, quality control systems are used to compare the restaurant's service quality with that of its competitors. Customer service is another key dimension addressed by quality control.
In the restaurant under analysis, managers have developed numerous control systems to ensure it meets high quality standards. Some of them achieve their established objectives, while others fail to provide useful information. The most efficient control system is food quality control, which focuses on the quality of food and raw materials storage, food processing, and workplace hygiene.
The objectives of this control system involve establishing standards for food storage and processing in accordance with regulatory requirements. These standards are continuously monitored to assess their application and evolution. Quality inspectors verify conditions and evaluate what they observe against the established standards. Their findings are presented to the restaurant's managers, who make decisions when an evaluation is unsatisfactory. This system is functional, and no significant problems have been reported by the inspectors — a conclusion that is also confirmed by the authorities that inspect the restaurant.
However, not all control systems in this case are efficient. The control system for customer service quality does not appear to meet its objectives. Some customers have complained about employee behavior, with the most frequent issues involving waiters who are not attentive enough, not fast enough, or unable to properly assist customers. The current situation reveals that managers are not able to develop an efficient quality control process for customer service. The system relies on customer feedback rather than managerial analysis of service standards, which does not allow managers to anticipate problems before they occur. Several improvements must therefore be made to this control system.
Control systems are developed using similar steps across most industries, though the specific activities included vary according to each business. The development process begins with establishing quality standards or performance targets against which evaluation is conducted. These standards are set in accordance with industry regulations, competitors' standards, and the company's own objectives. Based on these factors, managers can measure quality levels, compare the results with established standards, and then develop strategies to improve quality where needed.
The process is not complicated, but it requires the analysis of several factors. Managers must study industry regulations and the activity of their competitors. This allows them to develop quality standards that are both regulation-compliant and competitive. Importantly, these standards must also reflect customer requirements, since the restaurant's success depends on customer satisfaction.
In the restaurant context, measurement of quality should encompass behavior as well, and should not be limited to food storage and processing standards. Personnel behavior represents a significant component of quality standards in the restaurant industry. This is admittedly more difficult to achieve, as it requires meaningful investment. Nevertheless, investing in such activities is essential to improving efficiency and productivity.
The evaluation of control systems must be an ongoing priority for management. Quality control systems must be continuously monitored and assessed so that managers can identify problems and take corrective action in a timely manner. ISO 9001 quality management standards provide a widely adopted framework for structuring this kind of continuous evaluation cycle.
Quality standards within companies are developed based on the requirements of their business as well as the principles established by international quality management authorities. The International Organization for Standardization has developed a series of principles that companies should follow. These principles include customer focus, leadership, involvement of people, process approach, system approach to management, continuous improvement, factual approach to decision making, and improved relationships with suppliers (ISO, 2011).
"ISO, Kaizen, benchmarking, and knowledge management explained"
"Quality strategies affect employee motivation and productivity"
"Restaurants must invest in continuous quality improvement"
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