CANTEEN SERVICE QUALITY MONITORING AMONG SHS LEARNERS' SATISFACTION: BASIS FOR A PROPOSED FOOD MANAGEMENT POLICIES

Canteen operations and quality services ensure that learners’ health and nutrition are the top priorities. To better analyze how the school canteen in the senior high school is operated, the study intended to describe the profile of the student-respondents based on their grade level; describe the problems in the operation of the school canteen in terms of sanitation, policies, and staff management; describe the level of learners satisfaction in terms of quality of food and quality of service; describe the importance of having a school canteen operated by the school; test differences in the respondent’s perceptions towards the operation of the school canteen when grouped according to grade level profile variables; test differences on the respondent’s perceptions towards quality services provided by the canteen when grouped according to grade level profile variables; test the relationship between the operation of the school canteen and the quality of canteen services; and propose a strategic plan for the operation of the school canteen. Using the descriptive survey design of quantitative research, the data were gathered from 126 respondents (60 Grade 11 and 66 Grade 12 students) via a researcher-made survey questionnaire. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, and mean) and inferential statistics (ANOVA/F-test and Pearson r). The results indicated that there are (69) sixty-nine respondents who are from Grade 11 and Grade 12 of the SHS; the student-respondents agreed on the factors/contributors affecting the operation of the school canteen such as sanitation, policies, and staff management; the student-respondents are satisfied with the factors/contributors affecting the quality of school canteen services in terms of the assessment of food quality services and quality services; the student-respondents acknowledged the importance of having a school canteen in school operations, especially in serving the school community and providing nutritious and healthy meals; there are no significant differences in the respondent’s perceptions towards the operation of the school canteen when grouped according to grade level profile variables; there are no significant differences in the respondent’s perceptions towards quality services provided by the canteen when grouped according to grade level profile variables; there is a positive correlation between the operation of the school canteen and the quality of canteen services; and the study proposed a strategic plan to improve further the operation of the school canteen to cater to the needs of the clientele, especially the SHS students on its operation and services provided.