The Marketing Strategies, Service Quality, Competitiveness, and Business Success of Thai Restaurants in Los Angeles, United States

Abstract

Thai restaurant businesses in the United States have expanded in response to the popularity of Thai food. Entrepreneurs face competition, operating costs, and changing consumer behavior. This study aimed to examine the levels of marketing strategies, service quality, competitiveness, and business success of Thai restaurant businesses in Los Angeles, United States. This study employed a quantitative research approach using a survey. The sample consisted of 380 entrepreneurs or representatives of Thai restaurant businesses selected through convenience sampling. The research instrument was a five-point rating-scale questionnaire, and the data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that: 1) marketing strategies were overall at a high level (X̄ = 4.17, S.D. = 0.62), with service personnel having the highest mean, followed by marketing promotion; 2) service quality was overall at a high level (X̄ = 4.14, S.D. = 0.62), with responsiveness to customer needs having the highest mean, followed by reliability, while service tangibility had the lowest mean; 3) competitiveness was overall at the highest level (X̄ = 4.21, S.D. = 0.56), with continuous revenue generation having the highest mean, followed by operating cost management; and 4) business success was overall at the highest level (X̄ = 4.35, S.D. = 0.56), with internal management processes having the highest mean, followed by financial performance, customer performance, and learning and development, respectively. The findings indicate that service personnel, responsiveness to customers, revenue maintenance, cost management, and internal management processes are important issues in the operation of Thai restaurant businesses in the study area.