Restaurants and wine by-the-glass consumption: Motivational process model of risk perception, involvement and information-related behaviour

Abstract

This study examines how wine by-the-glass (WBG) consumption by diners in USA restaurants is affected by their risk perception, product involvement, information seeking and dissemination-related behaviours and, how these constructs interact in this situation. We model their motivational process by developing a structural equation model (SEM) to examine these effects using a sample of 532 diners representing all restaurant categories in the USA. In the process we develop and validate a 17-item scale to measure the risk perception specific to WBG consumption. This empirical study supports all hypotheses tested in the motivational process model, which explicates the processes by which consumer WBG risk perception and product involvement are caused and influence one another, as well as the subsequent information processing behaviour-related responses of restaurant diners.