Suzana Marković – University of Rijeka, Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Primorska 42, Opatija, Croatia
Jelena Dorčić – University of Rijeka, Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Primorska 42, Opatija, Croatia
Dora Rašan – University of Rijeka, Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Primorska 42, Opatija, Croatia
Bruna Bucić – University of Rijeka, Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Primorska 42, Opatija, Croatia
Marko Blažić – University of Rijeka, Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Primorska 42, Opatija, Croatia
DOI: https://doi.org/10.31410/EMAN.2021.381
5th International Scientific Conference – EMAN 2021 – Economics and Management: How to Cope With Disrupted Times, Online/Virtual, March 18, 2021, CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS published by: Association of Economists and Managers of the Balkans, Belgrade, Serbia; ISBN 978-86-80194-43-1, ISSN 2683-4510
Abstract:
The Michelin Guide is considered by many to be the hallmark of global fine dining and
quality cuisine. For five years now, renowned and selected Croatian restaurants have been included
in the worldwide Michelin Guide. In the latest edition of Michelin Guide, seventy Croatian restaurants
were included. Nowadays, to find the ideal restaurant, diners are increasingly using TripAdvisor and
reviews on social media. Online reviews are a great source for capturing unique customer experiences.
The purpose of this study is to gain insight into the components of restaurant guest experiences. The
most recent online reviews on TripAdvisor of 17 Croatian Michelin guide listed restaurants (7 one-star
restaurants and 10 Bib Gourmand) were analysed. This study follows a content analysis approach. Simple
frequency counts were performed on the number of positive, negative and neutral comments. The
empirical results showed that the overall customer satisfaction in the analysed restaurants was positive.
The content analysis revealed that customers mainly focused on the food, menu offerings, ambiance,
and service in the online reviews. This study contributes to the customer experience literature by applying
data mining techniques and content analysis of online reviews to understand customers’ views of the
restaurant experience. The findings of this study also provide practical implications for restaurateurs
by identifying the key determinants in customer reviews of restaurants.
Keywords:
Online customer experience, Online review, Content analysis, Michelin Guide, Restaurant.
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