2.1 Introduction

The literature review is discussion of published information based on particular topic or subject, so it can be a simple summary of recourses for that particular topic combines together. It provide a good handy guide for that particular topic. The purpose of the literature review is to give the reader a good access to of a particular topic, it also highlight the key finding of that particular topic. This literature review will talk about restaurants since I’m going to design an Arabic Qatari restaurant in KL Malaysia, followed by the characteristics of good restaurant, then give a short brief about the study area (Kuala Lumpur).

A restaurant is the most popular name in this present world, it’s a public place which open to all for selling food. Now days the restaurant is not just a place to come and eat but now it’s becoming a place where people can meet and spend time together to enjoy.

2.2 Definition of Restaurant

Restaurant is a public place, provide food and beverage on a commercial basis. Its open for all people to take refreshment , provide food and beverage against money , all food and beverage to satisfy guests .(Admin,2012) The word restaurant comes from rest and rent, so guest rest in and pay rent for having refreshment and beverage. Many people think that hotels and restaurants are the same in function and definition, actually its different, hotel has accommodation system to stay night with some facilities like food, but restaurants you can get that facilities without accommodation.(Admin,2012)

http://dc.thedrinknation.com/images/bars/plumedc.jpg

Figure2.1 : restaurant – dc.thedrinknation.com

Restaurants provides different types of services for costumers, people who have no time they are sometimes forced to eat in a restaurant. But not only eating most of restaurants now provides meeting area in for those customers who wants to arrange special events in the restaurant such as marriage or engagement , birthday party, and graduations, company special meetings, or others that why the restaurants becoming more important place in now days . however restaurants normally do not provide the same level of services, of course it will be a restaurants who provides a high level of services foe costumers, and some restaurants just provide a poor services. The following points will discuss the different opinion of research of the characteristics of a good restaurant. (ELS,2009)

2.3 Characteristics of restaurant

A good restaurant should provides a high level of services, quality, and facilities for costumers, there are a very important characteristics can distinguish a good restaurant. Such these qualities provide a good restaurant and satisfy customers and force them to choose the same restaurant next time. The characteristics which will be given is done by different three researchers and everyone of them shows their opinion in how a good restaurant should be and the following point going to enumerate each one’s opinion.

According to ‘ELS’ English learning source they state the characteristics of a good restaurants, the researchers shows the following points of a good restaurant:

Cleanness:

A good restaurant must have clean and keep clean all the time especially working hours when guests are there. This also includes the front area where the costumers sit to eat and the serving areas, as well as the areas that are not visible to customers like the kitchens. Special care must also giving to eating utensils, tools and materials which using for cooking and serving food such as spoons, forks, cups, plates, and towels which served in guests tables. Necessarily a good restaurant must keep the restrooms clean all the time because it is also can affect the customer’s satisfaction about the restaurant. Normally the non-cleaned restrooms caused illness to the costumers that is why the cleanness is so important elements to have a good restaurants which attracts visitors. (ELS,2009)

Service:

The good restaurant always provides a good level of service to it costumers, because it is so important to attract many costumers to visit again. In some cases the costumers can feel so hungry and maybe some of them are stressful from hard work and they wants the restaurant to process orders very accurately, nicely, and quickly furthermore they wants the restaurant to prepare delicious fresh food. Finally, employees should be well-dressed, clean, and trained very well in treat costumers nicely and courteously and be willing to serve the customers. (ELS,2009)

Prices:

A good restaurant should charge reasonable prices for food and drinks in order to satisfy customers. Normally costumers have their own reasonable price in their minds for the food and drinks they ordered and level of services they received. Therefore, a good restaurant should also set prices based on the type of food and the level of service they provide as well. The too high price will upset the customers, they well feel suspicious about the quality of the food. These can may cause the customers think many times before they come and visit again. (ELS,2009)

In summary the above points is the main characteristic of a good restaurants according to English learning source, the first is they should kept clean to impress costumer, second is to provide a high good level of service to satisfy costumers, the last is to charge a reasonable price in order to avoid displeasure and cause them to visit again. (ELS,2009)

The second researcher ‘Bryan Keythman, Demand Media’ illustrate the following characteristics of a good restaurant:

1.High-Quality Food:

A good restaurants provide a high standard of food quality and ensure that guests are getting the same high quality in every meal. Serving a good quality food can earn the restaurant the  reputation and compel the costumers to return visit. High-quality ingredients and an experienced cook are important to serving good food consistently. A good cook understands your guests’ needs and works well with the kitchen staff to ensure that guests receive their meal the way they ordered it every time.( Bryan Keythman, Demand Media,2012)

2. Good Overall Experience:

Providing a good clean environment help to promote the costumer overall  experience of the restaurant. The staff who interact with the guests in the restaurants should be polite and well-mannered and maintain a positive attitude and behave. Waters who are working in the restaurant should know the menu very well, deliver costumers food and drinks on time, and quickly address any issues that an unsatisfied costumers may have. All the staff should helps and make sure that the restaurant is clean at all times, including the kitchen, food preparation areas and any areas that the costumer can go in the restaurant.( Bryan Keythman, Demand Media,2012.

3. Different from the Rest:

if the restaurant provides a good food and service which it can maybe be better and not similar to other restaurants ,the customers will be willing to overlook the different good restaurant when deciding where to dine. The good restaurant should have one or more unique features that stand out in a customer’s mind and give it a competitive advantage over others.

For example, the restaurant may be the only restaurant in town that makes its ingredients fresh daily or it may have an amazing view of the city that none of your competitors have. .( Bryan Keythman, Demand Media,2012)

The third researcher ” Calia Robert” clarify that dining in a good restaurant gives the costumers a the proper chance to relax, unwind, and enjoy lovely social ambience while having delicious  meals.

” A good restaurant creates an overall pleasing experience by combining professionalism, good food and ambience for the enjoyment of the customer.” Calia Robert said

The following characteristics of a good restaurant are illustrated by Calia Robert:

1. Ambience:

In any successful restaurant, the atmosphere of the restaurant will either make or break the business. The costumer likes the dining experience to be interesting and that can include the location, feel, mood, character and atmosphere. The factor which can affect the ambiance of the restaurant can be the decor, music, openness, comfort seating and lighting. (Calia Rober,2012)

2. Service:

Good service is the key characteristic of good successful restaurant . Patrons of the restaurant not only pay for the meals, but also for the experience of being served. Poor services like rude , non-trained, non-existent, or unfriendly waiter staff who are running food for costumers can discourage the costumer to visit the restaurant anymore. Typically, the good high level and flawless service like cleanness, politely staff can bring a good reputation for the restaurant and make people feel happy to choose the restaurants every time. (Calia Rober,2012)

3. Experience:

The restaurant which run by an raw unskilled owner and staff is so easy to differentiate from the restaurant which run by worldly-wised and experienced owner and staff and that experience can clearly affect all aspects of business such as finances, food marketing promotions, staff and all costumers dining experience in that restaurant.(Calia Rober,2012)

4. Cleanliness:

The Cleanliness in a restaurant is a essential element, and keeping the restaurant clean is essential to avoid possibility of illness for costumers, it encourage the costumer to repeat the visit, and a good first reputation and impression. That is why all area of the restaurant should be always clean as well as the employees, and their area, restrooms, and all area which is not visible to costumer. (Calia Rober,2012)

5. Good food:

The restaurant can have all the above characteristics but without a good food the restaurant will consider as fail. Serving food is the main aim of having a restaurant that why providing a good quality of food is the foundation of having a successful restaurant and big rate of visitors. Good food can include compatibility of flavors true actual authentic cooking of different types of food styles, the innovation in creating new delicious and nice clean dishes and elegantly of presenting it. (Calia Rober,2012)

6. Price:

The Restaurant costumers expect prices which reflect the level of service, the type food and the atmosphere of the building itself this include the design, distribution of tables and the interior design. The high prices can upset the costumers and discourage to repeat the visit. Also the stage to low prices will make the costumer Suspect about the quality of food served in the restaurant and the quality of the restaurant itself which can give negative impression. Fixing a balanced prices that meets costumers expectations can lead to a successful restaurant and profit. (Calia Rober,2012)