Online Food Delivery Service Satisfaction, Food Choices, and Usage Frequency Among UPLB Students Aged 18-24 During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Lockdown measures brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic have notably shifted food purchasing behavior towards online food delivery services (OFDS). This study investigates consumer satisfaction with OFDS and their relationship to food choice and frequency of use among 18-24-year-old University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) students. Through a survey of 80 students who used OFDS during the pandemic, our results revealed that while price significantly influences food choice, the quality of online service (E-service quality or ESQ) results in customer satisfaction. Notably, our analysis reveals a strong, positive relationship between food choice factors (i.e., mood, convenience, sensory appeal, natural content, and price) and consumer satisfaction factors (i.e., time-saving orientation (TSO), hedonic motivation (HM), price-saving orientation (PSO), convenience motivation (CM), food quality (FQ), and ESQ), which, in turn, correlates with increased usage frequency. These findings highlight the importance of a comprehensive approach in online food service offerings to enhance well-being by addressing the key factors influencing consumers’ food choices and satisfaction. Our study suggests that improving factors such as hedonic motivation could encourage frequent use of OFDS, underscoring the need for targeted strategies to cater to young adult preferences in the changing dynamics of food delivery services