The influence of food values on satisfaction and loyalty: Evidence obtained across restaurant types

Abstract

To increase our understanding of food choices, their evaluation and their effects on key non-financial variables, we examine potential differences between two types of food values (distinguishing those that offer added value from those limited to providing only an offer of basic value) between two types of restaurants regarding their impact on satisfaction with the food, and loyalty to the food and the restaurant. To do so, we collected a database of 516 customers of restaurants in Spain and analysed it using descriptive statistics and structural equation analysis. The results evidenced how offering food reflecting both differential added value and basic value increases food satisfaction, and, in turn, customer loyalty to the food and the restaurant. As a novelty in the literature, our findings revealed that basic value offer increases customers’ food satisfaction of both restaurant types but offering food that reflects differential added value offer does not influence customers satisfaction of fast-food restaurants but increases food satisfaction in traditional restaurants. The discussion addresses the key implications of these findings for restaurants strategic positioning.