Luxury Restaurants Research Articles

Global status of production and commercialization of soft-shell crabs

Commercial exploration of swimming crab is rapidly increasing worldwide. In 2015, total production of crabs (fisheries plus aquaculture) reached almost 1300 thousand tons. One of the most valuable marketing forms is called “soft-shell crab”. The internet is one of the most important marketing channels for soft-shell crab, with prices starting at US$3.5 a unit, but going up to US$8.00–10.00, depending on the size and presentation form of the product (live, cooled, frozen, or processed). In luxury restaurants, a dish containing one large animal may cost well over US$75.00. Increasingly, this market requires exporting companies to present some kind of quality certification of the product or process (mainly certifications related to food safety). Almost all soft-shell crab production is based on crabs caught in the wild, by either trawling or trapping. Crab populations are suffering from environmental impacts associated with human activity, so much that obtaining the raw material (crabs in pre-molt stage) has become the biggest challenge for companies that market soft-shell swimming crab nowadays. Even recognizing the aquaculture as an alternate form to acquire crabs, it is necessary to understand that technology for commercial crab cultivation is still incipient and restricted to some species of few genera, such as Scylla, Portunus, and Callinectes. The present article reviews and discusses the problems and challenges related to the productive chain of soft-shell swimming crab, and presents an overview of the worldwide market, identifying the main exporting and importing centers, and their respective trading methods.

Emotional prototypes, emotional memory usages, and customer satisfaction

ABSTRACTIn this study, we investigated the positive and negative emotion concepts in the prototype perspective and then tested them on customer satisfaction. By studying 612 customers in luxury restaurants, we found that two levels of customer emotions (i.e. positive and negative emotions) as a super-ordinate level, 4 positive emotions (i.e. contentment, happiness, love, and pride) and 5 negative emotions (i.e. anger, fear, sadness, shame, and disgust) as a basic level, and 49 specific emotions as a subordinate level are significantly related to customer satisfaction. We also examined the moderating role of emotional memory (EM) usage in the relationship between consumers’ emotions and their satisfaction. We found that product (food and beverage)-related EM strengthens and service-related EM usage weakens the relationship between customers’ negative emotions and their satisfaction. Interestingly, we found that positive and negative emotions are significantly related to customer satisfaction regardless of experience and store-related EM usage.

Effects of third-party certification on patrons’ service quality evaluation in the luxury-restaurant industry

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to incorporate third-party certification to test a theoretical model that demonstrates the effects of third-party certification on perceived food quality, perceived service quality, and trust and the effects of these factors on word of mouth (WOM) intentions in the context of luxury restaurants. It also investigates the moderating roles of attention to social comparison information (ATSCI) and the education level.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey sent to customers who are patronizing luxury restaurants in the US 317 empirical data analysis was conducted using structural equation modeling.FindingsThird-party certification facilitated patrons’ positive evaluation of food and service quality. In addition, this positive evaluation fostered trust in the restaurant. Finally, ATSCI and the education level had significant moderating effects on the relationship between third-party certification and patrons’ trust in the restaurant.Originality/valueThis study proposes risk-reducing effect of third-party certification on the luxury-restaurant business. Third-party certification is employed as a mechanism for communicating restaurant quality in food and service to patrons. Both stakeholders and patrons in the restaurant industry can obtain benefits from the third-party certification because it minimizes uncertainties and information asymmetries in luxury restaurants’ quality and service, and thus generating likelihood of WOM intentions.

The impact of demographic and psychological characteristics and cost behaviors on views towards the luxury restaurant

The impact of demographic and psychological characteristics and cost behaviors on views towards the luxury restaurant

Examining the Impact of Restaurant Innovativeness on Relationship Quality in Luxury Restaurants

ABSTRACTDespite the importance of innovation as a determinant for the success of restaurant businesses, little research has been conducted on the postconsumption evaluations of the image of restaurant innovativeness as perceived by the customer. In order to fill this important gap in the literature, the purpose of this study is to examine the perception of restaurant innovativeness and the effect of this construct on relationship quality. Based on a review of the literature, a conceptual model was developed hypothesizing the effects of the overall image of restaurant innovation on three determinant attributes of relationship quality: trust, commitment, and satisfaction. The model was then tested using data collected from 398 luxury restaurant patrons. The results of data indicate that the overall image of restaurant innovativeness is positively related to relationship quality in the luxury restaurant setting. The theoretical and practical implications of these results are considered.

Why do we buy luxury experiences?

Purpose The luxury segment of the hospitality industry has experienced substantial growth in the past decade. Unfortunately, the notion of perceived luxury values has received scant attention, and there is a lack of valid framework to capture consumers’ value perceptions in the context of luxury hospitality services. Using luxury restaurant as an example of luxury hospitality services, this paper aims to establish the structure of luxury hospitality values and their measures and to investigate the relationship between luxury hospitality values and purchase intentions. Design/methodology/approach A survey questionnaire was developed to test the proposed luxury value framework. Confirmatory factor analysis and hierarchical linear regression were used to test the hypotheses. Findings Four luxury restaurant value dimensions including functional value, hedonic value, symbolic/expressive value and financial value were identified. The study results further reveal that a consumer’s purchase intention is influenced primarily by hedonic value, followed by functional value and financial value. Interestingly, unlike in the context of luxury goods, the purchase of luxury restaurant services is not substantially influenced by symbolic/expressive value. Practical implications Hospitality firms catering to the affluent might use the luxury value framework to better understand what drives their customers’ purchase intentions, and use such knowledge to create new services or to improve current product offerings. In addition, luxury hospitality companies can use this luxury value framework to position their brands/products. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first that empirically tests a luxury value framework in the luxury hospitality context and investigates the relationship between luxury hospitality values and purchase intentions.

The Effects of the Face Sensitivity on Conspicuous Consumption and Purchase Intention - Focused on Luxury Restaurants -

This study carried out empirical analysis of the effect on conspicuous consumption and purchase intention by social face sensitivity of customers who have eaten at luxury restaurants. Adult male and female customers aged 20~60 years who lived in Seoul and who had experience eating at luxury restaurants were selected as survey participants. The results of this study are as follow. First, social face sensitivity factor had a significant effect on preference for famous brands and seeking fashion. On the other hand, among social face sensitivity factors, shame consciousness had a significant effect on other-oriented conspicuous consumption. Thus, the hypothesis was partially accepted. Second, among social face sensitivity factors, other-conscious social face had a significant effect on purchase intention. Thus, the hypothesis was partially accepted. Third, preference for famous brand and seeking fashion had a significant effect on purchase intention. However, other-oriented conspicuous consumption tendency had no effect on purchase intention. Thus, the hypothesis was partially accepted. If studies on various consumption sentiment variables continue to be made, these may be usefully utilized for establishing marketing strategies of companies.

The effects of brand attachment on behavioral loyalty in the luxury restaurant sector

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between satisfaction, congruence, nostalgic connections and trust with reference to brand attachment and behavioral loyalty. Behavioral loyalty was examined through the customer’s intention to continue the relationship, as well as proselytism and resistance upwards of the price in the luxury restaurant sector. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire was developed and distributed via email and different Facebook groups which specialized in the luxury restaurant sector in Tunisia. A total of 310 questionnaires were completed and structural equation modeling with AMOS was used to test the hypothesis. Findings The findings suggest that brand attachment clearly explains the behavioral loyalty of consumers because it contributes toward maintaining the relationship with the brand in terms of repetitive buying behavior. Only satisfaction and nostalgic connection was found to influence brand attachment and satisfaction has a bearing on proselytism. Brand attachment in turn influences the intention to continue the relationship and the resistance to upward pricing, but not toward proselytism. Practicalimplications The managerial implications can guide managers toward enhancing the behavior loyalty of customers through better relational marketing practices. Originality/value The research is original in terms of conceptualizing and empirically testing the relation between brand attachment and behavior loyalty within the luxury restaurant sector with a specific focus on Tunisia. This study is one of the first to examine the relationship between brand attachment and behavioral loyalty in the restaurant sector.

Examining guest chefs’ influences on luxury restaurants’ images

Highlights • A guest chef's image positively influences a luxury restaurant's image. • The restaurant-guest chef fit positively influences a luxury restaurant's image. • The restaurant-guest chef fit moderates the relationship between a guest chef's image and a luxury restaurant's image.

A Model of Patrons’ Impulsive Ordering Behaviors in Luxury Restaurants

Impulsive ordering behavior is an issue of great importance for revenue maximization in the luxury restaurant industry. This research aimed to develop and test a model of patrons' impulsive ordering behaviors in the luxury restaurant context. The existing literature supported that two theoretical antecedents stimulate patrons' impulsive ordering behaviors: (1) menu browsing time and (2) patron trust in the restaurant. Based on a literature review, it was hypothesized that 10 theoretical antecedents positively influence menu browsing time and trust. During the model development process, it was suggested that patrons' hedonism could play a moderating role in the relationship between atmosphere and menu browsing time. Consequently, 13 theoretical hypotheses were proposed, resulting in a structural model. The model was tested using empirical data collected from 379 luxury restaurant patrons. Based on the results of data analysis, all of the hypotheses were supported. The theoretical/empirical interpretations of these findings are discussed.

The Antecedents and Consequences of Travelers' Need for Uniqueness: An Empirical Study of Restaurant Experiences

Dining out at a restaurant is one of the most important parts of travelers' tourism experience. The purpose of this research was to examine the antecedents and consequences of travelers' need for uniqueness (CNFU) in their restaurant experiences. Based on a literature review, three theoretical antecedents (perceived firm innovativeness (PFI), perceived firm uniqueness, and brand prestige) and three theoretical consequences (utilitarian value, hedonic value, and behavioral intentions) were proposed. During this process, it was theorized that consumers' uniqueness-seeking behaviors can be strengthened and/or weakened by three psychological moderators: attention to social comparison information (ATSCI), face consciousness, and materialism. By integrating the theoretical arguments, a structural model was proposed. The proposed model was tested using data collected from 379 travelers who had dined out at a luxury restaurant in the past three months. According to the data analysis results, PFI, perceived firm uniqueness, and brand prestige were all confirmed to be important factors in enhancing CNFU. Furthermore, it was determined that CNFU bears a positive impact on behavioral intentions, an impact that is mediated by perceived value. Lastly, the moderating roles of ATSCI and materialism were found to be significant. In the latter part of this research, managerial implications derived from the data analysis results are discussed.

Diners’ loyalty toward luxury restaurants: the moderating role of product knowledge

Purpose – Consumers dine at luxury restaurants for reasons beyond fulfilling basic needs; however, little is known about the factors that contribute to diners’ loyalty. The purpose of this paper is to examine diners’ luxury restaurant consumption behavior by incorporating product knowledge into a modified Mehrabian-Russell model. Design/methodology/approach – Following exploratory qualitative research, 238 consumers who have dined at Hong Kong’s Michelin-starred luxury restaurants were recruited for the main study. The data were analyzed through structural equation modeling. Findings – The results show that luxury restaurants’ stimuli (i.e. food quality, service quality, and atmospherics) influence diners’ emotions, which in turn affect their brand loyalty. Furthermore, food quality can directly influence diners’ loyalty toward the restaurant. Third, diners’ product knowledge can moderate the relationships between restaurant stimuli and diners’ emotion. Research limitations/implications – This study offers new empirical support for the proposition that product knowledge has a role in building brand loyalty and thereby shades both theoretical and managerial understanding of the luxury restaurant consumption process. Originality/value – This study is one of the first to conceptualize diners’ loyalty toward luxury restaurants by examining the influences of restaurants’ stimuli and diners’ knowledge toward luxury restaurants. In addition, this study puts forth some managerial implications for practitioners.

The effects of luxury restaurant environments on diners’ emotions and loyalty

Purpose – This paper aims to examine diners’ luxury restaurant consumption behavior by incorporating diner expectations into a modified Mehrabian–Russell model. Consumers dine at luxury restaurants for reasons beyond fulfilling basic needs. However, little is known about the factors that contribute to diners’ emotions and loyalty toward luxury restaurants. Design/methodology/approach – To examine the proposed six hypotheses, qualitative and quantitative studies were performed. Following exploratory qualitative research, 310 consumers who dined at Taiwan’s five-star hotel restaurants were recruited for the main study. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings – The results show that restaurants’ stimuli influence diners’ positive and negative emotions (organisms), which, in turn, affect their loyalty toward luxury restaurants (responses). Furthermore, customers with different levels of expectation react differently to stimuli. Practical implications – This study offers new empirical support for the proposition that diner expectation plays a role in building customer loyalty and, thereby, shades both theoretical and managerial understanding of the luxury restaurant consumption process. Originality/value – This study conceptualizes diners’ loyalty toward luxury restaurants (e.g. revisiting and recommending luxury restaurants) by examining the influence of restaurants’ stimuli, diners’ emotions and customers’ expectations toward luxury restaurants. Additionally, this study offers some managerial implications for practitioners.

Factors Affecting Guest Perceived Service Quality, Product Quality, and Satisfaction–A Study of Luxury Restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Factors Affecting Guest Perceived Service Quality, Product Quality, and Satisfaction–A Study of Luxury Restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

현대 베트남 대중 레스토랑에 나타난 전통적 표현특성에 관한 연구

The purpose of this study was to investigate that to see how their traditional characteristics were reflected and expressed in Hanoi vietnamese contemporary public restaurants. For this, We visited Hanoi twice to have onsite research in August 2012 and 2013. According to the results of surveying Vietnamese public restaurants, all of the 12 cases had humane characteristics reflecting Vietnam traditional culture, showing Vietnamese unique traditional characteristics including intangible elements such as natural environment, life culture elements such as food culture, and formative aesthetic elements using indigenous ornaments. Different from luxury restaurants that had trade names on the theme of historical stories related to people or places and expressed various concepts formatively using photographs of Vietnamese politics and history and ornamental elements such as tableware, however, the public restaurants were simple in theme or concept. It is probably because most of the surveyed cases were situated in the old quarter to the north of the Hoan Kiem Lake and in the area to the west of the lake and their target customers were local people, so they reflected the Vietnamese traditional residence style and common people's life rather than designing the restaurants intentionally with specific concepts. As to the spatial expression characteristics of the surveyed cases, casual restaurants in Hanoi expressed only basic structure using basic construction materials and techniques with outdoor spaces in the form of Vietnam traditional tube house, and therefore, the overall atmosphere was contemporary. In indoor spaces as well, the general level was low, using uncharacteristic common design and color and cheap finishing materials and furniture. 83% of all cases showed the pattern of VM-VM-VT, being mainly contemporary by partially adopting Vietnamese unique ornamental elements for their outdoor and indoor spaces and using traditional elements supplementarily.

The role of brand credibility in predicting consumers' behavioural intentions in luxury restaurants

This study investigates the impact of brand credibility on consumers' brand purchase intention via various constructs. This study focuses on luxury restaurant brands and luxury restaurant patrons. A structural equation model is presented. The significant and positive impact of brand credibility on brand preference, information cost saved, brand prestige was conformed as well as their positive impact on behavioural intention, which tends to validate the proposed research framework. Implications concerning both research and managerial practices are offered.

A better investment in luxury restaurants: Environmental or non-environmental cues?

The purposes of this study were (1) to examine the impact of environmental and non-environmental cues on patrons’ emotional responses and (2) to examine the influence of emotions on patrons’ behavioral intentions, as moderated by motivational orientation and hedonism. Based on a thorough literature review, 11 theoretical hypotheses were proposed and a structural model was developed. The model was then tested using data collected from 379 actual luxury restaurant patrons residing in the United States. According to the results of data analysis, it was revealed that both environmental and non-environmental cues induce patrons’ arousal in the luxury restaurant setting; however, environmental cues have a stronger impact on arousal than do non-environmental cues. More importantly, among the various environmental cues, ambient conditions were found to be the most powerful element that drives patrons’ arousal. Data analysis also revealed the positive effect of arousal on pleasure and the positive effect of pleasure on behavioral intentions. Thus, it can be interpreted that arousal is a required condition in inducing patrons’ pleasure. The moderating roles of motivational orientation and hedonism were also supported. Theoretical and practical implications based on the findings are discussed in the latter part of the study.

International business travellers' experience with luxury hotel restaurants: the impact of foodservice experience and customer satisfaction on dining frequency and expenditure

Prior literature has mainly focused on the conceptualisation and examination of tourist behaviour in general. This study attempts to examine international business travellers’ experience with luxury hotel restaurants and propose foodservice experience as a key driver of satisfaction, dining frequency and dining expenditure in formation of causal relationships. A total of 278 questionnaires were collected to conduct statistical analysis. Partial least squares (PLS) based structural equation modelling (SEM) technique was performed to assess the proposed relationships. Empirical findings support the positive relationship between foodservice experience, customer satisfaction, their dining frequency and dining expenditure. It was found that customer satisfaction positively influences their dining expenditure while the proposed positive relationship between customer satisfaction and their dining frequency was not supported. Furthermore, the first order constructs on the designated second order construct support customer foodservice experience as second order reflective construct with four dimensions comprising of product component, service component, price component and healthy component. The practical implications and limitation are discussed in detail.

Developing a service quality evaluation model for luxurious restaurants in international hotel chains

The earnings of luxurious restaurants are a major source of revenue for international hotel chains in Taiwan. To guarantee success of the restaurants, service quality is a key factor. This study aims to establish a service quality evaluation model for luxurious restaurants in international hotel chains. A specialist questionnaire is first developed based on the five dimensions of PZB service quality model and an additional ‘innovation’ dimension. Analytic hierarchy process is then applied to calculate the relative weights among the dimensions and indicators. The results show that reliability is the chief evaluation dimension, followed by empathy. Crucial indicators include maintaining and cleaning the environment and facilities regularly, and delivering guaranteed and timely service.

The Antecedents and Consequences of Brand Prestige in Luxury Restaurants

The purpose of this study was to investigate the antecedents and consequences of brand prestige in luxury restaurants. Based on the existing theoretical background, it was proposed that four types of brand-related stimulus form brand experience in consumer memory and thus influence the formation of brand prestige. Through a review of the literature, it was also hypothesized that brand prestige can result in five managerial outcomes: patrons' well-being perception, information costs saved, perceived price fairness, satisfaction and behavioral intentions. Based on the theoretical relationships between the conceptual constructs, a model was proposed and then tested utilizing data collected from 527 luxury restaurant patrons. The results of data analysis indicate that two types of brand-related stimulus (sensory and intellectual) aid in the creation of brand prestige, and can thus help to: enhance patrons' well-being perception; reduce patrons' information searching efforts; and enhance perceived price fairness. As a result, patron satisfaction and positive behavioral intentions can be induced. The critical managerial implications of these findings are then discussed in the latter part of the article.