Process vs. outcome: Effects of food photo types in online restaurant reviews on consumers’ purchase intention

Abstract

User-generated photos are an important aspect of online reviews; yet they remain fragmented in academic research. This study attempts to investigate the roles of two types of food photos (process-focused and outcome-focused photos) in online restaurant reviews on consumers’ purchase intention, the associated underlying mechanism and the moderating effect of dining motivation based on mental simulation and process transparency theories. Using two experiments, this study revealed that online reviews with process-focused (vs. outcome-focused) food photos led to stronger purchase intention due to higher perceived food quality and experiential value. Moreover, hedonically motivated participants exhibited higher purchase intention towards online reviews with process-focused food photos owing to greater perceived experiential value. Participants with utilitarian motivations expressed stronger purchase intention towards online reviews with outcome-focused food photos due to better perceived food quality. This study provides theoretical insight for the online review literature and practical implications for restaurants’ digital marketing and service design.