DINESCAPE Scale

What it measures

A restaurant-specific physical environment quality scale that moves beyond Bitner's (1992) general Servicescape framework to capture the six distinct dimensions of the dining atmosphere that matter most to restaurant customers. Facility Aesthetics captures the visual appeal of the interior design and décor; Ambience captures sensory atmospheric qualities including music, scent, and temperature; Lighting captures the intensity and colour of restaurant lighting; Employee Appearance captures the neatness and attractiveness of staff presentation; Layout captures the spatial arrangement and flow of the restaurant; Table Settings captures the quality and presentation of tableware, linen, and place settings. DINESCAPE dimensions are differentially important across restaurant segments — fine dining customers weight Facility Aesthetics and Table Settings most heavily, while casual diners prioritise Layout and Ambience.

Response format

Likert (1–7, strongly disagree to strongly agree)

Scale items

Facility Aesthetics — visual appeal of the restaurant design and decor (Likert 1–7, strongly disagree to strongly agree)

• The interior design of this restaurant is attractive.
• The decor of this restaurant creates a pleasant atmosphere.
• The colour scheme of this restaurant is appealing.
• The furnishings in this restaurant are attractive.
• The overall design of this restaurant is beautiful.
• This restaurant has an aesthetically pleasing interior.
• The architecture of this restaurant is appealing.

Lighting — quality and appropriateness of lighting

• The lighting in this restaurant creates a pleasant atmosphere.
• The lighting level in this restaurant is comfortable.
• The lighting in this restaurant is appropriate for dining.
• The lighting enhances the mood in this restaurant.
• The lighting in this restaurant is romantic and flattering.
• The lighting sets the right mood for dining.

Ambience — background conditions including music and temperature

• The music in this restaurant is appropriate.
• The volume of background music is suitable.
• The temperature in this restaurant is comfortable.
• The overall ambience of this restaurant is pleasant.
• The scent of this restaurant is pleasant.
• The general atmosphere of this restaurant is enjoyable.

Table Settings — presentation of table items

• The table settings in this restaurant are elegant.
• The cleanliness of the table settings is excellent.
• The quality of the tableware reflects the overall restaurant quality.
• The place settings are appropriate for the type of restaurant.
• The table arrangements are well done.
• The cutlery and crockery are of good quality.

Staff Appearance — neatness and professionalism of employee dress

• The staff in this restaurant are well dressed.
• The uniforms of staff at this restaurant are neat and attractive.
• The appearance of the staff reflects the restaurant's quality.
• The staff look professional in their uniforms.
• The appearance of staff in this restaurant is appropriate for the dining environment.
• Staff uniforms are consistent and professional-looking.

Full scale items shown. Always cite the original source when using this scale in research.

Usage notes & scoring

Six subscale scores. Facility Aesthetics and Table Settings are most influential for fine dining satisfaction; Ambience and Layout are most important for casual dining. DINESCAPE perceptions are stronger predictors of return intention in upscale restaurants than in fast casual. The scale has been adapted for hotel lobbies, café environments, and food courts. Companion to DINESERV — DINESERV captures service quality (process and people); DINESCAPE captures environment quality.

Recommended companion scales

Citation

Ryu, K., & Jang, S.C. (2008). DINESCAPE: A scale for customers' perception of dining environments. Journal of Foodservice Business Research, 11(1), 2–22.

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