View - K-REx - Kansas State University
View - K-REx - Kansas State University
View - K-REx - Kansas State University
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stimulus for additional research that develops more integrative theories in explaining restaurant<br />
consumer behavior. Second, the variety and nature of the emotional experiences cannot be<br />
adequately explained by summed positive and negative emotions (Westbrook & Oliver, 1991).<br />
This study enables measurement of more complex restaurant customers’ emotional experiences<br />
by uncovering greater dimensions of consumption emotions. Inducing customers’<br />
affective/emotional reactions is a good way to achieve a competitive advantage in deploying<br />
marketing strategies (Taylor, 2000). Mattila (2002) indicated that overall assessments of the<br />
service organization can be greatly influenced by a customer’s emotional state. The uncovered<br />
multidimensions of consumption emotions may enable restaurant marketers to develop more<br />
sophisticated marketing/service strategies that lead to favorable assessments of the operation and<br />
explanation of repurchase behaviors. Third, this study provides further understanding of the<br />
relationships among consumption emotions, customer satisfaction, and revisit intention by<br />
considering the moderating role of switching barriers. While the effect of switching barriers has<br />
been investigated in the previous consumer literature, inhibiting factors of restaurant customer<br />
switching have not been well identified. Identification of switching barriers that moderate the<br />
satisfaction and revisit intention relationship would provide additional insights into retaining<br />
even dissatisfied customers.<br />
Limitations of the Study<br />
The major limitation of this study relates to generalizability. Web-based surveys were<br />
conducted to collect data only in full-service restaurants. Customers’ emotional experiences and<br />
perceived level of switching barriers can differ based on the type of restaurant. Caution should<br />
be taken in interpreting and generalizing the results across other segments (e.g., quick-service<br />
restaurant or casual dining restaurant). Additional research in different types of restaurant<br />
settings is necessary to further examine the proposed relationships.<br />
The impact of personal/situational factors in the formation of revisit intention is not<br />
considered in this study. The strength of the relationships among study constructs also can be<br />
influenced by both personal (e.g., customer personality traits, gender, ethnic background,<br />
income, and education) and situational characteristics (e.g., individual’s plan/purpose for being<br />
in the environment) (Evanschitzky & Wunderlich, 2006; Mehrabian & Russell, 1974; Russell &<br />
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