The hospitality sector is increasingly becoming globalized through the pursuit of new market opportunities and heightened national development initiatives. This necessitates that industry stakeholders cultivate a robust identity and advance a well-recognized brand to achieve success. In order to sustain profitability, it is inadequate to merely attract new clientele; rather, substantial efforts must be directed towards the retention of existing customers through the implementation of effective customer satisfaction policies. This research concentrated on the service quality and customer patronage within dining establishments and hospitality services in Aba, Abia State, utilizing Terminus Hotels and Crunchies Fried Chicken as primary case studies. The investigation was conducted to ascertain the degree to which service quality can positively influence customer purchasing behavior and patronage. The research endeavor utilized a framework comprising four specific research objectives, alongside corresponding research questions and hypotheses. A survey methodology was implemented, utilizing a meticulously structured questionnaire to facilitate data collection. The gathered data were subjected to analysis utilizing descriptive statistics, which encompassed frequencies, mean values, and standard deviations. Furthermore, the hypotheses were evaluated through the application of correlation coefficients, utilizing the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21. The findings indicated that reliability significantly contributes to customer satisfaction and patronage; additionally, responsiveness was found to exert a substantial influence on customer loyalty. The research posits that it is imperative for hospitality enterprises to consistently uphold their reliability and responsiveness, among other SERVQUAL dimensions, in order to maintain a competitive edge within the industry.

Keywords: Hospitality Industry, Customer Satisfaction, Patronage, Service Quality.