Research Paper
Factors influencing customers’ dine out intention during COVID-19 reopening period: The moderating role of country-of-origin effect

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2021.102894Get rights and content

Highlights

  • Customer involvement was positively associated with the intention to dine out during the COVID-19 reopening period.

  • Perceived importance of preventive measures and involvement indirectly affected the intention to dine out via brand trust.

  • The positive country of origin effect moderated the relationship between preventive measures and brand trust.

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected the restaurant industry and reopening provides restaurants an opportunity to survive this crisis. This study examined the interplay of perceived importance of preventive measures, dining involvement, brand trust, and customers’ intention to dine out at American Chinese restaurants during the reopening period. Additionally, the study investigated the moderating role of country-of-origin (COO) effect on these relationships. 296 U.S. restaurant customers recruited via a market research company completed the online survey. Structural equation modeling was used for data analyses. The results indicated that dining involvement had a direct positive effect on customers’ intention to dine out. Moreover, both perceived importance of preventive measures and dining involvement could enhance customers’ intention to dine out indirectly via brand trust. Positive COO effect moderated the relationship between perceived importance of preventive measures and brand trust. The study provided significant implications for restaurant operators in the U.S during the reopening period.

Keywords

COVID-19
Preventive measures
Dining involvement
Brand trust
Country-of-origin
Intention

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