Purpose: The study examines the mediating effects of relationship quality (RQ) on the relationship between six antecedents and loyalty and the moderating effects of gender on these relationships.

Design/methodology: Data were collected from a convenience sample of 300 respondents as they exited well-known casual dining restaurants in Kuala Lumpur (KL), Malaysia

Findings: With the exception of physical environment, food quality, customer orientation, communication, relationship benefits and price fairness were significant predictors of RQ. RQ partially mediates the relationships between its antecedents and loyalty. Multi-group analyses reveal significant differences between males and females on these relationships.

Research limitations/implications: At the theoretical level, the study contributes to the conceptualization of RQ in tourism and hospitality research. The sample is not representative of all casual dining restaurants in KL but findings have important implications for restaurant management in terms of relationship marketing, advertising strategies and customer loyalty development.

Originality: The study extends existing models of RQ in the hospitality and tourism literature by confirming that RQ is best modeled as a second-order construct consisting of three first-order dimensions: trust, satisfaction and commitment. The study also demonstrates that RQ mediates the relationship between the antecedents of RQ and loyalty. Finally, this research confirms the moderating effects of gender on the hypothesized relationships.