Influence of SNS Usage Characteristics on Consumers' Dine-out Motivation, Restaurant Satisfaction, and Quality of Life

Abstract

The object of this study was to employ effective marketing methods using SNS by determining how food-related SNS usage characteristics have influence on dine-out motivation and restaurant satisfaction and how this affects people's quality of lie. Survey respondents were men and women who have had used some kinds of food-related SNS. The survey included general characteristics of respondents, food-related SNS usage characteristics, dine-out motivation, restaurant satisfaction, and food-related quality of life. Food-related SNS usage characteristics were divided into convenience, effective time-spending, and informative; Dine-out motivation was sorted into entertainment motivation and social motivation by factor analysis. Analysis of the connections between the variables by AMOS showed that among food-related SNS usage characteristics, convenience did not have a significant influence on either entertainment or social motivation. Informative had a positive effect on entertainment motivation (p<0.05), but not on social motivation. On the other hand, effective time-spending through food-related SNS had an impact on both entertainment (p<0.001) and social (p<0.05) motivation. Moreover, the effect of dine-out motivation on restaurant satisfaction showed that entertainment motivation (p<0.05) and social motivation (p<0.01) both have significant influences on restaurant satisfaction. Also, restaurant satisfaction turned out to affect quality of life (p<0.05). As a result of this study, the usage of food-related SNS did not directly influence customers' restaurant satisfaction and quality of life; (p<0.05). As a result of this study, the usage of food-related SNS did not directly influence customers' restaurant satisfaction and quality of life; however, it had an impact on dine-out motivation and gain pleasure of dining out and help improve the quality of life in the long run; thus, it is believed that marketing strategies thorough SNS by restaurant industry are required.