Eating-out and experiential consumption: a typology of experience providers

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe generic eating out experiences that can be provided by commercial eating out establishments, presenting a typology of experience providers.

Design/methodology/approach

The research carried out sought to make an understanding of the experiential environments in which eating-out is performed, as well as the experiences that it seeks to produce, and was conducted from a market-orientated ethnography in selected markets from the UK and Brazil.

Findings

Six ideal models of service providers, according to the main characteristics of the stimulus provided by the service encounter, were identified: authentic, relaxed, “all you can eat”, “as home”, efficient and distinction environment. The diversity of food service environments is somehow an answer to the diversity of customers and expectations regarding eating-out. The access of different social classes to eating-out opens the space for more variety, and the creativity that food service managers have on building an appropriate set of stimulus, is a distinctive skill.

Research limitations/implications

The restaurant side of experience encounters was the focus of analysis, but for a deeper understanding of experiential consumption on eating out these results must be confronted to consumer research based on psychophysical methods to assess consumer responses to eating out.

Originality/value

Theoretical implications of this paper rely on the understanding that there are distinct forms of service encounters, providing an alternative view of servicescapes that allows a better understanding of business strategies and host-guest relationships on food service.

Citation

Carvalho de Rezende, D. and Alberto Rodrigues Silva, M. (2014), "Eating-out and experiential consumption: a typology of experience providers", British Food Journal, Vol. 116 No. 1, pp. 91-103. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-02-2012-0027