An Expanded Restaurant Typology

Abstract

This overview of the restaurant industry explains the attributes of each restaurant type from the point of view of management and customers. The traditional three-part typology of quick service, midscale, and upscale has been augmented to include moderate upscale and business dining. An examination of different segments' attributes shows why quick-service restaurants have put such pressure on midscale operations (they have many attributes in common), and why even fine-dining restaurants are susceptible to competition from chains (certain attributes that can be standardized substitute for other attributes that cannot).