Purpose - The aim of this study was to find out the factors that influenced customers' continuance usage intention of food delivery apps (FDAs) during COVID-19 quarantine. Design/methodology/approach - The information was obtained by applying an online survey to a sample of 295 residents in Tijuana, Mexico, who were repeat customers of the FDAs during COVID-19 quarantine. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA), the average variance explained (AVE) and composite reliability (CR) were conducted to ensure the validity of each construct. Multiple regression analysis was done to identify predictors of customers' continuance usage intention. Findings - Based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT-2), four constructs were included: effort expectancy, performance expectancy, food and beverage quality and price saving orientation. Multiple linear regressions were carried out to assess the relationship between the four dimensions and customers' continuance usage intention of FDAs. The results obtained show that effort expectancy, performance expectancy and price saving orientation influenced the customers' continuous usage behavior. Originality/value - This study contributes to the body of knowledge on consumer behavior on the continuance usage intention of FDAs during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has been scarcely studied. Also, the food and beverage quality construct was proposed, and the price value construct from the UTAUT-2 theory was adapted to price saving orientation.

Factors influencing customers' continuance usage intention of food delivery apps during COVID-19 quarantine in Mexico

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2022.103199

How does COVID-19 differ from previous crises? A comparative study of health-related crisis research in the tourism and hospitality context

Purpose This paper investigates the extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated service innovation in the restaurant sector. It explores the use of digital technologies (DT) as a safety-empowerment and resilient strategy in the food-service industry during the pandemic. It also investigates the impact of DT on customers' risk perception (CRP) and customers' intention to go to restaurants (CIR) in Italy. Design/methodology/approach Based on the theory of planned behaviour and perceived risk theory, this study investigates a sample of customers residing in Italy. Multiple regression and mediation analyses are conducted to test the research hypotheses, adapting the logic model developed. Using the bootstrapping technique, this study also explores whether the pandemic has moderated the relationship among several variables adapted from the literature. Robustness tests are also performed to corroborate the analysis. Findings The pandemic has accelerated the food-service industry's digital transformation, forcing restauranteurs to implement DT to survive. Findings show that DT support restauranteurs in implementing innovative services that reduce interactions and empower cleanliness among workers and customers, reducing CRP and preserving CIR. Thus, managing risk perception is helping the restaurant sector to recover. Practical implications Practical implications are presented for policymakers to catalyse the digital transformation in small- and medium-sized restaurants. The results may also be beneficial for entrepreneurs who can implement innovative service practices in order to reduce interaction and empower cleanliness levels. Moreover, academics can use these results to conduct similar research in other geographical contexts. Originality/value The present research represents the first study investigating the relationship between the use of digital technologies and the intentions of customers to go out for dinner during the ongoing pandemic in Italy.

/pdf/service-innovation-in-the-restaurant-sector-during-covid-19-2bcnrhla.pdf

Service innovation in the restaurant sector during COVID-19: digital technologies to reduce customers' risk perception

The food service sector was among the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to examine consumers’ attitudes towards and transparency perceptions of COVID-19-related safety measures and to identify determinants of consumers’ intentions and behaviour regarding visiting restaurants and bars once reopened. By also surveying food service businesses, this study allows for comparison between both target groups. A total of 1697 consumers and 780 businesses participated in this study, conducted in Belgium both during and in between waves of infections. The findings demonstrate that consumers evaluated safety measures as important when revisiting restaurants and bars, against business owners’ expectations. Both consumers’ revisit intentions and behaviours are influenced by the perceived importance of hygiene measures (negatively) and past visit frequency (positively). This study highlights the importance of good compliance with safety measures as a strategy to attract customers during the reopening period. Further, our findings emphasize the importance of transparent communication by food service businesses and the government.

/pdf/covid-19-safety-measures-in-the-food-service-sector-v1hbb9vv.pdf

COVID-19 Safety Measures in the Food Service Sector: Consumers’ Attitudes and Transparency Perceptions at Three Different Stages of the Pandemic

Food safety inspections are a key health protection measure applied by governments to prevent foodborne illness, yet they remain the subject of sustained criticism. These criticisms include inconsistency and inadequacy of methods applied to inspection, and ineffectiveness in preventing foodborne illness. Investigating the validity of these criticisms represent important areas for further research. However, a defined construct around the meanings society attributes to food safety inspection must first be established. Through critical examination of available literature, this review identified meanings attributed to food safety inspection and explicates some of the key elements that compose food safety inspection as a social construct. A total of 18 meanings were found to be attributed to food safety inspection. Variation in meanings were found between consumers, food business associates and food safety inspectors. For some, inspection meant a source of assurance, for others a threat to fairness, while most view inspection as a product of resources and inspector training. The meanings were then examined in light of common criticisms directed at food safety inspection, to expound their influence in how food safety inspection is realized, shaped, and rationalized. This review highlights the influence of sociological factors in defining food safety inspection.

/pdf/defining-food-safety-inspection-cz1o1a2n.pdf

Defining Food Safety Inspection

Purpose: This study aims to empirically assess restaurant surfaces’ cleanliness and compare them to customers’ perceptions about the cleanliness of surfaces when dining in a restaurant Design/methodology/approach: This study used two methods to collect data The first was a survey method to gauge customers’ perceptions and an empirical test to measure cleanliness using an adenosine triphosphate (ATP) meter Two data sets were collected to compare customers’ perceptions and actual cleanliness measurements One data set surveyed respondents as to their perceptions of high- and low-touch restaurant surfaces among 19 areas of the dining room and 15 surfaces from the restroom, and their perceived cleanliness or dirtiness of those same surfaces The second one conducted empirical measurements of the cleanliness of these surfaces using an ATP meter, which were then compared to customers’ perceptions Findings: Although all surfaces had higher ATP readings than a 30 relative light units’ threshold, there were significant differences in ATP readings among surfaces Results showed a fair amount of consistency between the consumers’ perceptions of cleanliness and the actual results of ATP readings for the cleanest areas, but very little consistency in customers’ perceptions and experimental measurements for the dirtiest areas Practical implications: This study empirically demonstrated the need for improved cleaning techniques and the importance of proper training for foodservice employees Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, results of this study suggest an additional responsibility on managers and staff to ensure clean environments and the imperative to address the concerns of their customers Originality/value: Based on an extensive literature review, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, no prior studies have compared consumers’ cleanliness perceptions with empirical measurements of cleanliness in restaurant settings using an ATP meter The results of this study provide restaurant managers a better understanding of customers’ perceptions of cleanliness It also provides restaurant managers and staff information to develop more effective cleaning procedures In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, perceptions of cleanliness and measures of actual cleanliness are more important than they have been in the past © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited

The cleanliness of restaurants: ATP tests (reality) vs consumers’ perception

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2022.100950

Reexamining event attributes, benefits, and values in a time of pandemic: A multi-faceted approach

ABSTRACT This study aimed to study factors affecting hospitality and tourism student satisfaction and their intention to stay in the program. A model with nine factors was proposed and tested. The results showed that curriculum, hospitality & tourism degree commitment, student life, self-efficacy, and goals positively affect undergraduate student satisfaction with the program whereas curriculum, hospitality & tourism degree commitment, student life, and financial support affect their intention to stay in the program. This study also tested all hypothesized relationships to see if those relationships differ between underclassmen and upperclassmen. Implications for hospitality and tourism educators and administrators are provided.

Factors influencing student satisfaction and intention to stay in the hospitality and tourism program


 With the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic widely visible in the event industry, event organizers face challenges regarding customer retention in the form of return visits. Because event revisit intention is crucial to predicting event attendees’ behavior, this study attempts to examine the likelihood of return for customers who have prior event (state fair) experience. Drawing from previous studies on event-related hazards and safety risks, our proposed framework suggests that a certain type of trust (i.e., social trust and confidence) reduces perceived risk, leading to increased event revisit intention in a time of pandemic. To test hypothesized relationships among trust, perceived risk, and event revisit intention, consumer information was gathered through Amazon’s Mechanical Turk crowdsourcing platform. Key findings that emerge include the fact that trust in events is a strong predictor of event revisit intention, while perceived risk mediates the relationship between trust and revisit intention, albeit weakly. These results offer event organizers insights into how to enhance revisit intention in the face of health risks and ongoing uncertainty.


Event Revisit Intention in The Context of COVID-19 Risks

This study compared three groups (consumers, restaurant managers, and inspectors) in their understanding of restaurant inspection violations under different inspection formats. Addition of a coding...

Tony J. Kim

Papers

The cleanliness of restaurants: ATP tests (reality) vs consumers’ perception

Reexamining event attributes, benefits, and values in a time of pandemic: A multi-faceted approach

Factors influencing student satisfaction and intention to stay in the hospitality and tourism program

Event Revisit Intention in The Context of COVID-19 Risks

Do restaurant managers, consumers, and inspectors have the same understanding of restaurant inspections?