Factors Influencing on Consumer Satisfaction of Street Food in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Street food is a significant part of the culinary culture in Sri Lanka, offering affordable and convenient food options and playing a vital role in the social and cultural life of Sri Lankans. Though consumer satisfaction is crucial for repeated patronage and positive word-of-mouth promotion. The factors driving consumer satisfaction in this sector are not clearly understood. Identifying these factors is essential to improve service quality and enhance the industry's growth, but there is a lack of empirical research on this topic. The Sri Lankan government has made some efforts to improve hygiene in the street food industry but focusing more on significant factors affecting customer satisfaction, is essential for achieving a sustainable competitive advantage globally. Therefore, the study aims to determine the factors influencing consumer satisfaction on street food in Sri Lanka. Adopting a quantitative approach with an objective ontology, positivist paradigm, and deductive research method, the research gathered primary data from 164 consumers across various regions. Study findings reveal that consumer satisfaction on street food in Sri Lanka is affected by cleanliness, convenience, sensory appeal, and the quality of service provided by vendors. Consequently, stakeholders in the street food industry should priorities these factors to foster a loyal customer base and enhance the sector. The Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) Approach was performed, and the result indicates that healthiness factors and food safety knowledge factors do not impact customer satisfaction. Customers priorities immediate satisfaction over healthiness and food safety, suggesting a trend that could lead to a poor healthy society in the near future. Since street foods are a panacea to various social issues in Sri Lanka, emphasizing on healthiness and safety can help mitigate the long-term health hazards associated with current consumption trends, ultimately fostering a healthier society while bolstering the industry’s global competitiveness.