ANALYZING THE ROLE OF FOOD IN ENHANCING CUSTOMER DINING EXPERIENCE: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY ON HAVELI RESTAURANT IN HARYANA

The present study conducted at Haveli restaurant in Haryana, aimed to analyze the role of culinary elements in enhancing the customer dining experience. The study involved 182 participants who recently dined at the restaurant. Through purposive sampling and questionnaire surveys, data was collected on various aspects including taste, presentation, quality, and cultural authenticity of the cuisine. Statistical analysis, including stepwise multiple regression, was employed to test the hypotheses and determine the impact of different culinary attributes on the dining experience. Results revealed that factors such as visual appeal, nutritional balance, uniqueness, and overall food quality significantly influenced customer satisfaction. Additionally, affordability, freshness of ingredients, and flavor diversity played noteworthy roles. The study affirmed that culinary elements indeed have a positive impact on the dining experience. Recommendations for Haveli restaurant include refining culinary elements, enhancing dish presentation, ensuring ingredient quality and freshness, maintaining affordability, and incorporating unique flavours. Moreover, efforts to gather customer feedback and collaborate with local producers were suggested for continuous improvement. KEY WORDS: Culinary elements, Customer, Dining experience, Haveli restaurant, Regression analysis