Is It Training Enough? Professional Competence in Catering Quality for University Food Canteen Employees

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between professional competence and the training provided for canteen staff in Chinese universities. This study’s methods included a survey questionnaire, and importance–performance analysis (IPA) was used for analysis. The questionnaire distributed to canteen staff in Chinese universities considered eight dimensions and 39 questions to evaluate the relationship between the staff’s professional competence (performance level) and the training provided (importance level). “Focus on consumers”, “Employee hygiene knowledge”, and “Food quality” indicated poor professional competence for employees and insufficient training from the canteen. Our findings improve these circumstances by providing recommendations for future training. The research results provide guidance for managing and training university canteen employees and recommendations for improving the quality of catering.