A comprehensive examination of consumers' intentions to use food delivery apps

Abstract

Purpose

Guided by the theory of planned behavior and the technology acceptance model, the purpose of this study was to comprehensively examine the factors that affect consumers' intentions to continue to use food delivery apps by developing and testing a research model and examining the differences between consumers with different demographic characteristics or behavior changes during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey instrument was developed, and 316 valid responses were collected. A measurement model was developed and tested by using the structural equation modeling partial least squares (SEM-PLS) method.

Findings

The four basic constructs in the theory of planned behavior model (attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control and trust) positively predicted consumers' intentions to continue to use food delivery apps. Predictors (including perceived innovativeness, hedonic and utilitarian motivations, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and food safety risk perception) of these four basic constructs were also identified and confirmed. Multigroup analyses were conducted, and differences were found between male and female consumers and those with different ordering frequencies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Originality/value

This study expanded the application of the theory of planned behavior by examining consumers' intentions to continue using food delivery apps and improved the authors’ understanding of this theory. Further, the successful application of the technology acceptance model improved the authors’ understanding of consumers' attitudes and behavioral intentions related to food delivery app usage.

Citation

Wen, H., Pookulangara, S. and Josiam, B.M. (2022), "A comprehensive examination of consumers' intentions to use food delivery apps", British Food Journal, Vol. 124 No. 5, pp. 1737-1754. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-06-2021-0655