Does offering an organic food menu help restaurants excel in competition? An examination of diners’ decision-making

This study aims to examine whether the presence of an organic food menu can positively influence diners’ decision-making. A 3 (restaurant segment: quick service vs. casual dining vs. fine dining) by 2 (price discrepancy between competing restaurants: small vs. large) scenario-based experiment was conducted with 405 U.S. consumers. MANCOVA results indicate that using organic ingredients offers a greater advantage for the quick-service segment regarding perceived food quality, attitudes towards the restaurant, and willingness to select, compared to casual and fine dining segments. The magnitude of a premium price of organic ingredients negatively influences such advantage in the process of consumers’ decision-making. When a large (vs. small) premium price is charged for using organic ingredients, customers’ preferences for the restaurant (over its rival) significantly drops to such an extent that customers are more willing to choose the competitor (i.e., rival restaurant with a conventional menu). Discussions and implications are further elaborated.     

Anticipated guilt and pleasure in a healthy food consumption context

Recognizing the increasing importance of healthiness in food-related businesses, this study attempted to investigate the role of consumers’ affective responses in a healthy food consumption context. To achieve its objectives, this study incorporated anticipated emotional constructs in a decision-making model and investigated the relationships among perceived healthiness, anticipated guilt and pleasure, and behavioral intentions (e.g., purchase, spreading positive word-of-mouth, and recommending the food) in a quick service restaurant setting. The results of this study suggest that anticipated pleasure positively influenced behavioral intentions and mediated the relationship between perceived healthiness and behavioral intentions, whereas anticipated guilt did not influence behavioral intentions. Additionally, this study investigated the moderating role of dietary concerns in consumers’ decision-making processes and found that the low dietary concerns group was more susceptible to anticipated pleasure compared to the high dietary concerns group. Further findings and implications are provided in the main body of the paper.     

Restaurant experiences triggering positive electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) motivations

This study empirically examined which restaurant experiences trigger customers to engage in positive electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM), where the quality of restaurant service (food quality, service quality, atmosphere, and price fairness) is the antecedent of eWOM communication. The results of this study suggest that (1) restaurants’ food quality positively influences customers to spread positive eWOM, motivated by their desire to help the restaurant; (2) satisfactory restaurant experiences with service employees triggered positive eWOM, motivated by the need to help the restaurant or to express positive feelings; (3) a superior atmosphere in restaurants elicited positive eWOM motivated by a concern for others; and (4) price fairness in restaurants did not drive restaurant customers toward eWOM. Additionally, this study investigated sources of positive eWOM and types of eWOM media used among opinion leaders in the restaurant industry to enhance the practical implications of the study regarding online marketing. Because of the small number of opinion leaders in the study sample, specifying who the opinion leaders were (the source of eWOM) and the type of eWOM media the opinion leaders used had no effect. Further discussion and implications are provided in the text.     

A Text Mining and Multidimensional Sentiment Analysis of Online Restaurant Reviews

This study aims to identify the structure of online restaurant reviews and examine the influence of review attributes and sentiments on restaurant star ratings. While past research indicated four attributes specific to restaurant reviews—food, service, ambience, and price—this study proposes context as the fifth attribute unique to online reviews. Sentiment analysis of online restaurant reviews has confirmed the proposed underlying structure of online restaurant reviews. Results showed that consumers’ sentiments in these five attributes significantly explained the differences in star ratings. Food, service, and context are the top three attributes affecting star ratings, followed by price and ambiance.     

Understanding the relationship between food experiential quality and customer dining satisfaction: A perspective on negative bias

This research explores how food experiential quality of consumers affects their overall dining satisfaction. Drawing on negative bias theory, we propose a nonlinear relationship between food experiential quality and customer dining satisfaction. Moreover, we investigate how restaurant price moderates the nonlinear relationship between food experiential quality and customer dining satisfaction. Results of the threshold model using 10,950 online reviews of 219 restaurants on Dianping.com provide support for the proposed hypotheses. The results suggest that a curvilinear relationship is found between food experiential quality dining satisfaction, and the turning points of nonlinear returns decreases for restaurants that belong to high-priced groups. Theoretically, our findings contribute to the existing literature by considering the nonlinear effect of food experiential quality on customer dining satisfaction in the hospitality area through the lens of negative bias, as well as considering the boundary condition. Practically, our findings suggest that restaurant managements can improve customer dining satisfaction through focusing on the food experiential quality of their customers and enhancing their response to customers who have low-level food experiential quality. In addition, if the restaurant price is high, restaurant managers should provide high-level of food experiential quality.     

How a crowded restaurant affects consumers’ attribution behavior

This study finds that when consumers perceive a restaurant as very crowded, they would attribute the high level of crowdedness to high food quality, good reputation and low food price that draw people to the restaurant. On the contrary, in the case of a quiet restaurant, the customer would associate the quietness with low food quality, high food price and poor reputation. The implication for restaurant managers is that they can manipulate the level of crowdedness in their restaurant to create a favorable impression of high food quality, low food price and good reputation.     

Willingness to pay in negative restaurant service encounters

The aim of this research is to propose and test a comprehensive research model to understand the influence of food quality, service quality, ambiance, and value on consumer WTP in negative service encounters. Using DINESERV as the theoretical background, a mixed methodology (ANOVA and structural equation modeling) was utilized for the study using a between-subjects experimental design. Data was collected using an online survey from students (Study 1) as well as restaurant consumers (Study 2). The structural equation modeling provided evidence for the arguments that food quality, ambiance, and value are significant predictors of customer WTP in a negative restaurant service encounter. Theoretical and managerial implications were discussed.     

Enhancing service quality improvement strategies of fine-dining restaurants: New insights from integrating a two-phase decision-making model of IPGA and DEMATEL analysis

The traditional IPA model has been considered to be a decision-making tool for service quality management. However, the IPA model does not meet the assumptions of the service quality gap, and also cannot explore the connection between service quality attributes, which can easily lead to decision-making errors of service quality management. The purpose of this study is to apply the IPGA model and DEMATEL to explore the service quality improvement priority of fine-dining restaurants and the causal relationship between service quality attributes, and use it as the decision-making reference of service quality strategy planning and resource reorganizing for the restaurant industry with limited resources. The study applied the customers of 8 fine-dining restaurants in Taipei City as the study object, and there are 502 effective samples. The study result shows that the dimensions of reliability, responsiveness, and assurance are concentrated here, and are the restaurant service quality dimensions that most need to be improved from the customer perceptive. In addition, the total effect of reliability is the highest among all the service quality dimensions. Reliability and responsiveness, in addition to impacting each other, will impact assurance and empathy. According to the study result, through IPGA and DEMATEL, the service quality performance of fine-dining restaurants and the resource input priority can be grasped more objectively and accurately, which can be used as a reference for manager to plan the service quality improvement strategy.     

The effects of teppanyaki restaurant stimuli on diners’ emotions and loyalty

This research examines the influence of restaurant stimuli (i.e., chefs, service staff, other customers, food quality, and atmospherics) on diners’ emotions and loyalty to teppanyaki restaurants. In teppanyaki restaurants, chefs take orders from diners, prepare food in front of diners, and serve dishes to diners. Although the importance of chefs has been acknowledged by scholars, empirical research on the influence of chefs on diners has been scarce. To augment the literature on how chefs influence diners, this research incorporates “chef’s image” into an extended Mehrabian-Russell model (M-R model) to conceptualize diner loyalty to teppanyaki restaurants. A total of 308 diners from Taiwan were recruited. After examining their completed questionnaires, this study found that chef’s image, service quality, and food quality can affect the positive and negative emotions of diners. Moreover, other diners and restaurant atmospherics affect only the negative emotions of diners. Both positive and negative emotions can affect diner loyalty to teppanyaki restaurants. In addition, the managerial implications of this study are discussed.     

The effect of 99-ending calories and anticipated guilt on restaurant menu development strategy

This study focused on the “just below calorie labeling (e.g., 199 vs. 200)” effect on consumers’ responses to purchasing indulgent foods. Based on the price context (e.g., $10.00 vs. $9.99), this study conducted a scenario-based online survey and found the interaction effect between anticipated guilt and the left-digit calorie effect to predict restaurant consumers’ choice of indulgent foods (i.e., hamburger advertisement with its calorie information, such as 399 vs. 400). The empirical findings showed that the calorie amount manipulation led to different levels of anticipated guilt for ordering the food and beliefs in the food’s calorie information (i.e., 399 < 400 calories) regardless of consumers’ level of health-related personal value.     

Price bundling presentation and consumer's bundle choice: The role of quality certainty

As bundling has become a prevalent marketing strategy, the existing literature has focused on how to present price discount information for bundled products. To further understand bundling in restaurant operations, this study examined the moderating role of consumer quality certainty on the relationship between the effects of price bundling and consumers’ bundle choices. This study analyzed different bundling phenomena from an acquisition–transaction utility theory perspective in order to investigate the effects of price presentation and quality certainty manipulation on consumers’ bundle choices. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that quality certainty had a significant moderating effect. The less confident a consumer is about the quality of the bundled food products, the more likely it is that price presentation strategies will affect his or her willingness to order a bundle menu. The results also showed that transaction utility becomes significant as price discount information is segregated and as consumers are more certain of the quality of the bundled products. Managerial implications for restaurant operations are also discussed.     

Choice of non-monetary incentives and coupon redemption intention: Monetary saving and price consciousness as moderators

Coupon promotion is widespread in the fast casual restaurant sector. As monetary saving offered in the coupons is costly to suppliers, this study examines: (1) if the provision of choice of non-monetary incentive can substitute high monetary saving in their positive influences on consumers’ redemption intention; and (2) if the substitution effect is contingent on consumers’ level of price consciousness. Drawing from three experimental studies, the results consistently showed that offering choice of non-monetary incentive was effective in increasing consumers’ redemption intention through enhancing their attitude towards the coupon promotion. The effect of offering choice of non-monetary incentive substituted that of high monetary saving, but the substitution effect was merely salient among low price-conscious consumers while the floodlight analysis revealed the point that bifurcates high (versus low) level of price consciousness. The findings add knowledge to the sales promotion and hospitality literature. Meaningful implications are recommended for fast casual restauranteurs.     

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.     

American theme restaurants: A study of consumer's perceptions of the important attributes in restaurant selection

In recent years, a number of American theme restaurants have established in Hong Kong. Keen competition exists for this type of restaurants. Customers who visit this type of restaurant seem not only to enjoy their food but also to enjoy their environment. However, little is known about what customers expect and how they select this type of restaurant. In order to have an understanding of customers’ behaviour in relation to the customers’ perceptions of important restaurant attributes in selecting an American theme restaurant in Hong Kong, a study was conducted. The results indicated that ‘Food quality’, ‘Servers’ attitude’, ‘Value for money’, ‘Atmosphere’ and ‘Word‐of‐mouth’ were the five important restaurant dimensions as considered by consumers in selecting an American theme restaurant. Customers for this type of restaurant are likely to be professionals, highly educated and belong to the middle‐income group in the society. Customers usually go to the American theme restaurants for meetings, fun and enjoyment. Marketing implications and directions for future studies are discussed.     

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.     

A creative-mix or variety-mix fusion experience? Examining marketing strategies for ethnic fusion restaurants

According to the National Restaurant Association, ethnic fusion cuisine is identified as a top food trend for the next decade. To that end, it is important for hospitality researchers and practitioners to understand consumer behavior in this fast-growing sector and derive appropriate marketing strategies for fusion restaurant brands. The present research examines the joint effects of fusion type (creative-mix vs. variety-mix), restaurant price tier (high vs. low), and cuisine compatibility (high vs. low) on consumers’ judgments and decision-making processes. The results show that ethnic fusion restaurants in the higher-price tier will generate higher levels of perceived chef expertise and visit intention through the creative-mix strategy, regardless of cuisine compatibility. However, ethnic fusion restaurants in the lower-price tier will generate higher levels of perceived chef expertise and visit intention through the variety-mix strategy only when cuisine compatibility is high. Implications for marketing ethnic fusion restaurants are discussed.     

Effect of experiential value on customer satisfaction with service encounters in luxury-hotel restaurants

Exactly how the restaurant industry creates good quality service experiences has attracted the attention of scholars and practitioners. Some scholars advocate creating high quality service encounters to enhance customer satisfaction. However, recent research has not examined hotel restaurant service, and a detailed understanding of its potential effects on the customer meal experience and customer satisfaction is needed. Consequently, this study of service encounters and restaurant consumer behavior constructed a comprehensive framework via a literature review. Empirical data were collected by a questionnaire distributed to luxury-hotel restaurant customers. The empirical results indicated that restaurant environmental factors and interactions with service employees and other consumers positively influence the consumer experiential value. Additionally, only interactive relationships with service employees directly and positively affect consumer satisfaction. Restaurant environment factors and interactions with other consumers indirectly and positively influence consumer satisfaction through experiential value. Finally, with respect to marketing and development initiatives, the results of this study can help improve the physical attractiveness of the examined luxury-hotel restaurants.     

Effects of service quality and food quality: The moderating role of atmospherics in an ethnic restaurant segment

This study empirically examined not only the relationship between perceived quality and satisfaction/loyalty, but also the role of customer perceptions of atmospherics in an ethnic restaurant segment. Specifically, this study, using hierarchical regression analyses, investigated the direct effects of service quality and food quality on customer satisfaction and loyalty as well as the moderating effect of the perception of atmospherics, in Korean restaurants. As expected, this study showed that service and food quality have positive and significant effects on customer satisfaction and loyalty. This suggested that, similar to other restaurant segments, employee service and food are of great importance for ethnic restaurants as well. Verifying the moderating role of atmospherics, however, this study found that good employee service can be more effective for increasing the satisfaction and loyalty of customers with a low perception of the atmospherics compared to those with a higher perception. Further, providing quality food is particularly critical for creating customer satisfaction in ethnic restaurants where atmospherics are not satisfactory. More detailed findings and implications are also discussed.     

The determinants of more responsible restaurant food choice in Poland

In the context of emerging markets, restaurant food choice needs to be better architected in order to minimise the negative societal and environmental implications. For effective consumer choice architecture, the determinants of restaurant food choice need to be first established. This study explores the determinants of restaurant food choice in Poland, a transitional economy in East-Central Europe with a rapidly growing pattern of out-of-home food consumption. It finds that the low level of public environmental awareness in Poland translates into low consumer recognition of the environmental implications of restaurant food choice. Although customer preference for locally produced and organic food is recorded, this preference is not associated with public environmental awareness, but attributed to possible media effect. In contrast, the level of public awareness of the health repercussions of restaurant food choice is higher in Poland, especially among younger consumers, which is reflected in the desire to see the nutritional and calorific values of food to be displayed on restaurant menus. Implications for policy-making and hospitality management are discussed.     

Restaurants and COVID-19: What are consumers’ risk perceptions about restaurant food and its packaging during the pandemic?

The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent U.S. in-restaurant dining restrictions deleteriously affected the restaurant industry. While dining restrictions were adopted to prevent human contact, evidence suggests that consumers may mistakenly perceive that restaurant "food" and its "packaging" are risky sources of COVID-19. To explore consumers' COVID-19 risk perceptions about food itself, restaurant food specifically, and restaurant food packaging, this study collected nationwide U.S. consumer survey data (n = 958) using an online consumer panel. Findings showed that: (1) consumers were less concerned about contracting COVID-19 from food in general than restaurant food and its packaging, with consumer restaurant concern highest for food served in restaurants, and lowest for hot/cooked restaurant food followed by restaurant food from carry-out; and (2) the risk perceptions of consumers varied with financial concern for food, gender, and being in a high-risk category of COVID-19. Implications for researchers, restauranteurs, government, and food safety professionals are discussed.