In the lodging industry, hotels are classified from 2 to 5 stars. There exist a big difference of service among them; the more stars contained by a hotel, the more luxurious it is, the better service it offers, and the more expensive it is. However, inside each category, there are a number of competitors whose service’s differentiation is really trivial. Therefore, since competing for the exact same clientele, those hotel companies put together excellent advertising campaigns and sign alliance contracts with airline companies to gain certain customers.
The Restaurant industry resembles the hotel’s “star system”. Restaurants are characterized as quick-service restaurants, casual dining establishments, or fine dining restaurants. Similarly to hotels, those three categories differ in food quality, customer service, and comfort and environment. It’s also hard to find a difference between competing restaurants. When taking McDonald’s for example, when they introduced their chicken McNuggets, it didn’t take Burger King too long to introduce their BK Chicken Tenders.
In the hospitality industry, every competing restaurant or hotel provide approximately the same services; it is all about marketing strategies that have for goal to successfully manipulate the people and develop numerous and loyal clients.
I like confidence behind your claim that all restaurants and hotels provide "approximately the same services", and I agree that the differences come from marketing strategies more than product differentiation. I also like the example you used with the "star system" and how it promotes competition between hotel branches.
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