CONTENT ANALYSIS OF MICHELIN RESTAURANTS ONLINE REVIEWS IN CROATIA

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.