INNOVATIVE ACTIVITY OF RESTAURANTS OPERATING IN THE LARGEST POLISH CITIES

The skills of acquiring and processing information as well as creating innovations remain the key factor responsible for the market success of enterprises, one of the most important factors in gaining a competitive advantage on the market. It is also true for the tourism market of which catering services make an essential part. Hotel industry has been the subject of intensive research in this area for over 2 decades. Much less scientific attention has been paid to innovation in the restaurant sector. Therefore, the intention of the authors of this study was to analyse the process of creating innovations in restaurants operating in the largest Polish cities. The study identifies the factors responsible for the innovative activity of restaurants, perceived from the perspective of their managers. For this purpose, a multivariate method, in the form of classification trees, was used. The research material was collected in the course of a survey carried out in 250 restaurants. As a result of the applied research methods, the innovation factors were specified and 4 segments of innovative restaurants in Poland were identified. These segments are made up of 75% of restaurants applying pro-innovative activities, which for them represent an important aspect of market success. Pro-innovative activities are implemented more often by chain restaurants as well as the ones operating in hotel facilities. Small, family-run restaurants use innovations on a smaller scale. They refer to selected restaurants operating in the 6 largest Polish cities, which limits the possibility of making generalizations regarding other forms of catering establishments functioning in other geographical locations. Future research should cover a wider group of catering establishments, in various locations.