Ranking and rating halal-certified restaurants in Malaysia: an application of AHP

Purpose The purpose of the study is to measure the performance level of halal compliance practices by the halal-certified restaurants in Malaysia and rank and rate them based on several dimensions of halal compliance. Design/methodology/approach A total of 320 halal restaurants were surveyed. The absolute measurement approach of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was applied to rank and rate the restaurants. Finally, ANOVA and independent t-test were applied to assess if there is any significant difference in halal compliance performance between different groups of the respondents. Findings The AHP application resulted in only 19 restaurants (5.94%) achieving an “Excellent” rating. A significant difference has been observed between different groups of the respondents regarding their halal compliance performance. Research limitations/implications An onsite audit and ranking of all the restaurants in Malaysia were beyond the scope of the study. The research was able to rank only 320 restaurants across Malaysia. Practical implications The findings and methodology of the study will provide policymakers with a clear roadmap for establishing a comprehensive rating system in the fields of the halal food industry to enhance the quality and integrity of the halal food management system. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time an empirical approach, like AHP, has been used to determine how Malaysia’s halal-certified restaurants stack up against one another. Similar studies can be carried out in other sectors of the halal industry as well as in similar context.