Millennials’ perception of safety and hygiene measures, perceived health risk, satisfaction and behavioural intention at upscale restaurants amid COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT

The new normal of social distancing policy and health risks has shaped customers’ dining out behaviors at restaurants. This study applied qualitative and quantitative methods to explore the written comments of consumer-generated media on food and service quality and safety and hygiene prevention measures at upscale restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic. The current study also investigated the impact of safety and hygiene prevention measures on perceived health risks, customer satisfaction, and behavioral intention via the stimulus-organism-response model. Written comments from 10 upscale restaurants were collected, and a purposive sampling approach was used to recruit Millennial respondents to participate in a self-administered survey. Results show different areas of comments provided by customers in the aspects of staff issues, hardware, amenities and other measures. Relationships among safety and hygiene prevention measures, perceived health risks, customer satisfaction and behavioral intention exist. Theoretical development on motivation factors to dine out and managerial implications were discussed.

千禧一代在 COVID-19 大流行期间对高档餐厅的安全和卫生措施、感知健康风险、满意度和行为意向的看法摘要

因为新冠肺炎流行病的爆发，令社交距离的政策和减低健康风险形成了生活的新常态，也影响了顾客在餐厅用餐的习惯。本研究采用定性和定量方法来探讨新冠肺炎流行病爆发期间，在消费者自主媒体对高档餐厅的食品和服务质量以及安全和卫生预防措施的书面评论。目前的研究还「刺激-机制-反应」模型调查了安全和卫生预防措施对感知健康风险、客户满意度和行为意向的影响。这次研究收集了来自十家高档餐厅的书面评论，并采用了立意抽样方法招募千禧一代的受访者进行现场自填问卷的调查。结果显示顾客在员工问题、餐厅硬件、餐厅设施和其他相关措施等范畴有不同的意见。安全和卫生预防措施、感知健康风险、顾客满意度和行为意向之间也存在关系。本文章在最后部分整理了顾客在餐厅用餐的动机因素的理论意涵和相关的管理意涵。

KEYWORDS:

• Safety and hygiene prevention measures
• perceived health risk
• customer satisfaction
• behavioral intention
• Millennials
• stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R)

关键词:

• 安全和卫生措施
• 感知健康风险
• 顾客满意度
• 行为意向
• 千禧一代
• 刺激-机制-反应

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the College of Professional and Continuing Education, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University [BHM-2020-176(J)].

Notes on contributors

Jamie Siu Kam Lo

Jamie Siu Kam Lo is College Lecturer in the College of Professional and Continuing Education at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China. She received her D.HTM from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Her research focuses on sustainable tourism development and tourism marketing (E-mail: [email protected]).

Pimtong Tavitiyaman

Pimtong Tavitiyaman is Principal Lecturer and Associate Division Head in Business and Hospitality Management in the College of Professional and Continuing Education at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China. Her research areas are technology applications in hotel operations and management, destination image, and hospitality and tourism education (E-mail: [email protected]).

Lancy Wing Sze Tsang

Lancy Wing Sze Tsang is Lecturer in PolyU Hong Kong Community College at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China. Her research interest areas are food service operations and management, and destination image (E-mail: [email protected]).