Exploring the value of an ethnic restaurant experience: a consumer perspective towards Korean restaurants

Abstract

ABSTRACTEthnic food consumption experience has become an important means of generating awareness and understanding of a tourist destination's identity and gastronomic culture. Recent research addresses the need for a better understanding of consumers’ perceptions of ethnic restaurant attributes in influencing the consumer decision-making process and improving proactive responsiveness to the current market changes. This study aims to examine the effects of cultural background-based consumer segments on cognitive and emotional perceptions, specifically regarding their Korean restaurant experiences in terms of three dimensions: gastronomy, culture and health. A patron survey was carried out with 256 consumers in Korean restaurants in Adelaide, Australia. The results of the study show that a majority of respondents were more likely to place a greater value on the gastronomic (e.g. taste, variety of food) and health dimensions of Korean food and dining attributes rather than on cultural attributes. Additional findings indicate that there were different levels of cognitive perceptions and emotional responses towards Korean restaurant experiences between Australian and Asian diners. This study suggests that the individual characteristics, such as consumer cultural background, can be a valuable indicator for developing new products and marketing strategies which appeal to different market segments’ distinct preferences for ethnic restaurant experiences.