Perceived authenticity of traditional branded restaurants (China): impacts on perceived quality, perceived value, and behavioural intentions

Abstract

This study attempts to investigate the perceived authenticity of consumers in Chinese traditional branded restaurants, as well as to investigate the specific factors that contribute to consumers' perceived authenticity. It constructs a systematic model addressing whether, and how, consumers' perceived authenticity, can influence their behavioural intentions through perceived quality of food, service, and dining environment, as well as perceived values in traditional branded restaurants. Results were derived from a mixed-method approach where 68 consumers were initially interviewed, followed by interviewer-administered questionnaire survey with additional 418 consumers. Qualitative analysis, along with exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis confirmed five factors that influencing consumers' authenticity perceptions: historical and cultural value, brand value, nostalgia, environment authenticity, and food authenticity. Structural equation modelling analysis revealed positive impacts of consumers' perceived authenticity and perceived service quality on their perceived value of dining experience, which in turn predict consumers' behavior intentions.

Authenticity, Perceived Value and Loyalty in Marine Tourism Destinations: The Case of Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province, China

“…Some studies in the broader tourism context reported that perceived value influences loyalty [31,43,49]. This study examines the relationship between perceived value and loyalty in the context of marine tourism.…”

“…Studies suggested that tourists' perception of authenticity is based on tangible and intangible factors. The former includes exterior features and interior decoration of buildings, as well as surrounding environment and ambience in tourism attractions/destinations [28][29][30][31]. The intangible factors are mainly customs and traditions, such as clothing, food, art, stories, festivals and cultural rituals.…”

“…Some tourism scholars have studied the relationship between experience quality, perceived value, satisfaction and behavioral intention using structural equation models. More particularly, they attempted to determine the positive relationship between authenticity and perceived value [19,31] and the role played by perceived value in mediating the relationship between authenticity and the tourists' behavioral intention [20,50]. However, such endeavors are very limited.…”

“…As Heidegger stressed, tourists seek experiences that counter the emptiness of everyday life in modern societies and provide them an opportunity to be authentic [12]. As a result, when tourists perceive the authenticity of tourism activity and an authentic self while on trip/holidays, their motivation is satisfied and they are more likely to feel the trip/holiday's value [20,31,50]. Therefore, it can be assumed that there is an intrinsic relationship between authenticity and perceived value.…”

“…An additional factor explored by this study is the mediating effect of perceived value (PV) on the relationship between three types of authenticity (OBA, IEXA and EEXA) and loyalty. Under the condition that the tourism objects and activities can convey a kind of authenticity to tourists, tourists' perceived value will be enhanced, thus leading to increase the tourists' loyalty [31,49]. Therefore, it can be assumed that perceived value mediates the relationship between authenticity and loyalty.…”