An Integrated AHP-TOPSIS Approach to Staff Preferences for Coffee Shop Selection

Abstract

Coffee plays a vital role in supporting the daily routines and productivity of academic staff, yet many academic institutions provide limited café options that do not fully meet staff preferences. Despite the growing importance of coffee shops as spaces for work, leisure, and social interaction, few studies have systematically examined how staff evaluate and prioritise café attributes in campus environments. This study presents a comprehensive analysis of coffee shop attributes using an integrated Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) approach, focusing on the preferences of academic staff. Data were collected from academic staff, treated as decision makers (DMs), who provided pairwise comparisons of criteria and ratings of café alternatives. Five main criteria such as flavour, price, atmosphere of the restaurant, speed of service and location were evaluated. The results show that flavour, price, and location emerged as the top priorities, while Nasken Coffee was ranked as the most preferred alternative among the three outlets studied. These findings offer actionable insights for campus administrators and coffee shop managers, helping to inform decision-making processes for service improvements. By combining AHP and TOPSIS, this study provides an alternative for evaluating service preferences, ensuring that the coffee shops meet the diverse needs of the campus community effectively.