Mehran Nejati and Parnia Parakhodi Moghaddam
The current study aims to investigate gender differences in hedonic and utilitarian values on Iranian young consumers' intentions for eating in fast‐casual restaurants.
Abstract
Purpose
The current study aims to investigate gender differences in hedonic and utilitarian values on Iranian young consumers' intentions for eating in fast‐casual restaurants.
Design/methodology/approach
By testing a sample of 189 young consumers, aged 18 to 24, this study applied descriptive statistics, hierarchical regression analysis and independent samples t‐test to analyze the collected data.
Findings
The findings revealed that both hedonic and utilitarian values are significant determinants of behavioural intentions to eat in fast‐casual restaurants. However, no moderation effect was found for gender in the above‐mentioned relationship.
Research limitations/implications
Convenience sampling technique applied in this research limits the generalizability of the findings.
Practical implications
Findings of this study provide invaluable insights about young consumers from a developing country, which has been rarely investigated. This expands the understanding about their consumption behaviour and the role of underlying values in their behavioural intentions.
Originality/value
By examining two distinct types of consumption values on the behavioural intentions of consumers, this study provides insights from young consumers in a developing country, namely Iran, which has been rarely investigated before.
Details
Keywords
Mehran Nejati and Parnia Parakhodi Moghaddam
This study seeks to examine the influence of hedonic and utilitarian values on customers' satisfaction and behavioural intentions for dining out in the context of fast-casual…
Abstract
Purpose
This study seeks to examine the influence of hedonic and utilitarian values on customers' satisfaction and behavioural intentions for dining out in the context of fast-casual restaurants in Iran.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 379 surveys were collected (342 deemed usable) from respondents who had experienced dining out in a fast-casual restaurant at least once within one month prior to the survey collection time. A research model was tested using structural equation modelling (SEM) to examine the research hypotheses.
Findings
Results of the study revealed that both hedonic and utilitarian values significantly influenced satisfaction and behavioural intentions. Besides, satisfaction was also found to have a significant positive influence on behavioural intentions. The study also showed that utilitarian value has a more powerful influence on the behavioural intention of customers in the context of fast food restaurants.
Research limitations/implications
The main limitation of this study pertains to the sample which is collected from a limited section of the society with high level of education. This study helps to expand the body of literature on the behaviour of young customers in developing countries. Besides, the current study has also contributed to theory by examining the usefulness of two distinct structures of consumer service values, namely hedonic and utilitarian.
Practical implications
This study expands the understanding of owners/managers in the food and hospitality industry about the influence of distinct value types on customers' satisfaction and behavioural intentions.
Originality/value
This study examined two distinct structures of consumer service values on the behavioural intentions of customers from a developing country. Since the structure of the fast food industry is different from most other countries, in that none of the giant fast food chain restaurants operate in Iran, the results of this study can provide invaluable insights from a different perspective.