Author: Alberto Maestrini
Date: 19-06-2026

Test IT is a company specializing in market research within the large-scale retail sector. The model allows supermarket customers to take products from dedicated displays, pay for them at the checkout, and receive a cashback equal to the purchase price after completing a quantitative product-satisfaction questionnaire.

With the aim of expanding its applications, the project adapted the Test IT model to the restaurant industry as well, in collaboration with CasaGaja, a restaurant located along the Genoa seafront.

The main objectives were:

• To assess customer satisfaction and identify the main customer segments frequenting the restaurant.
• To determine how Test IT can be applied within the restaurant context.

RESEARCH DESIGN

The project is grounded in desk research, namely a review of academic articles and papers to outline current dynamics in the restaurant sector, with a focus on the Italian market. At this stage, online reviews of CasaGaja and its main competitors on TripAdvisor and Google were analyzed to identify the key drivers of choice and satisfaction most relevant to restaurant customers.

Subsequently, qualitative research confirmed the drivers identified in the first phase and clarified additional dynamics critical to satisfaction. Twelve interviews were conducted: four with industry experts (restaurant entrepreneurs) and eight with regular customers. The experts highlighted essential elements within their establishments and the main challenges of the profession; the customers indicated the core components of the dining experience and the barriers that would discourage a return visit. All information gathered in this phase was used to design the survey.

A quantitative questionnaire (with an LOI of approximately five minutes) was administered to CasaGaja customers via a QR code placed on every table.

FIELDWORK AND SAMPLE

Data collection took place from June 27, 2025 to August 13, 2025.

In the first month (June 27–July 28), no incentives were offered and responses were provided spontaneously; from July 29 to August 13, complimentary gifts were introduced to increase response propensity.

In total, 257 responses were collected: 102 incomplete, 4 straightliners, and 1 speeder. The final sample consists of 150 completed responses.

RESULTS

Net Promoter Score (NPS) & Restaurant Return Score (RRS)

The first analysis conducted was the Net Promoter Score (NPS), which measures customers’ likelihood to recommend the restaurant. The NPS, calculated as the percentage of Promoters (9–10) minus the percentage of Detractors (0–6), resulted in an overall score of 14, indicative of a good recommendation propensity. This value increases with age and is negative among first-time customers at CasaGaja.

Using the same logic, the Restaurant Return Score (RRS), an indicator of customers’ propensity to return, recorded an overall value of −1, negative among the 18–35 cohort and positive in the 36–60+ cohorts. The metric also reveals a sharp gap between regular customers (RRS: 22) and new customers (RRS: −29).

An analysis of dissatisfaction drivers among the least satisfied customers highlights two primary barriers: an inadequate quality-to-price ratio (60%) and dissatisfaction with the menu (31%).

Quadrant Analysis (Importance–Satisfaction)

The questionnaire assessed 17 aspects of the dining experience: a “standard” set (value for money, speed of service, staff competence and courtesy, breadth of the menu, options for diets/allergies, atmosphere, word of mouth, online reviews, originality of the dishes, accessibility, cleanliness, noise level) and CasaGaja-specific elements (portion size, location, wine selection, cocktail offering, ease of booking). For each item, customers rated importance and satisfaction on a 1–7 scale. The deviation of each item from its respective mean was then used to construct a map relating importance and satisfaction (X-axis = importance; Y-axis = performance).

• Quadrant I (high importance / high satisfaction): attractive location, atmosphere, cleanliness, welcoming and knowledgeable staff, and ease of booking. These are the pillars where the venue already excels.
• Quadrant IV (high importance / low satisfaction): value for money and portion size, which are currently the main bottlenecks.

Overall, the highest importance scores cluster around cleanliness, value for money, atmosphere, staff, and location; wines and cocktails are less decisive (with cocktails slightly outranking wines). In terms of satisfaction, location, atmosphere, cleanliness, and accessibility stand out, while value for money, dietary options, portion size, originality of dishes, and breadth of the menu lag behind.

Segmentation

To identify client clusters, the 17 items were summarised through factor analysis (Varimax rotation), explaining 63% of the variance. All items show communalities > 0.5, except for “Fast service” and “Broad menu.” The six factors identified are:

• Experience: location, atmosphere, staff, service, originality of the culinary offering, broad menu.
• Convenience: accessibility, ease of booking, options suited to every dietary habit, broad menu, originality.
• Menu: cocktails and wines, originality of the culinary offering, menu suited to every dietary habit.
• Orderliness: low noise, cleanliness (spaces and restrooms), welcoming and well-trained staff.
• Quality/price: quality/price ratio, adequate portions, pleasant atmosphere.
• Reputation: online reviews, word of mouth.

A cluster analysis on the factors identified four distinct groups:

• Experientials – Satisfaction 5.64/7; NPS 16; RRS 4. They appreciated the experience without being fully enthusiastic. They primarily seek experience, orderliness, and offering; they value cleanliness, staff, location, and atmosphere; they place less weight on a broad menu and dietary options. To increase their satisfaction, quality/price, originality, and portion size should be strengthened.
• Tasters – Satisfaction 5.52/7; NPS 15; RRS −7. Although they consider the experience recommendable, they do not view it as a venue to frequent regularly. They mainly look for the menu and assign great importance to location, quality/price, atmosphere, cleanliness, and staff. Satisfied with location and atmosphere; less so with quality/price, portion size, and originality. They mainly visit CasaGaja for aperitivo.
• Balanced – The most satisfied cluster (5.75/7), with NPS 30 and RRS 18. It is the largest group and shows a strong propensity both to recommend and to return. It considers experience and convenience (cleanliness, location, atmosphere) as central, and these aspects are widely satisfactory. Even the lower scores (quality/price and portions) remain higher than in other clusters. The importance–satisfaction map shows adequate performance on the key factors. They represent the most solid, retainable target.
• Pragmatics – The least satisfied group: satisfaction 5.11/7; NPS −14; RRS −32. They are less inclined both to recommend and to return. In addition to a prevalence of people from Genoa, they include a significant share of tourists. They attach importance above all to quality/price and orderliness. They seek cleanliness, quality/price, atmosphere, staff, and portions; they appreciate location, cleanliness, and atmosphere, but are strongly dissatisfied with quality/price, portions, and variety of the offer. Their assessment shows that aspects related to the value/service trade-off are the main weakness.

TAKE-OUTS FOR THE RESTAURANT

The project identified overall good satisfaction with CasaGaja, alongside a number of issues that can be addressed by listening to customers. To improve satisfaction with the restaurant, four actions are recommended:

1. Rebalance value for money. This is the main barrier to return visits and the second-most important item, yet it ranks last in performance. Enhancing communication around the value of the dishes and increasing portion sizes (another important item with low performance) could have a positive impact.
2. Make the culinary offering more dynamic. Interventions on menu breadth, originality, and options suitable for all diets (all below average in satisfaction) can raise scores. Expanding the menu and adjusting it over time, for example, with seasonal offerings, may also improve the propensity to return (RRS −1).
3. Enrich the experience with small courtesies. Qualitative analysis indicates that tastings, a welcome appetizer, or a dessert at the end of the meal can significantly increase the propensity to return and perceived value, contributing to a better assessment of value for money.
4. Strengthen the cocktail and aperitif offering. This strategy targets the “Degustatori” (Tasters) cluster, which primarily visits for aperitivo. Moreover, the linear regression, linking satisfaction with individual items to overall satisfaction, identified five main satisfaction drivers: after value for money and friendly/welcoming/knowledgeable staff, the third driver is the cocktail offering.

TAKE-OUTS FOR TEST IT

The project shows that the Test IT model is fully adaptable to the restaurant industry, with some adjustments:

• A quantitative questionnaire was developed with standard modules (to ensure comparability and repeatability across different clients) and extensive customisation based on the specific needs of each restaurant.
• Incentives proved crucial: the completion rate rose from 51% (before incentives) to 81% (after), with average daily responses increasing from 2.8 to 4.2.
• Expert interviews confirm sector interest: 3 out of 4 entrepreneurs said they were willing to try the service; one, while appreciating the idea, does not feel the need for it due to a very habitual clientele and already consolidated customer feedback.