The motivations of visiting upscale restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic: The role of risk perception and trust in government

Despite the massive impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on hospitality industry, only limited papers empirically examined consumer reactions to current pandemic in the context of restaurants. To fill this gap, the primary aim of this paper is to reveal how individuals’ intentions to visiting upscale restaurants are affected by dining out motivations under the COVID-19 pandemic. The second aim is to investigate the moderating role of risk perceptions of COVID-19 and trust in government in building relationships. The research was conducted in Istanbul, a city deeply affected by the coronavirus. Data gathered from 681 people living Istanbul were analyzed via structural equation modeling and multi-group analysis. Findings indicated that two motivations—namely, sociability and affect regulation—have positive impacts on visit intention toward an upscale restaurant. Consumers’ COVID-19 risk perception and their trust in government moderate the relationship between some motivational factors and visit intention. The study makes a significant contribution to the literature in terms of both managing the risk perceptions of consumers and building trust in government.     

Do upscale restaurant owners use wine lists as a differentiation strategy?

The present paper studies various criteria used by upscale restaurant owners to differentiate their restaurants and to define their positioning. In particular, we studied several wine list attributes. Through a cluster analysis and a correspondence factor analysis based on different objective wine list characteristics, we obtain two main differentiated profiles of restaurants according to the relative importance of their wine list in comparison with food menu: wine selection and complementarity. Upscale restaurants need to define their positioning strategy and elaborate their wine lists according to their strategy.     

Asymmetric price responses to hotel competition caused by heterogeneous customers’ willingness to pay

Heterogeneous customers’ willingness to pay affects hotel competition and results in competitors’ asymmetric price responses. To study this lopsided effect, we construct a game framework featuring an upscale hotel and an upper-midscale hotel under a series of assumptions. We first analyze hotel pricing and competitor price responses and then compare the competitors’ responding adjustments. Primary findings show that (1) the price response expressed as an amount by the upscale hotel is more than that of the upper-midscale hotel, and that (2) the price response expressed as a percentage by the upscale hotel is less than that of the upper-midscale hotel. Finally, we present reasons for our findings and offer suggestions to hotel revenue managers.     

A multilevel synthesis of subjective and objective measures of foodservices in the experience process

This study develops a multilevel framework that connects customer-to-customer (C2C) interaction quality to brand attachment through customer experience. Two food traits—uniqueness and taste—and service quality are posited to play different roles in this link. This research contributes to the literature on the effects of food traits and service on the experience creation process at upscale restaurants. By including both objective measures from user-generated ratings and subjective measures from customer evaluations of restaurant dining, this research sheds new light on the cross-level direct and moderating effects on the experience creation process, and thus answers the question of when and how this process is contingent on food traits and service of different dining outings. It further contributes to the brand attachment literature by revealing the cross-level moderated mediating effect of customer experience on customer emotional connection to a restaurant brand.     

Effect of employee incivility on customer retaliation through psychological contract breach: The moderating role of moral identity

This study investigates the effect of employee incivility on customer retaliation through psychological contract breach in the context of upscale restaurants. Results of our study (N = 2014) show that psychological contract breach mediates the positive relationship between employee incivility and three forms of customer retaliatory behaviors. Further, drawing upon the moral identity perspective, we found that customers who are high in moral identity tend to be more likely to seek revenge by engaging in vindictive complaining (but not third party complaining or negative word of mouth) subsequent to their experience of psychological contract breach. Our study yielded both theoretical contributions and practical implications.     

New or repeat customers: How does physical environment influence their restaurant experience?

This study proposed a conceptual model to examine how customers’ perceptions of the physical environment influenced disconfirmation, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty for first-time and repeat customers in upscale restaurants. Using a structural equation modeling analysis, this study showed that facility aesthetics, lighting, layout, and service staff had significant effects on disconfirmation. Moreover, disconfirmation exerted a direct influence on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. Customer satisfaction also positively influenced customer loyalty. Finally, the impacts of facility aesthetics, lighting, table settings, and service staff on disconfirmation significantly differed between first-time customers and repeat customers. More specifically, facility aesthetics, lighting, and service staff were significant predictors of both first timers’ and repeaters’ perceived disconfirmation, while layout and table settings were significant determinants of only repeat visitors’ perceived disconfirmation. The implications for academic researchers and marketing practitioners are discussed.     

To cluster or not to cluster?: Understanding geographic clustering by restaurant segment

This study tested whether geographic clustering differs by restaurant segment due to the differences in consumers’ hedonic and utilitarian values by using Ripley’s K function and a Tobit model. This study found that higher priced restaurant segments have stronger clusters than lower priced restaurants, which implies that restaurants that focus on hedonic values tend to cluster more than utilitarian focused restaurants. However, the results differ depending on whether or not restaurants are located within a central business district (CBD). For example, quick service restaurants have stronger clusters than casual restaurants outside CBDs. Practical applications may apply to new restaurants that are attempting to open. Up-scale restaurants have the advantage of reducing research costs by locating near similar restaurants. Moreover, casual restaurants do benefit by clustering near existing ones under the condition that demand is not severely hurt by competition, while quick service restaurants benefit by diffusing from each other.     

Influence of restaurant atmospherics on patron satisfaction and behavioral intentions

The purpose of this research was to investigate empirically the influence of restaurant atmospherics on the dining satisfaction and behavioral intentions of restaurant patrons. An extensive literature review first identified five dimensions of restaurant atmospherics, namely: facility aesthetics, ambience, spatial layout, employee factors, and the view from the window. Data were collected from 10 middle and upscale full-service restaurants in Hong Kong, and factor analysis and multiple regression analysis were then performed to unveil the relationship between restaurant atmospherics and dining satisfaction and behavioral intentions. The results reveal restaurant atmospherics to have a significant influence on patrons’ dining satisfaction and their behavioral intentions, particularly their intentions to return and spread positive word-of-mouth and their willingness to pay more. Dining satisfaction itself was also found to have a significant influence on behavioral intentions, particularly the intentions to return and to recommend the restaurant. The paper concludes with the practical implications of the research.     

Multi-dimensions of patrons’ emotional experiences in upscale restaurants and their role in loyalty formation: Emotion scale improvement

The main purposes of the present study were to improve and modify an existing emotion scale to increase its efficacy for assessing upscale restaurant customers’ emotional experiences, and to develop and test a conceptual model of the relationships among emotion factors, their cognitive antecedents, and direct/indirect outcome variables (satisfaction, trust, commitment, and loyalty intentions). Following a survey of 324 upscale restaurant patrons, results confirmed that the modified and improved consumption emotion measurement has a satisfactory level of reliability, validity, and applicability in an upscale restaurant context. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches were used, and a psychometric procedure for scale improvement/modification was thoroughly followed. Findings also revealed that the hypothesized relationships were generally supported, and the proposed model displayed an excellent fit. The significance of comfort and annoyance was identified, and the mediating roles of study variables were verified.     

The roles of attitude,subjective norm,and perceived behavioral control in the formation of consumers’ behavioral intentions to read menu labels in the restaurant industry

Increases in food-away-from-home purchases brought public awareness to policies for improving nutritional value of foods served at restaurants. As a result, offering choices to consumers that affect health and wellness has become a growing concern in the food industry and restaurants, as evidenced by provisions for nutritional labeling to guide consumers’ food purchasing decisions for healthy eating. This study pursues an empirical examination of the consumers’ behavior toward reading nutritional labeling at casual-dining restaurants. The study tests the conceptual framework of the proposed effects of constructs on consumers’ behavioral intentions. Findings indicate that the variable of attitude acts as a mediator in the relationship between subjective norm and behavioral intention. This study is meaningful to academia by offering insights into the relationship between consumers’ behavior and nutritional information in the context of restaurants and is beneficial to the restaurant industry by offering implications for establishing marketing strategies to improve consumers’ perceptions of menu items.     

Revisit and satiation patterns: Are your restaurant customers satiated?

This study was designed based on the notion that when people visit a restaurant repeatedly their overall enjoyment of the dining experience may decrease due to the nature of satiation. Thus, this study set out to understand the effect of repeated experiences on consumers’ affective responses. Specifically, this study examined whether or not repeated visits contribute to diners’ satiation and, if so, to identify patterns of satiation. To fulfill these objectives, this study randomly distributed questionnaires to customers of upscale and casual dining restaurants in the U.S. The results of this study suggested that consumers’ satiation levels increase according to the frequency of visits over both two- and six-week periods. However, satiation patterns differ over the two periods. Upscale restaurant customers feel satiated more quickly than casual dining restaurant customers when they revisit the same restaurant more often. Further, customers with more self-control feel less satiated after repeated dining experiences than customers with less self-control. However, customers with different optimal stimulation levels did not show a difference in satiation patterns after repeated dining experiences. Detailed findings and implications are provided in the main body of this study.     

Location patterns of urban restaurants

Locational patterns of five categories of restaurants in eight Canadian cities in Ontario are examined to identify spatial regularities. Spatial regularities sought include tendencies to agglomerate or deglomerate with respect to restaurants of the same category as well as of different categories; spatial correlations with other land uses; apparent effects of varying traffic levels (AADTs) on restaurant location; and variations in restaurant patterns in cities of different population sizes. Specific hypotheses relating to these expected spatial regularities were formulated, the majority of which were confirmed. The paper concludes with some observations on the types of locations that appear to support successful restaurants in urban areas.     

Restaurant's decision to purchase local foods: Influence of value chain activities

In this paper we investigate how restaurant managements’ attitudes and behaviors influence decisions to purchase local foods as inputs to their products. An enhanced investigation of chefs’ and managers’ decision-making criteria could improve understanding of local food systems linkages with the restaurant industry. We apply a value chain framework to investigate activities that influence restaurants’ decision to purchase local foods. Results indicate that attitudes and behaviors associated with sourcing and product characteristics play an important role in local food purchase decisions in the restaurant value chain. Order processing time and uniqueness of products are the most significant reasons in restaurant managements’ decisions to purchase local foods. The implications of these findings for restaurants and producers are discussed. Our study contributes to the literature by expanding upon the criteria used by restaurants to make local food purchasing decisions.     

Hotel restaurants’ challenges and critical success factors in Klang Valley,Malaysia: the inseparable roles of support centers and revenue streams

Hotel restaurants are of great importance in hotels, and the factors for this have so far been considerably understudied. This study investigated the challenges and critical success factors (CSFs) of restaurants owned and operated by five-star luxury hotels in Klang Valley, Malaysia. Four exemplar hotels were studied and 10 respondents responsible for hotel restaurants’ planning and operations were sampled in this multiple case study approach. A total of 13 challenges were identified, and thematic analysis found 10 common CSFs crucial to hotel restaurants. Among the 10 CSFs, 2 distinctive CSFs were identified playing exceptional roles, including: (1) the inseparable linkage between hotel restaurants and support centers, as well as (2) the inseparable linkage between hotel restaurants and revenue streams. Moreover, this study broadened the retrospective understanding of the term “inseparability” in service organizations, and also contributed several implications for hotel restaurant managers to incorporate into their businesses.     

Food safety inspections results: A comparison of ethnic-operated restaurants to non-ethnic-operated restaurants

This study examined the proposition that cultural differences between ethnic-operated restaurants in high tourism areas of the United States (US) compared to non-ethnic operated restaurants explains the differences in food safety and sanitation inspection scores in five US cities considered popular tourism destinations. It was hypothesized that ethnic-operated restaurants, composed of people from different cultural norms than that of the indigenous US population, would result in significantly higher rates of critical regulatory violations than non-ethnic-operated restaurants. Food safety inspection data was obtained from five cities in the west, mid-west, east and two from the south for the years 2009 and 2010. Results confirmed the hypotheses that ethnic-operated restaurants have significantly higher rates of inspection and critical violations. Implications for regulators, trainers, ethnic restaurants and organizations seeking to manage diversity are discussed.     

Examining the Impact of Four Key Cultural Dimensions on Ethnic Restaurants in Victoria in Australia

This study examines the impact (if any) of four key cultural dimensions on ethnic restaurants in regional Victoria, Australia. Based on a modified model developed by Nguyen and King [Nguyen, T., & King, B. (2002). Migrant communities and tourism consumption – the case of the Vietnamese in Australia. In C.M. Hall (Ed.), Tourism and migration. New relationships between production and consumption (pp. 221–256). The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers], this article explores the impacts of religion, co-ethnic ties, marriage and family support on the entrepreneurial behaviour of restaurants. These four cultural dimensions have been identified as influencing factors (Nguyen & King, 2002), but to what extent? It suggests that co-ethnic ties, marriage and family support are important to the daily operations of an ethnic restaurant, and potentially, long-term financial success. This is theoretically important in understanding how ethnic minority restaurants may differ regarding entrepreneurial business decisions compared to similar Western businesses. Utilising family and co-ethnic ties, labour resources offers a competitive advantage in four ways; reduced labour cost, efficiencies in communication, predictable behaviour and restaurant promotional opportunities. Religion, the fourth key cultural dimension put forward in Nguyen and King's (2002) model did not strongly influence entrepreneurial behaviour; however, it still may have relevance outside business behaviour.     

Change in Consumer Patronage and Willingness to Pay at Different Levels of Service Attributes in Restaurants: A Study in India

Consumer patronage and consumer willingness to pay are the two most important criteria for business development. The current study investigates the changing preferences of consumers in a developing economy with respect to three major service attributes from the restaurant industry: food quality, service, and ambiance. Results indicated that consumers give greater preference to quality over service in high-end restaurants and prefer service compared with ambiance in quick-service restaurants. Food quality was found to have strong interaction effect with two other variables. When food quality was improved from low to high, consumer preferences for ambiance and service tended to change accordingly in the same direction, but not necessarily at the same level. Thus, restaurateurs have a strategic advantage when they choose high quality food and an appropriate level of service or ambiance. Consumer expectations are significantly different for high-end, full-service restaurants and quick-service restaurants in service attributes.     

Understanding responses to posted restaurant food safety scores: An information processing and regulatory focus perspective

Ensuring the safety of food served in restaurants continues to be an essential issue in the hospitality industry. An important part of the efforts to stem the outbreak of foodborne illnesses are the mandatory inspections of any entity that serves food to the public. Unfortunately, while posting food safety scores is intended to help consumers make better dining choices, interpreting these scores can often be difficult and confusing. The purpose of this study is to use information processing theory as a framework to investigate how consumers evaluate food safety inspection scores. To achieve this goal, this research provides an account of the effect of food safety concern on consumers’ attitudes toward restaurants under conditions of both positive and negative health inspection results. The results identify a moderating effect of health score in the formation of consumers’ attitudes toward restaurants. The downstream effects on expected satisfaction and behaviors are also established.     

Does mandatory food safety training and certification for restaurant employees improve inspection outcomes?

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between mandatory food safety training and certification and inspection results of chain restaurants and independent restaurants, using current food safety inspection results of food service establishments in Central Florida. More specifically, this study examines whether there is any statistically significant difference in the violation frequency among chain and independent restaurants. Reducing the risk of any foodborne illness is a critical strategy that industry stakeholders should pursue in an area dominated by tourism such as Orlando, Florida. A one-way ANOVA was used to determine the differences between the two types of restaurants. Findings indicate that there is significant difference between chain and independent restaurants for critical violations. No difference was found when comparing chain verses independent restaurants for non-critical violations.     

How to enhance the image of edible insect restaurants: Focusing on perceived risk theory

Although edible insects are getting attention all over the world, consumers are still reluctant to visit edible insect restaurants. Thus, the objective of this research is to explore what risks customers perceive in edible insect restaurants and how those risks affect the image of edible insect restaurants. More specifically, First, the results of principal components analysis showed that 21 perceived risk items were divided into seven factors: quality, psychological, health, financial, environmental, time-loss, and social risks. Second, five sub-dimensions of perceived risk had a negative effect on image, with the exception of financial and environmental risks. Lastly, image was found to increase intention to use, word-of-mouth intention, and willingness to pay more.