Structural Relationships among Health Benefits,Price Comparison,and Price Fairness

This study was to identify the crucial role of health benefits and price fairness in an environmentally friendly restaurant context and to examine relationships among health benefits, price comparison, and price fairness. Valid responses were collected from 421 visitors to an environmentally friendly restaurant. Results showed that the hypothesized model fits the data well but revealed no moderating effect of belief in health benefits on perceptions of price fairness. Therefore, an alternative model was proposed to reflect the findings from the original model that was statistically superior. Findings contribute to advancing knowledge about perceptions of price fairness in environmentally friendly dining services.     

The relationships among overall quick-casual restaurant image,perceived value,customer satisfaction,and behavioral intentions

The purpose of this research is to explain the relationships among overall quick-casual restaurant image, perceived value, customer satisfaction, and behavioral intentions in the quick-casual restaurant industry. The findings indicate that overall quick-casual restaurant image significantly influences perceived value, and overall quick-casual restaurant image and perceived value had a significant role in influencing customer satisfaction. Additionally, overall quick-casual restaurant image, perceived value, and customer satisfaction are significant predictors of customers’ behavioral intentions. Finally, customer satisfaction can act as a partial mediator in the relationship between overall quick-casual restaurant image/perceived value and behavioral intentions. Furthermore, we discuss the theoretical and managerial implications of the findings and future research ideas.     

The Antecedents and Consequences of Brand Prestige in Luxury Restaurants

The purpose of this study was to investigate the antecedents and consequences of brand prestige in luxury restaurants. Based on the existing theoretical background, it was proposed that four types of brand-related stimulus form brand experience in consumer memory and thus influence the formation of brand prestige. Through a review of the literature, it was also hypothesized that brand prestige can result in five managerial outcomes: patrons' well-being perception, information costs saved, perceived price fairness, satisfaction and behavioral intentions. Based on the theoretical relationships between the conceptual constructs, a model was proposed and then tested utilizing data collected from 527 luxury restaurant patrons. The results of data analysis indicate that two types of brand-related stimulus (sensory and intellectual) aid in the creation of brand prestige, and can thus help to: enhance patrons' well-being perception; reduce patrons' information searching efforts; and enhance perceived price fairness. As a result, patron satisfaction and positive behavioral intentions can be induced. The critical managerial implications of these findings are then discussed in the latter part of the article.     

Customers’ perceptions in value and food safety on customer satisfaction and loyalty in restaurant environments: moderating roles of gender and restaurant types

Using a valid sample of 334 restaurant diners, this study investigated the relative effects of perceived value and food safety on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. The proposed model was consistent with other cognitive–attitudinal–behavioral frameworks. This study also explored how these two perceptions on customer satisfaction were different based on gender and restaurant type. We found support for all of the hypothesized relationships. Results from the structural equation modeling showed that customer satisfaction mediated the relationships between two antecedents and customer loyalty. Implications of the findings, limitations of the study, and recommendations for future research were discussed.     

The antecedents and consequence of consumer attitudes toward restaurant brands: A comparative study between casual and fine dining restaurants

This study examined a theoretical model examining interrelationships among three service qualities (i.e., physical environment quality, interactional quality, and outcome quality). In addition, this study investigated the effects of three service qualities on utilitarian and hedonic attitudes toward restaurant brands and the mediating effects of such attitudes in forming brand preference in full-service restaurants. To further understand unique differences, this study conducted a multi-group analysis comparing the proposed relationships between 318 casual and 303 fine dining patrons (621 full-service restaurant patrons in total). In the full-service restaurant setting, the results of data analysis indicated significant interrelationships among three service qualities. Physical environment quality explained a large amount of variation in both interactional and outcome quality. In turn, interactional quality had a positive effect on outcome quality. Physical environment quality had a significant effect only on hedonic attitude. Interactional and outcome qualities had significant effects on utilitarian and hedonic attitudes toward restaurant brands. Finally, utilitarian and hedonic attitudes toward restaurant brands enhanced brand preference. When separately analyzed, the effect of physical environment quality on hedonic attitude became not significant in casual dining segment. Further, the effect of outcome quality on utilitarian attitude became not significant in fine dining segment. Both theoretical and managerial implications of the results are discussed.     

The effects of dining atmospherics: An extended Mehrabian–Russell model

This study examined the relationships among dining atmospherics, emotional responses, perceived value, and behavioral intentions, using Chinese restaurants as its research setting. Results of the study revealed that dining atmospherics had significant effects on customers’ positive emotions, negative emotions, and perceived value. Further, both positive and negative emotions and perceived value also influenced customers’ post-dining behavioral intentions. Perceived value not only functioned as the greatest contributor to behavioral intentions but also mediated the relationship between emotional responses and behavioral intentions. Positive emotions and negative emotions had asymmetric effects on perceived value. Positive emotions showed a stronger capability in predicting perceived value. Chinese restaurant managers must utilize the effects of restaurant atmospherics to improve customers’ perceived value of the restaurant and their revisit intentions. Other practical implications are discussed as well.     

Impact of Restaurant Experience on Brand Image and Customer Loyalty: Moderating Role of Dining Motivation

This study seeks to determine which restaurant experiences influence the image of a restaurant's brand and formation of customers' loyalty. The research examines the connections among restaurant experiences, brand image, satisfaction, and loyalty in the context of full-service restaurants. This study also investigates the moderating effect of customers' dining motivations on the formation of brand image. The results of this study suggest that: (a) A restaurant's environment and food quality positively influences brand image and customers' satisfaction, (b) customers' perceptions of price fairness do not influence brand image but does affect customers' satisfaction, (c) development of customers' positive brand image does not drive satisfaction but does influence loyalty in full-service restaurants, and (d) customers' dining motivations moderate the relationship between restaurant experiences and perceptions of brand image. These results provide a basis for investigating which restaurant experiences are critical in eliciting development of a positive brand image and which have behavioral consequences. This study also offers mangers a perspective for developing marketing strategies to strengthen brand image in full-service restaurants.     

Relationship quality matters: How restaurant businesses can optimize complaint management

This research investigates the effectiveness of complaint management according to company–client relationship quality (RQ). Interactional recovery efforts are critical for efficient complaint management in the hospitality management (restaurant) context; this study addresses the potential compensatory interaction effects of interactional recovery efforts (personal apology vs. impersonal apology via email) and two types of compensatory recovery efforts (voucher vs. refund), as well as their intensity (full vs. partial). A robust cut-off effect emerges, such that a minimum level of interactional effort influences the effectiveness of compensation efforts. Furthermore, RQ influences complaint management effectiveness: For loyal, high-RQ customers, interactional recovery effort (personal apologies) is more important, regardless of compensation intensity (full vs. partial) or type (voucher vs. refund). High- (low) RQ customers are more (less) likely to accept vouchers than refunds; vouchers symbolize their willingness to continue relationships. Thus, interactional effort allows firms to decrease the intensity of customer compensation required.     

The role of tie strength on consumer dissatisfaction responses

This study examines the impact of tie strength and service failure type on consumers’ behavioral intention (voice complaint and negative Word-of-Mouth) in a restaurant context. Overall, the results indicate that tie strength significantly reduces consumers’ intention to spread negative Word-of-Mouth, but it fails to influence their complaint intention. In addition, failure type plays an important role on consumers’ complaint behavior; consumers are more willing to voice a complaint after a core service failure than after an interactional service failure.     

Contingent effects of close relationships with suppliers upon independent restaurant product development: A social capital perspective

Despite recommendations that the restaurant industry more readily engage suppliers within their operations in order to expand capabilities, associations with restaurant business performance and supplier relationships remain unexplored in today’s current restaurant literature. This study assessed restaurant-supplier relationships from the social capital perspective and evaluated roles social capital played in product enhancement and new product development within the independent restaurant context. Results demonstrated that independent restaurant product enhancement was positively and linearly associated with social capital derived from restaurant-supplier relationships. Results also found that building social capital within restaurant-supplier relationships positively influenced new product development, but when taken to an extreme, it exhibited a negative association through an inverted curvilinear effect. Results provide new insights for future research and practice regarding independent restaurant supply management practices.     

Perceived justice in service recovery and behavioral intentions: The role of relationship quality

This study examined restaurant customers’ perceptions of justice according to service recovery effort levels and whether perceived justice influences customers’ future behavioral intentions. This study also investigated whether the effects of perceived justice on future behavioral intentions vary across customers’ relationship quality levels. The results showed that high recovery efforts were consistently evaluated highly in terms of perceived justice when compared to low recovery efforts, regardless of the level of relationship quality. Additionally, perceived justice brought about by service recovery efforts has a positive effect on customers’ future behavioral intentions. Hierarchical regression analyses suggested that relationship quality plays a moderating role between perceived justice and behavioral intentions in the distributive and procedural justice dimensions. Implications for the restaurant industry are also discussed.     

Effects of Service Fairness and Service Quality on Tourists’ Behavioral Intentions and Subjective Well-Being

This study examined the effects of service fairness and service quality on tourists’ behavioral intentions and subjective well-being (SWB) with the mediation of satisfaction. It conceptualizes SWB as a sociopsychological benefit that people receive from tourism activities in parallel with behavioral intentions to visit the destination treated as economic benefit. A self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted in Xiamen city of Fujian Province, China, and a valid sample of 541 tourists was used for data analysis. Findings show that service fairness has more of an effect on behavioral intentions and SWB than service quality; and such differentiated effects can be partly attributed to the mediating role of satisfaction between the antecedent constructs (i.e, service fairness and service quality) and consequence constructs (i.e, behavioral intentions and tourist SWB). The results suggest that tourism service providers should deliver services in a fairer way and tourist SWB should be attended to by both governments and academics.     

Effect of Restaurant Patrons' Regret and Disappointment on Dissatisfaction and Behavioral Intention

The objective of this study is to investigate the relationship among regret/disappointment, dissatisfaction, and behavioral intention in service failure situations at a restaurant. Even though there is a consensus regarding the positive relationship between regret/disappointment and customer dissatisfaction, unclear results still exist regarding the relationship between regret/disappointment and different types of behavioral intention. Thus, the present study attempts to clarify these fuzzy relationships. Specifically, this study aims to enhance understanding of the influence of regret and disappointment on behavioral intention (switching/negative WOM). The findings suggest that both regret and disappointment are significant determinants of customer dissatisfaction and switching/negative WOM. Further, the study results indicate that regret is an important predictor of switching intention, whereas disappointment is an important determinant of negative WOM. Finally, based on these findings, managerial implications for restaurant managers are discussed.     

Understanding the Relationship of Service Fairness,Emotions, Trust,and Tourist Behavioral Intentions at a City Destination in China

This study presents a cognitive appraisal model that identifies consumption emotions and trust as key mediators in the relationship between perceived service fairness and behavioral intentions (i.e., revisit intentions and word-of-mouth (WOM) referrals). The structural equation modeling (SEM) technique was employed to examine empirically a conceptual tourist behavior model using questionnaires answered by 541 tourists in Xiamen, a “garden city” in China. The findings confirmed the mediating role of emotions and trust, which imply that the travel behavioral intentions formation process is both an emotional experience process and a relationship building process between tourists and the destination service providers. By understanding the relationship and linkages between perceived service fairness and behavioral intentions, city managers, urban tourism managers, and service providers can formulate more effective marketing strategies to strengthen tourists’ loyalty, revisit and WOM referral intentions.     

OUTCOMES OF RELATIONAL BENEFITS: RESTAURANT CUSTOMERS' PERSPECTIVE

Research in business and marketing increasingly indicates the significance of relational benefits, perceived price, and perceived value in retaining customers. However, little research has considered three types of relational benefits and perceived price and value together in the customer retention process. Thus, this study was designed to propose and test a behavioral intention model by incorporating these constructs in a full‐service restaurant setting. Although the direct link between the special treatment benefit and perceived value was not significant; consistent with our hypotheses, social, special treatment, and confidence benefits appeared to boost perceived price and value, which subsequently enhanced intentions to revisit and recommend. In addition, perceived price and value mediated the relationships between relational benefits and behavioral intentions. Furthermore, the prominent role of the special treatment benefit in increasing intentions was verified. A parsimonious best‐fit model was produced through the process of testing intricate relations among study constructs. Implications of the findings and future research avenues are discussed.     

Acquiescence and conflict in exchanges between inbound tour operators and their overseas outbound partners: A case study on Tanzania

Achieving partner acquiescence is critical in interfirm exchanges because it allows the focal firm to achieve its desired outcomes. Using a case study on dyadic relationships between inbound tour operators in Tanzania and their overseas outbound partners, this paper investigates the effect of partner irreplaceability and distributive fairness on acquiescence, and the subsequent effect that acquiescence has on conflict. The case study uses partial least squares structural equation modeling on data collected from 129 dyadic relationships. Results show that partner irreplaceability and distributive fairness are positively associated with acquiescence, which in turn reduces conflict. The effect of distributive fairness on acquiescence was found to be larger than that of irreplaceability. In addition, the direct effect of distributive fairness on conflict, although not hypothesised, was found to be significant. This emphasises the importance of distributive fairness, and its role as a possible buffer to conflict in less acquiescent exchanges.     

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.     

Senior citizens and their dining-out traits: Implications for restaurants

Continuing and rapid growth of the mature population in Taiwan has forced the restaurant industry to prepare for substantial social and demographic changes. This study used a telephone survey to elicit attributes important to the restaurant patronage behaviors of consumers aged 65 and older who lived independently. The variables examined include a battery of demographic and health-related variables, a series of motivation attributes, restaurant selection criteria, and measures of consumer's restaurant patronage behaviors. Two distinctive segments were identified; frequent and convenience restaurant patrons, and occasional and family restaurant patrons. The results of this study of mature consumer's restaurant patronage behavior have several implications for this increasingly important and prominent segment of the restaurant consumer marketplace.     

The impact of cultural orientation on perceived fairness over demand-based pricing

Revenue management practices are now being implemented by hotel firms on a global scale. This requires a finer understanding of how different cultures will relate to perceived unfairness that stems from the inequities inherent in demand-based pricing. In this context, individualism and collectivism as cultural constructs have been used extensively in cross-cultural research. These constructs are manifested with vertical and horizontal orientations that distinguish social patterns based on the acceptance of a hierarchy or conversely the preference over equality. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between vertical and horizontal orientations of individualism and collectivism with perceived price fairness over demand-based pricing. Findings indicate that vertical individualism has a significantly positive relationship with perceived price fairness. This can be attributed to the inherent acceptance of inequality in this cultural dimension combined with the emphasis of the individual over the collective unit. Marketing implications for lodging managers are discussed.     

Effects of compensation for service recovery: From the equity theory perspective

Using equity theory, this study investigated the importance of consumers’ entire history of shared interactions with service organizations, in addition to fairness perceptions, when evaluating recovery efforts following service failure. Specifically, this study empirically tested the different consequences of compensation by manipulating the consumer relationship level. The relationship level determines the perspective of equity (transactional equity perception versus cumulative equity perception) and motivates consumers to follow different psychological processes to redress service failure. An online survey using hypothetical scenarios manipulating recovery efforts and relationship level conditions was conducted to collect data. Mediation tests showed that perceived equity fully mediates the effect of compensation on a consumer's future behavioral intentions. The results of analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that when additional compensation is offered after a service failure, perceived equity was found to increase regardless of the consumer's relationship level. However, enhanced equity perception does not automatically mean that corresponding future behavioral intentions are also enhanced. When consumers have a high customer–organization relationship, there is no difference in behavioral intentions between those who are compensated and those who are not. Managerial implications for restaurant operations are also discussed.