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

Abstract

PurposeThis 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/approachBased 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.FindingsThe 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 implicationsPractical 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/valueThe 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.

Passengers' service perceptions emerging from user-generated content during the pandemic: the case of leading low-cost carriers

“…Consequently, many individuals were forced to delay holidays in the following months (Nilashi et al, 2021). The pandemic of COVID-19 has profoundly affected world healthcare and the economy (Colamatteo et al, 2021;Esposito et al, 2022;Jafari et al, 2021;Karatepe et al, 2022;Rezapouraghdam and Karatepe, 2020). In addition, the calamity of COVID-19 has altered travelers' behavior considerably, primarily due to confinement-related issues (Jafari et al, 2020).…”

“…The pandemic of COVID-19 has profoundly affected world healthcare and the economy (Colamatteo et al. , 2021; Esposito et al. , 2022; Jafari et al.…”

Anteseden Dari Purchase Intention Pada Food Delivery Application Di Jakarta

“…Secara khusus, sektor restoran dianggap industri berisiko tinggi (Song et al, 2020) dan secara tajam telah terkena dampak dari covid -19, yang telah memunculkan percobaan revolusioner untuk mengatasi kerugian dalam beberapa kasus penutupan permanen atas aktivitas komersial (Min et al, 2022). Sikap pelanggan untuk mengunjungi restoran telah secara signifikan berkurang karena rasa takut dihadapkan pada potensi risiko covid -19 (Esposito et al, 2022;Galanakis, 2020).…”

“Carte” (Aplikasi Mobile Pemesanan Menu Restoran Partner)

“…Studi pendahulu yang telah dilakukan oleh Benedetta Esposito, Maria Rosaria Sessa, Daniela Sica dan Ornella Malandrino pada tahun 2022 yang menyelidiki hubungan antara penggunaan teknologi digital dan niat pelanggan untuk pergi makan malam selama pandemi yang sedang berlangsung di Italia, membuktikan bahwa Pandemi telah mempercepat transformasi digital industri jasa makanan, memaksa pemilik restoran menerapkan digital technologies untuk bertahan. Temuan menunjukkan bahwa digital technologies mendukung pemilik restoran dalam menerapkan layanan inovatif yang mengurangi interaksi dan memberdayakan kebersihan di antara pekerja dan pelanggan, mengurangi Customer' Risk Perception, dan meningkatkan intensi pelanggan untuk ke restoran (Esposito et al, 2022).…”