Customer mistreatment of local restaurants in the context of gastronomy tourism

This study aims to determine the mediating role of surface acting and deep acting in the effect of emotional exhaustion through customer mistreatment cognitive rumination. The research universe consists of local restaurants within the scope of gastronomy tourism employees in Afyonkarahisar. A total of 396 surveys were gathered through simple random sampling methods from probability-based sampling methods between June 5th and November 20th 2022. The Smart PLS statistical program was utilized to test the hypotheses, and structural equation modelling was used to analyze the data. In this context, it has been found that rumination has a positive effect on emotional exhaustion and that mistreatment towards workers affects cognitive rumination and emotional exhaustion through surface acting and deep acting. However, deep acting does not play a mediating role. It has also been resolved that surface-acting and deep acting mediate the effect of customer mistreatment on emotional exhaustion. Based on the introspection's results, academic and sectoral recommendations have been materialized.