Mass Catering Service Quality as a Determinant of Customer Satisfaction in the Tourism Sector

In the context of organized tourism, where meals constitute an integral yet logistically complex part of the package, maintaining a consistent quality standard poses a significant challenge for tour operators. The study adopted a quantitative diagnostic survey approach, utilizing a questionnaire distributed to a sample of 420 participants who had recently completed various escorted tours. Data collected using the PAPI method were subjected to reliability analysis, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis. The results indicate that the quality of catering services is a strong predictor of overall tour satisfaction. The key dimensions influencing satisfaction were reliability - understood as the consistency of meal quality and organization across different locations (β = 0.48) - and staff interaction, which included service in restaurants as well as the role of the tour guide (β = 0.35). The tangible dimension (taste of the food) was also significant, though to a lesser extent. The findings provide strategic guidance for tour operators in selecting catering partners and managing the culinary experience as a key component of a successful escorted tour.