Luxury Restaurants Research Articles

Service for sustainability and overall value for money: sequential mediation of customer-generated communication on social media and perceived value

PurposeThis study investigated the predictors of overall value for money in the hospitality industry concerning routine practices reinforcing SDG goals. The sequential mediation underlines the mechanism of theoretical viability and sustainability relevance of restaurant environment factors and customer-generated communication on social media to influence the value impressions of hospitality customers.Design/methodology/approachCross-sectional design was utilized to obtain empirical data from customers of luxury restaurants in mega cities of Pakistan. Non-probability purposive sampling was deployed to collect data from 370 customers. The chained relationship of predictors was analyzed using Smart PLS.FindingsThe SDGs' integration with predictors provided theoretical insights into the role of physical spaces in achieving SDG 14 of sustainable consumption and production. The role of social media communication explains the mechanism of online discourse, which shapes perceptions of sustainable dining experiences.Practical implicationsThis study explained sustainable consumption's relation to consumers' psychological undertakings and reinforced the dinners' decision-making processes to evaluate expectations influencing dining choices. This study helps to understand how sustainability issues transformed consumers' value perception and helps them take measures to minimize the environmental impact of their dining choices.Originality/valueThe sequential mediation model investigated with the lens of expectation disconfirmation theory provided relational clarity, which is difficult to achieve when comparing the perception of customers with performance variables. Distinguishing overall value for money from perceived value is essential for making data-driven decisions to utilize monetary resources efficiently.

Anti-Mainstream Culinary: The Influence of Post-Modernism on Gastronomy in Indonesian Restaurants

The culinary movement is currently undergoing interesting developments: initially, food was a basic requirement for energy and the food consumed was usually processed from nature. Consequently, processed food often characterized the identity of specific tribes, cultures, and regions. In the modern era, food has a long history (for example, the French Revolution), with ethics and rules. This shows that modern food culture is structured and even classifies social classes. Originally, food in the modern era had a concept adapted from the serving of food in palaces, with order and layout. However, this modern presentation of food was rejected by cooks who served food in different ways. For example, enjoying meals at a high altitude and serving food with unusual artistry. With this resistance to the European-style presentation of many luxury restaurants in Indonesia, this post-modernist restaurant can attract customers. This research uses a descriptive qualitative approach. Data collection technique is conducted through visual observation via social media. The findings reveal that the flow of post-modernism and post-structuralism has influenced the way food is served in several Indonesian restaurants. The full results and discussion are presented herein.

Can consumer engagement on social media affect brand extension success? The case of luxury fashion brands and restaurants

This study aims to examine the effects of consumer engagement (CE) through social media (SM) on brand extension (BE) attitudes, extended brand loyalty, and parent brand loyalty. This study identified luxury BE strategies, particularly from luxury fashion brands to luxury restaurants. From an online survey involving 205 Korean women, we found that cognitive processing, affection, and the activation of CE positively influence attitudes toward BE. Furthermore, extension attitude positively influences both extended brand loyalty (luxury restaurant) and parent brand loyalty (luxury fashion brand), while extended brand loyalty positively influences luxury parent-brand loyalty. These findings support the associative network model and offer practical implications for marketing and branding managers for developing effective extension strategies.

EXAMINING THE FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO TOURISTS’ OVERORDERING BEHAVIOR AT LUXURY RESTAURANTS: TOURISTS, SERVICE STAFF, AND FOOD WASTE

The purpose of this research is to examine tourists’ overordering behavior at luxury restaurants because more than a third of restaurants’ food waste is associated with customers being unable to finish their food. In addition, this behavior can have negative implications for consumers’ health. A total of 410 participants completed surveys that indicated how status consumption and the need for uniqueness can contribute to consumers’ overordering attitude, which in turn can affect their overordering behavior. Furthermore, their attitude’s influence on their overordering behavior is lower for consumers who are highly conscious of their health than for those who are less conscious of their health. However, through advice-giving, service staff can reduce diners’ overordering behavior. Based on the findings, luxury restaurants that are popular among tourists might want to consider developing more tasting menus and providing further training to their staff to enhance tourists' dining experiences by helping them order a suitable number of dishes.

What’s on the menu? How celebrity chef brands create happiness

PurposeThis study aims, first, to understand consumers’ perception of chefs as human brands (i.e. study one). Second, tests were run to assess the validity of a new conceptual model of the relationships between the factors of chef image, luxury restaurant image, both images’ congruity and consumers’ hedonic and novelty experiences and happiness and well-being (i.e. study two).Design/methodology/approachThe first qualitative study involved using Leximancer software to analyse the data drawn from 43 interviews with luxury restaurant clients. In the second quantitative study, 993 valid survey questionnaires were collected, and the proposed model was tested using structural equation modelling.FindingsThe results reveal that consumers perceive chefs as human brands and the associated narratives include both performance- and popularity-based characteristics. The findings support the conclusion that individuals give great importance to chefs’ image and the congruence between chefs and their restaurant’s image. In addition, luxury restaurant image only affects novelty experiences, and both hedonic and novelty experiences have a positive effect on customers’ happiness and well-being.Research limitations/implicationsThis research focused on Portuguese luxury restaurants. The consumers’ happiness and well-being needs to be replaced by other outcomes to confirm if the model produces consistent results.Practical implicationsThe results should help luxury restaurant managers understand more fully which pull factors are valued by their clients and which aspects contribute the most to their pleasure and welfare.Originality/valueThis study adds to the extant literature by exploring consumers’ perceptions of chefs as human brands and the role these chefs’ image play in customers’ luxury restaurant experiences and perceived happiness and well-being.

Fresh mindset, hygiene perception, QR code menu, and intention to re-dine among Jordanian consumers

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic has confronted hospitality and restaurant business enterprises across the globe by disrupting the entire ecosystem of the industry. Shutdowns and temporary closure decisions were necessary, as the primary focus for governments and their agencies is the safety of their people. Recently, restrictions have been eased and vaccines have been developed, despite this, strict measures are still intact. The important question, then, is what are the factors that can convince consumers to adjust and/or restore confidence in consumers to go back to dining in restaurants under the “new normal” banner. To provide preliminary insights, this paper investigates the impact of consumers with fresh mind-sets, restaurant hygiene, and QR code menu usage on intention to re-dine by building on reinforcement theory. Structural equation modeling technique was applied on survey data obtained from consumers who dined in luxury restaurants (n = 569) across multiple cities in Jordan. Results from the analyses illustrate that consumer fresh mind-sets, restaurant hygiene, and QR code menu usage are important predictors for consumer intention to re-dine in Jordanian eateries and restaurants. This research advances our knowledge on consumers’ preferences and behaviors to dine in the post-Covid-19 era. It also makes an incremental contribution to the reinforcement of theoretical assumptions. Implications for theory and practice are prescribed for the concerned stakeholders.

Luxury service brand extensions and their spillover effects on customers’ evaluations of luxury gastronomy foodservice: The case of Michelin-starred restaurants

Drawing on a consumer perspective, this article identifies the types of brand extension strategies in the luxury hospitality and foodservice field and their spillover effects on consumers’ evaluations of the image of the parent brand of the luxury restaurant. Using a multi-method approach combining focus groups and in-depth interviews, we conducted an exploratory qualitative research study utilizing 35 participants to examine their perceptions of Michelin-starred restaurants’ extension strategies and how they can affect customers’ attitudes towards the images of Michelin-starred chefs and the luxury gastronomic sector overall. The study found that not only brand extension types count when examining the spillover effects – positive, negative and mixed – on customers’ evaluation of the parent brand image. Two other elements should be considered: a brand’s strategic focus (i.e. personal, social or functional) and customers’ acquaintance and levels of knowledge of the consumption field in which the parent brand operates. Our results contribute to the literature on brand extensions and spillover effects that mainly focus on products. Thus, the findings provide valuable insights into service brand extension factors that influence customers’ perceptions and attitudes towards luxury service brands and thus contribute to scholars’ calls for more studies on brand extensions and their effects in the service field – ones combining hospitality, luxury and the foodservice industry.

Regional Specificity of Tourism Potential Development: Sociological Analysis

Introduction. The development of the tourist potential of Russian territories is one of the priority state tasks in modern conditions. The purpose of the article is to study the regional specifics of the development of tourism potential in the Russian Federation, a sociological analysis of its key elements in the assessments of municipal leaders. Materials and Methods. The key research method was a questionnaire survey of heads of local self-government bodies of the Russian Federation (n = 306). At the first stage, questionnaires were sent out by e-mail with representation from all federal districts of the Russian Federation. At the second stage, the analysis of linear distributions and correlation analysis of empirically significant variables (grouping of answers by regions and federal districts of the Russian Federation) were carried out. The use of a set of analytical procedures has made it possible to identify the regional specifics of the development of the tourism potential of the territories. The results were processed using SPSS. Results. The results of the study have made it possible to identify problems in the development of the tourist potential of Russian territories, both in terms of basic and additional resources. The hypothesis about the predominance of tourist resources aimed at satisfying the “average” consumer demands of the tourist is confirmed. The results of the study have shown a decrease in ratings for economy class catering facilities (average rating 3.02 out of 5), the presence of hostels (1.87 out of 5), as well as the lack of conditions to meet the interests of high-income tourists (in terms of “luxury class restaurants” the average score is 2.21 out of 5). The study revealed an insufficient level of development of additional tourist resources that ensure the realization of the differentiated needs of various social groups. Discussion and Conclusion. It is concluded that it is expedient to support entrepreneurial initiatives aimed at creating tourism products and services, both in the “economy” and “luxury” segments, the formation of a recognizable image of the territories as part of the promotion of their social resources. The results obtained can be used in the activities of the authorities in the development of strategies for the development of regional tourism.

How the consumers’ intentions to pay a price premium are influenced in luxury fine dining restaurants?

ABSTRACT This study purposes to examine the antecedents of luxury fine dining restaurant patrons’ willingness to pay a price premium in Delhi. It categorized the degree of consumerist behaviors concerning the luxury food consumption and examined the influence of relational and individual effects in the patronage of luxury fine dining restaurants. A theoretical model is proposed which explained the effects of the representative indicator of luxury service consumption. Variables like bandwagon effect, hedonic effect, and snob effect were found to be influencing the esteem-based food consumption. Gastronomic engrossment and acquaintance were projected to elucidate patrons’ willingness to pay price premiums for luxury fine-dining restaurant experience. In total, 369 usable responses were subjected to thorough structural equation modeling analysis. Results showed that gastronomic engrossment had highest score in terms of total variance explained and explanatory power of willingness to pay price premium was found to be strongest compared to the other constructs.

Toward a luxury restaurant renewal: Antecedents and consequences of digitalized gastronomy experiences

Like many other activities, luxury gastronomy has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. To maintain a certain level of turnover, luxury restaurants had to innovate by digitalizing their offer, that is, delivering a customer journey that encompasses digital and physical consumer experiences. Based on the two approaches to customer experience (dimension- and stage-oriented), the aim of this research is to propose and test a model of the digitalized gastronomy experience that includes its antecedents and consequences. A qualitative study (Study 1), involving 15 restaurant chefs and experts, defines the digitalized gastronomy experience and identifies the dimensions and customer journey stages associated with that experience. A quantitative study (Study 2) of 217 French consumers of luxury gastronomy validates the proposed conceptualization, its antecedents (website elements and psychological variables), and its consequences (purchase intentions). We also confirm the role of involvement in gastronomy as a contingent variable.

Overbooking as a Means to Manage Restaurant No-Shows and Cancellations: A Novel Model Extension

Newsvendor models have been developed to determine the optimal overbooking level of hotel rooms to manage no-shows and cancellations. This research note extends the newsvendor model to a restaurant context by taking into account the “stretched capacity” of restaurants to determine the optimal overbooking levels for restaurant seats. Data were collected from a restaurant in Taiwan to illustrate the model. The percentage of no-shows per day in this restaurant ranged from 11% to 16%. Utilizing its stretched capacity, the restaurant can overbook up to five more seats than the estimated number of no-shows. The extended model will be most suitable for restaurants that largely depend on reservations (rather than walk-ins), such as luxury or fine-dining restaurants. Directions for future research on restaurant overbooking are provided.

Consumer responses to the use of artificial intelligence in luxury and non-luxury restaurants

There has been an ever-increasing interest in artificial intelligence (AI) in the hospitality sector. However, it is still unclear how consumers respond to products/services in hospitality industries provided by AI. Building on the theoretical framework for using AI in different services and the literature on luxury consumption, across four studies, we investigated how consumers evaluate different types of restaurants that are run by AI vs. humans. The results demonstrated that consumers evaluated food and restaurants more negatively where the service is provided by AI (Study 1). This effect was higher in luxury restaurants compared to casual dining (fast food, casual restaurants) (Studies 2 and 3). Moreover, we identified the underlying mechanism of this effect by showing that in luxury (vs. casual) restaurants, foods cooked by AI negatively influenced evaluations of three dimensions of restaurants’ quality, such as food, service, and ambience quality, decreasing the intention to visit the restaurant (Study 4). Altogether, these findings reveal some effects that AI can have in the hospitality industry and provide practical insights on how to introduce AI in restaurants.

고급레스토랑 이용 고객의 체면민감성이 과시적 소비성향과 브랜드 선호도에 미치는 영향

The objective of this study is to provide the implications for establishing the premiumization and marketing strategies of luxury restaurants, by analyzing the social-face sensitivity and conspicuous consumption tendency of luxury restaurant patrons. In the results of this study, the person with higher social-face sensitivity and conspicuous consumption tendency showed the higher probability to visit the luxury restaurants, and also showed the high preference for high-class brands. If more in-depth research is performed based on this study afterwards, it would be possible to draw more significant and useful strategic implications for the management of luxury restaurants.

Exploring Customers’ Luxury Consumption in Restaurants: A Combined Method of Topic Modeling and Three-Factor Theory

This study explores customers’ perceptions and underlying factors related to luxury consumption in restaurants. Although many studies have explored customers’ consumption of luxury goods, very few of these studies involved luxury hospitality services. Furthermore, hospitality literature has rarely discussed the emerging identification of inconspicuous consumption in luxury. By applying topic modeling to analyze online customer reviews, the current study identifies the essential elements of visiting luxury restaurants. Moreover, it elicits the asymmetric role of the identified factors in accelerating overall customer satisfaction or dissatisfaction through impact-asymmetry analysis, which adopts the three-factor theory. Findings suggest that many inconspicuous factors exist in luxury consumption and that the mechanisms that affect satisfaction differ among a satisfier, a dissatisfier, and a hybrid. The acknowledgment of the asymmetric effects will help practitioners in luxury restaurants enhance their understandings of customer perceptions and efficiently improve service management and marketing.

Consumers’ perceptions of food ethics in luxury dining

PurposeThis paper aims to draw on the sociocultural dimensions of food luxury consumption as a new theoretical foundation to explore the consumers’ perceptions of ethical food production and consumption practices within luxury gastronomic restaurants.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted a contextualized, qualitative exploration of French luxury dining settings among 35 consumers with different profiles, food cultural backgrounds and gastronomic knowledge. Drawing on Thompson’s analysis framework, the authors captured the narratives beyond the stories told by participants that describe their perceptions and the meanings they assign to ethical food practices in Michelin-starred restaurants.FindingsThe results illustrate how consumers with different profiles perceive ethical food practices within luxury restaurants. The authors identified three segments: novice, advanced and confirmed according to participants’ acquaintance with luxury gastronomy codes and values. These three profiles served as a framework to examine consumers’ perceptions of ethical food forms – environmental sustainability, food well-being and cultural heritage – within the luxury dining setting.Research limitations/implicationsThe study revealed no one dominant form of ethical food practices as emphasized in prior studies. Rather, there are multiple forms, including functional, hedonic and symbolic values, related to the degree of familiarity and knowledge of consumers in terms of their luxury gastronomic experiences. The findings show that the perception of ethical food practices within luxury restaurants can encompass additional dimensions such as food well-being and cultural preservation and transmission. This information can enrich the restaurant sustainability literature that principally focuses on health, community and the ecological aspects of food ethics in restaurants. Although this study suggests numerous new insights, there are limitations related to focusing on the French food culture. However, these limitations can help us develop other opportunities for future research.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study provide luxury professionals and marketers with key insights into effective strategies to integrate sustainable practices while enhancing the luxury experience. The findings show that to encourage luxury businesses and restaurants to promote sustainable practices, it is necessary to enhance the functional, social, emotional and cultural dimensions of the perceived benefits of offering sustainable luxury experiences and reducing the constraints related to sustainability.Social implicationsWith its focus on the luxury dining settings underpinning the ethical food practices from the perspective of consumers, this research offers novel insights for researchers and luxury professionals interested in ethical and sustainable business practices.Originality/valueThis research suggests a new way to study sustainability and ethical food production and consumption practices in luxury dining settings – namely, as multiple, culturally embedded perceptions related to three main profiles of luxury gastronomy consumers: novice, advanced and confirmed.

Assessing the Sustainability of Facilities Management in the ‎Food Sector in Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Sustainability is becoming an indispensable and concerning issue for firms in today's business environment. Especially in the food and restaurant sectors. Sustainability focuses on satisfying the needs of the current period without conceding the capability of future consumers to meet their desires. Yet, an inclusive adoption of Sustainability is lagging in the restaurant and eatery industry in emerging market such as Kurdistan Region, Iraq. Therefore, this study focuses on the current practices of sustainable facilities in restaurants and lodging businesses in Kurdistan Region, Iraq. The researchers conducted unstructured interview for the data collection from (10) restaurateurs managing and working in 5 luxurious restaurants and 5 fast-food ones. The restaurants selected were categorized as luxurious restaurants and fast food restaurants, the topics of the interviews were related to energy, waste and water. The data were analyzed by using frequency. The main approach in data gathering was qualitative. The interview queries were taken from related articles and divided into 3 sections: awareness plan, strategic planning, and restaurants' criteria of SAM. A content analysis method was used to identify the trend from previously published literature. The result showed that luxurious restaurants do apply sustainability in their operations, while fast-food restaurants lag behind. Finally, recommendations of this study can be of help to all restaurants in Kurdistan area by introducing a proper practice of sustainability to improve and develop their businesses to meet customers' needs and gain competitive advantages ahead of their competitors)

Consumers' luxury restaurant reservation session abandonment behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic: The influence of luxury restaurant attachment, emotional ambivalence, and luxury consumption goals.

The purpose of this research is to examine how consumers’ attachment to luxury restaurants and their emotional ambivalence contribute to their reservation session abandonment during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In addition, the moderating effect of luxury consumption goals (e.g., self-presentation motives, status consumption, and need for uniqueness) is examined. A total of 408 participants completed questionnaires, and the results reveal that luxury restaurant attachment significantly influences consumers’ emotional ambivalence, which in turn causes them to not complete their reservation sessions. Furthermore, the moderating effects of status consumption and need for uniqueness are supported.

How luxury restaurants will enhance the concept of guest delight

PurposeThe objective of this study is to investigate the effect of service excellence and guest delight on guest affective commitment to luxury restaurants, more specifically, the mediating effect of guest delight in the relationship between service excellence and guest affective commitment.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 270 guests with a response rate of 67.5%. SmartPLS software was used for data analysis.FindingsThe findings indicate that service excellence and guest delight had increased guest affective commitment to the luxury restaurant. It has been determined that guest delight acts as a mediator between service excellence and guest affective commitment.Practical implicationsProviding a high level of service excellence and delighting, thereby encouraging luxury guests to have a high level of commitment to the restaurant. Therefore, luxury guests' expectations must be exceeded to obtain their commitment to the restaurant.Originality/valueThis research study provides a substantial contribution to the hospitality literature by providing a significant concept of guest delight that can offer the opportunity to establish a new understanding of guest affective commitment in the luxury restaurant context.

To survive or to thrive? China's luxury hotel restaurants entering O2O food delivery platforms amid the COVID-19 crisis.

COVID-19 presents luxury hotels with an unenviable task of maneuvering to secure survival. One of the contingency measures of China’s five-star hotels is to salvage revenues by entering online-to-offline (O2O) food delivery platforms. However, both opportunities and risks will ensue. Study 1 has content analyzed customer reviews on the largest O2O food delivery platform in China to probe the key factors of concern. The results show that taste, freshness, and brand credibility remain salient, as in dine-in experiences, while packaging and delivery quality emerge as a result of the integration of the O2O platform, and hygiene due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Interestingly, interaction quality between restaurant staff and customers still plays significant roles with the online channel. Study 2 has further deepened the understanding of luxury restaurants’ O2O services through semi-structured interviews with F&B professionals. The results have paved the way for hotel operators to employ tactics on O2O platforms.

How Michelin-starred chefs are being transformed into social bricoleurs? An online qualitative study of luxury foodservice during the pandemic crisis

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to examine response strategies and the change in Michelin-starred chefs' practices to adapt to the global pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis that has strongly affected the foodservice sector.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted an exploratory qualitative research that used mixed-method, combining online interviews with 12 French Michelin-starred chefs and archival data. A manual thematic analysis method was used to analyze the data and identify relevant themes following an iterative coding process.FindingsThe findings show that Michelin-starred restaurants implement multilevel response strategies by developing dynamic capabilities while playing a social role through the development of new forms of business practices. The results show that Michelin-starred chefs adopt social bricolage entrepreneurial thinking to deal with the extreme situation and use diverse resources and response strategies to tackle social issues and improve the collective and individual well-being. The authors identified three major response strategies implemented by luxury restaurants: philanthropic activities targeting the well-being of the community, socially responsible business practices to support the foodservice actors and initiatives centered on consumer's food well-being.Research limitations/implicationsThe limits of this study are related to the small sample size and the elimination of psychographic criteria such as age and gender, which can extend our understanding of response strategies implemented by female and male owners or by age range during crises in the foodservice sector. Also, given that France is the country of Haute gastronomy, the conclusions of this study may not be generalizable to other countries where the gastronomic culture might be different.Practical implicationsRestaurants with high-end or luxury positioning must use multilevel – i.e. individual, sector and societal – response strategies to play a social role while sustaining their businesses during times of crisis. These insights seek to provide a roadmap which can be applied to other sectors to assess response strategies driven by various motives, resources and capabilities.Social implicationsThis research contributes to transformative service research literature by providing insights regarding how service providers can rethink their activities during the crises to play an active social role. Also, the findings point to several ways in which service actors can help customers and the community to improve their well-being.Originality/valueTo our knowledge, no prior research examined both the type of response strategies deployed by companies to survive and the importance of playing a social role and developing socially responsible business practices during times of crisis.