Restaurant patrons’ intentions toward QR code menus in the U.S. during COVID-19: acceptance of technology adoption model (ATAM)

Abstract

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to explain restaurant patrons’ behavioral intentions toward QR code menu utilization in restaurant servicescapes (restaurant-scapes) under pandemic constraints. The study consists of 844 participants from the U.S.and employs multivariate analyses. With only five direct determinants without interaction terms, our proposed model performed better in explaining the error variance (62%) in behavioral intentions over and beyond the extant models of technology acceptance – the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology model (UTAUT henceforth) and UTAUT2, both of which explain only 35% and 44% respectively. Our findings indicate the importance of an overlooked construct (Trialability) in a consumer context, particularly in servicescapes, and a contextual construct (hygiene) in explaining the intention to accept technology under the conditions originated by environmental factors (COVID-19). Technology acceptance models are middle-level theories attempting to explain behavioral intentions toward technology adoption, not general theories aiming to explain broad human behavior. This means that the extension of these theoretical models is necessary for particular contexts. Thus, contextual factors originating from environmental conditions (e.g. COVID-19) have a critical role in explaining behavioral intentions toward particular technology adoption. In a consumer context, acceptance of technology adoption is assumed as voluntary/quasi-voluntary. Therefore, practitioners should ensure that the purpose of technology adoption is obvious to customers. Additionally, first-time users, particularly, may need to receive assistance with operating the technology in restaurant-scapes.