Motivations of Selecting Restaurants for Eating-out: Focus on Fashion Premium Outlets

Abstract

Purpose - This research examined the effect of hedonic and utilitarian eating-out motivations on the evaluation of restaurant selection attributes in a fashion premium outlet. Additionally, the influence of experimental and functional attributes on customers' preference for hedonic eating-out motives and utilitarian eating-out motives, and variation of moderating effects through the gender was examined. Research design, data, and methodology - A survey was conducted to verify the established research hypothesis. The questionnaire items for the research were modified to fit the situation of the present study. In order to elaborate the questionnaire, the literature of the previous researchers was reviewed and supplemented. The survey conducted 207 online questionnaires for consumers who have visited domestic fashion premium outlets from July 4, 2017 to July 27, 2017. A total of 207 questionnaires were collected, and a total of 206 questionnaires were used for the empirical analysis after excluding one inappropriate response. In order to verify the reliability and validity of the measured variables, exploratory factor analysis and reliability analysis were performed using SPSS 20.0. Next, the structural equation model (SEM) statistical method was used to test the hypotheses of the study. Results - Hedonic motivation had more influence on experimental attribute importance than the functional attribute importance of the restaurant. However, this result was different depending on the gender. The effects of hedonic motives on empirical attributes were more influenced by female groups, and when influencing functional attributes, male groups were more influenced. However, it was statistically significant (p <0.05) in the female group only when the hedonic eating out motives influenced empirical attributes. Conclusions - This study analyzed the effect of eating-out motivation on the restaurant preference attributes and suggested practical implications. First, customers with hedonic eating-out motivations were evaluating experiential attributes to be more important than functional attributes. Second, for customers who are motivated to use practical eating-out habits, companies should provide services that meet practical and economic needs. In particular, female customers visiting restaurants need differentiated marketing strategies that make them feel new experiences rather than practical ones. In addition, it is necessary to study more complex and integrated studies which will influence restaurant selection attributes of premium outlets customers by adding various eating out motives and selection attributes.