CUSTOMER PERCEPTION ON TATOOED PERSONNEL IN SELECTED RESTAURANTS IN NOVALICHES,QUEZON CITY

Abstract

The increasing cultural acceptance of tattoos has influenced how body art is perceived in professional settings, particularly in customer-facing industries such as hospitality. Historically, tattoos were often associated with deviance, but they are now recognized as a form of personal expression by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including professionals. Despite this shift, challenges remain, especially in hospitality services where visibly tattooed staff may affect customer perception, service interactions, and overall operational outcomes. This study explores how customers perceive tattooed personnel in restaurant settings and investigates whether visible tattoos influence their dining experience. This study employs a descriptive-correlational research design, integrating both quantitative and qualitative methods to examine customer perceptions of tattooed personnel. The research focuses on selected restaurants in Novaliches, Quezon City—specifically Giligan’s Restaurant, Classic Savory, and Chooks-to-Go. Data collection includes demographic variables such as age, sex, and frequency of visits. Customer perceptions are assessed in terms of ambiance, communication, and service quality. Descriptive statistics are used to summarize responses, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of general customer attitudes toward tattooed employees in the hospitality setting. The demographic data revealed varied respondent profiles in terms of age, sex, and visit frequency. Frequencies and percentages were calculated to provide a contextual understanding of the respondents' backgrounds. The analysis of these variables helped determine how demographic characteristics influenced customer perceptions. It was found that perceptions varied depending on the age of the respondents, with younger customers tending to be more accepting of tattooed staff, while older respondents exhibited more conservative views. The findings indicated that customer perception of tattooed employees in selected restaurants is influenced by generational differences. Specifically, older customers tended to view tattooed personnel with more reservation, while younger customers expressed greater openness and acceptance. These insights suggest that while tattoos are gaining broader cultural acceptance, generational attitudes still play a role in shaping customer responses in hospitality environments. The study highlights the importance of understanding customer demographics when managing employee appearance standards in service industries.