"Evaluation of service quality and sanitary conditions in the gastronomic offerings of a coastal tourist destination in Ecuador, [Evaluación de calidad del servicio y condiciones sanitarias en oferta gastronómica de destino turístico costero en Ecuador]"

Abstract

"The city of Libertador Bolívar in Santa Elena, Ecuador, is a coastal tourist destination. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the quality of the culinary offerings in this community. A mixed-methods approach was used, combining qualitative and quantitative tools. The quantitative tools included research elements such as hygiene and service audits, both based on Ecuadorian regulations, as well as a microbiological evaluation of the food. Qualitative data was collected through interviews. The evaluation of good hygiene practices in food handling revealed that the main areas for improvement are equipment and utensils, tobacco control, pest control, and sanitary conditions. It was also found that the staff of the various restaurants meet 100% of the requirements, which represents a strength of the community’s culinary offerings. Restaurant service received a very good rating of 72 ± 3%, suggesting the need to improve menu planning and include updates to ensure customer satisfaction. © Licencia de Creative Commons Atribución 4.0 Internacional (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.es"