When do consumers feel betrayal and face-loss? Examining service communality and social presence types in service failures

This study investigates the importance of consumer–restaurant relationship norms (service communality) in connection with consumer–companion social presence types (business versus private) in producing consumers’ feelings of betrayal and face-loss in service failures. The results suggest that consumers felt more betrayed and face-loss in service failures as service communality increased. In addition, social presence types moderated the effect of service communality on face-loss, suggesting consumers in private social presence situations were more sensitive to face-loss as service communality increases. These findings were integrated into a discussion of theoretical and managerial implications regarding restaurant service management.