Understanding vegetarian customers: the effects of restaurant attributes on customer satisfaction and behavioral intentions

Abstract

ABSTRACT Considering the significant number of vegetarian customers and the global trend of reducing meat consumption, the primary objective of this study is to examine the effects of six restaurant attributes, namely, food quality, service quality, atmosphere, convenience, price, and vegetarian menu options, on the customer satisfaction and behavioral intentions (i.e., willingness to pay more and revisit intention) of vegetarian customers. The results of structural equation modeling indicated that, among the attributes, only price and vegetarian menu options had significant positive effects on vegetarian customers’ satisfaction, and the relationship between vegetarian menu options and revisit intention was mediated by customer satisfaction. In addition, customer satisfaction significantly increased both customers’ willingness to pay more and their revisit intention. This research expands the knowledge about vegetarian customers and provides useful insight for restaurateurs.