This study investigates how ambient conditions, specifically lighting, scent, music, and temperature, affect customer satisfaction in Indian urban restaurants. Grounded in Bitner’s servicescape model and the stimulus–organism–response (S-O-R) framework, the research aims to measure expectation–perception gaps across these sensory dimensions and assess their impact on overall satisfaction. A structured survey was administered to 250 respondents using a 5-point Likert scale to capture both expectations and perceptions of ambient conditions. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test, a nonparametric method suitable for ordinal data, was applied to examine significant differences between expectation and perception scores for each factor. Results reveal statistically significant differences across all four ambient variables. Lighting, scent, and music exceeded customer expectations, indicating positive disconfirmation and enhanced satisfaction. Conversely, temperature fell short of expectations, highlighting discomfort as a key dissatisfaction driver. The findings affirm that ambient cues are not peripheral but central to shaping experiential quality in hospitality settings. This study contributes by integrating servicescape and S-O-R theories with a nonparametric statistical approach to empirically test expectation–perception gaps in an Indian context. It highlights dimension-specific insights, offering actionable guidance for restaurant managers to refine sensory strategies for competitive advantage.

Servicescape, S-O-R Model, Consumer Satisfaction, Consumer Expectation and Perception

Areni, C. S., & Kim, D. (1993). The influence of background music on shopping behaviour: Classical versus top-40 music in a wine store. In L. McAlister & M. L. Rothschild (Eds), Advances in consumer research (Vol. 20, pp. 336–340). Association for Consumer Research.

Arneill, A. B., & Devlin, A. S. (2002). Perceived quality of care: The influence of the waiting room environment. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 22(4), 345–360.

Baker, J. (1987). The role of the environment in marketing services: The consumer perspective. In J. A. Czepiel, C. A. Congram, & J. Shanahan (Eds), The service challenge: Integrating for competitive advantage (pp. 79–84). American Marketing Association.

Baker, J., Levy, M., & Grewal, D. (1992). An experimental approach to making retail store environmental decisions. Journal of Retailing, 68(4), 445.

Bitner, M. J. (1992). Servicescapes: The impact of physical surroundings on customers and employees. Journal of Marketing, 56(2), 57–71.

Dubé, L., Chebat, J., & Morin, S. (1995). The effects of background music on consumers’ desire to affiliate in buyer–seller interactions. Psychology & Marketing, 12(4), 305–319.

Duncan Herrington, J. (1996). Effects of music in service environments: A field study. Journal of Services Marketing, 10(2), 26–41.

Eiseman, L. (1998). Colors for your every mood. Capital Books.

Gifford, R. (1988). Light, décor, arousal, comfort, and communication. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 8(3), 177–189.

Han, H. S., & Ryu, K. (2009). The roles of the physical environment, price perception, and customer satisfaction in determining customer loyalty in the family restaurant industry. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 33(4), 487–510.

Harris, L. C., & Ezeh, C. (2008). Servicescape and loyalty intentions: An empirical investigation. European Journal of Marketing, 42(3/4), 390–422.

Harris, P. B., & Sachau, D. (2005). Is cleanliness next to godliness? The role of housekeeping in impression formation. Environment and Behavior, 37(1), 81–101.

Hirsch, A. R. (1991, October). Nostalgia: A neuropsychiatric understanding. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association for Consumer Research.

Hunter, B. T. (1995). The sales appeals of scents (Using synthetic food scents to increase sales). Consumer Research Magazine, 18(10), 8–10.

Hutton, J. D., & Richardson, L. D. (1995). Healthscapes: The role of the facility and physical environment on consumer attitudes, satisfaction, quality assessments, and behaviors. Health Care Management Review, 20(2), 48–61.

Kim, W. G., & Moon, Y. J. (2009). Customers’ cognitive, emotional, and actionable response to the servicescape: A test of the moderating effect of the restaurant type. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 28(1), 144–156.

Kotler, P. (1973). Atmospherics as a marketing tool. Journal of Retailing, 49(4), 48–64.

Kryter, K. D. (1985). The effect of noise on man. Academic Press.

Lin, I. Y. (2004). Evaluating a servicescape: The effect of cognition and emotion. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 23(2), 163–178.

Lin, I. Y., & Mattila, A. S. (2010). Restaurant servicescape, service encounter, and perceived congruency on customers’ emotions and satisfaction. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 19(8), 819–841.

Lucas, A. F. (2003). The determinants and effects of slot servicescape satisfaction in a Las Vegas Hotel Casino. UNLV Gaming Research and Review Journal, 7(1), 1–19.

McDonnell, A., & Hall, C. (2008). A framework for the evaluation of winery servicescapes: A New Zealand case. Pasos: Revista de Turismo y Patrimonio Cultural, 6(2), 231–247.

Medabesh, A., & Upadhyaya, M. (2012). Servicescape and customer substantiation of star hotels in India’s metropolitan city of Delhi. Journal of Marketing and Communication, 8(2), 39–47.

Mehrabian, A., & Russell, J. A. (1974). The basic emotional impact of environments. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 38(1), 283–301.

Morrin, M., & Ratneshwar, S. (2003). Does it make sense to use scents to enhance brand memory? Journal of Marketing Research, 40(1), 10–25.

Nguyen, N., & Leblanc, G. (2002). Contact personnel, physical environment and the perceived corporate image of intangible services by new clients. International Journal of Service Industry Management, 13(3/4), 242–262.

North, A. C., Hargreaves, D. J., & McKendrick, J. (1999). The influence of in-store music on wine selections. Journal of Applied Psychology, 84(2), 271.

O’Neill, R. E. (1992, December). How consumers shop. Progressive Grocer, 71, 62–64.

Patterson, P. G., & Spreng, R. A. (1997). Modelling the relationship between perceived value, satisfaction and repurchase intentions in a business-to-business, services context: An empirical examination. International Journal of Service Industry Management, 8(5), 414–434.

Reimer, A., & Kuehn, R. (2005). The impact of servicescape on quality perception. European Journal of Marketing, 39(7/8), 785–808.

Ryu, K., & Han, H. (2010). Influence of physical environment on disconfirmation, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty for first-time and repeat customers in upscale restaurants. International CHRIE Conference-refereed Track, 13, 1–13.

Tom, G., Barnett, T., Lew, W., & Selmants, J. (1987). Cueing the customer: The role of salient cues in consumer perception. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 4(1), 23–28.

Tombs, A., & McColl-Kennedy, J. R. (2003). Social-servicescape conceptual model. Marketing Theory, 3(4), 447–475.

Turley, L. W., & Milliman, R. E. (2000). Atmospheric effects on shopping behaviour: A review of the experimental evidence. Journal of Business Research, 49(2), 193–211.

Vilnai-Yavetz, I., & Gilboa, S. (2010). The effect of servicescape cleanliness on customer reactions. Services Marketing Quarterly, 31(2), 213–234.

Wakefield, K. L., & Blodgett, J. G. (1996). The effect of the servicescape on customers’ behavioural intentions in leisure service settings. Journal of Services Marketing, 10(6), 45–61.

Yalch, R. F., & Spangenberg, E. (1988). An environmental psychological study of foreground and background music as retail atmospheric factors. In AMA educators’ conference proceedings (Vol. 54, pp. 106–110). American Marketing Association.

Yalch, R., & Spangenberg, E. (1990). Effects of store music on shopping behavior. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 7(2), 55–63.