Designing gamified interactions with self-service technology at restaurants

Abstract

This research aims to (1) investigate the effects/mechanisms of gamifying restaurant self-service technologies (SSTs) on post-SST usage behavior; and (2) understand how this gamification effect varies as a function of the game result (win vs. loss), reward type (monetary vs. altruistic), and reward size (small vs. large). Two simulation experiments were conducted to achieve these objectives. Our findings suggest that gamified (vs. non-gamified) SST interactions yield higher behavioral outcomes. The results further indicate that menu knowledge, which can be acquired through gamified SSTs, is a necessary condition for impulsive menu ordering. Moreover, we discovered that participants who win (vs. lose) in the game expressed greater enjoyment, perceived value, and post-SST behavioral outcomes, but only when a monetary (vs. altruistic) reward was offered. These findings contribute to the literature by providing evidence of the impacts of gamification, game results, and reward type on menu ordering and behavioral intention in restaurant settings.