While consumer acceptance of anthropomorphized robots has gained significant attention, limited research has examined the effectiveness of anthropomorphizing robots from a social cognitive perspective. This paper delves into the specific conditions and individual characteristics where the anthropomorphism strategy is most effective. Specifically, Studies 1 and 2 explore the moderating roles of human staff presence and consumers’ perceived financial constraints on the robot anthropomorphism effect on consumer visit intention. Both studies employ multiple regression analyses. The findings reveal that the robot anthropomorphism effect on consumer visit intention is more pronounced when a human staff is deployed alongside a robot (Study 1) and for consumers with higher levels of perceived financial constraints (Study 2). Moreover, perceived humanness and effort of service robots explain the underlying mechanism. Managerially, anthropomorphized robots are recommended especially for operations where human staff is present and for budget-friendly businesses that cater to consumers experiencing financial constraints.