* Corresponding author. Hospitality Management 18 (1999) 59 — 65 The effect of cultural orientation on the service timing preferences of customers in casual dining operations: An exploratory study Cherylynn Becker*, Suzanne K. Murrmann  University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA  Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, Blackburg, VA, USA Abstract Sociological studies indicate that individuals’ orientations toward time are grounded in cultural tradition. This study employs samples from the USA and Hong Kong to identify if and how these differences impact service delivery expectations for casual restaurant dining. Results provide useful information for the modification of service practices to more closely align with the preferences of diverse consumer segments in the global market place.  1999 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Consumer behavior; Culture; Service quality; Restaurant operations; Time; Service 1. Introduction As the service sector continues to expand, the issue of service quality has received increasingly more attention. Over the last 20 years a preponderance of literature has emerged that has increased our understanding of the difficulties associated with delivering quality service, but fallen short of providing service managers with the tools they need to put quality control into action. In services, the intangible and heterogen- eous characteristics associated with the delivery process, and the inseparability of service production from service consumption continue to provide a hurdle for those who seek to establish the well defined standards which are a prerequisite for quality control. Among service industries the hospitality sector presents a particularly chal- lenging case. Our market is global. Whether seen from the perspective of corporate expansion into yet another new international territory or through awareness of the increasing number of international guests served, we are confronted with cultural 0278-4319/99/$ — See front matter  1999 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. PII: S0278-4319(98)00044-9