<![CDATA[Culinary micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) face increasing competition that requires them to strengthen not only product quality but also customer experience and service innovation. This community service activity aimed to strengthen the family dining experience at Ayam Bebek Haji Soleh Pahoman through participatory service innovation using a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach. The activity involved participatory identification of customer preferences, service conditions, unmet needs, and improvement priorities through direct observation and semi-structured interviews with 17 dine-in customers. The findings revealed that the partner had strong service and product assets, particularly the distinctive “Bumbu Bakar Medok” identity, Bebek Bakar as a signature menu, spacious lesehan areas, an anjungan, and a mini playground. However, several service gaps were identified, including limited beverage variation, insufficient children-oriented menu options, air circulation problems, limited waiting facilities, playground limitations, cleanliness concerns, and parking constraints during peak hours. Through the participatory process, these findings were translated into service innovation priorities, including the development of children-oriented meal packages, beverage diversification, facility improvement, enhanced cleanliness management, parking and waiting-area management, and digital promotion emphasizing the family dining experience. The activity strengthened the partner’s understanding of customer needs and provided a practical framework for customer-oriented service improvement without changing the partner’s core culinary identity. The activity demonstrates that participatory service innovation can help culinary MSMEs transform customer insights into practical strategies for strengthening family dining experiences and sustainable competitiveness.]]>
