Impact of customer experience on attitude and utilization intention of a restaurant-menu curation chatbot service

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study is to assess the possibility of introducing a restaurant-menu curation (RMC) chatbot service to help consumers quickly and effectively decide on their restaurant or menu choices. To this end, it measures the characteristics of consumer chatbot experiences and analyzes their impact on future acceptance intentions through their attitudes toward the RMC chatbot service. Design/methodology/approach This study consists of three parts: developing a RMC chatbot prototype, testing the chatbot prototype and a customer survey based on experience. A convenience sample method was used to collect data from 368 adults who tried the RMC chatbot service before answering a self-administered questionnaire. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the proposed structural model. Findings The results showed that all experience characteristics, except usable facets, had a significant positive impact on attitudes toward the chatbot. Three experience characteristics, “usable,” “usefulness” and “valuable,” revealed a significant positive effect on utilization intention. Attitudes toward chatbot services also significantly affected utilization intention. Research limitations/implications The results of this study can offer practical and academic implications for establishing curation services in the restaurant industry that can increase customer acceptance and utilization intentions. Follow-up studies are required to explore and verify the various personal and psychological factors related to the intention to accept RMC chatbot services. Originality/value This study is meaningful because it makes it possible to evaluate the introduction of curation chatbot services in the restaurant sector, by developing and testing the dining-out curation service protocol to help customers’ smart choices in the information technology environment.