Brand loyalty and electronic word-of-mouth antecedents: the moderating effects of experiences

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to analyze brand loyalty and electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) antecedents in restaurants: (1) utilitarian and hedonic benefits, (2) brand satisfaction and (3) brand love. It also provides valuable knowledge through the comparison between positive and negative restaurant experiences.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was carried out of restaurant satisfied and dissatisfied consumers. Structural equation modeling (SEM) and multi-group analysis (MGA) were performed to examine the cause-and-effect relationship in both groups.

Findings

The results show the relevance of benefits, brand satisfaction and brand love as causes for brand loyalty and e-WOM. Also, these relationships are significantly stronger for dissatisfied consumers than for satisfied ones.

Originality/value

The outcome of the research provides new insights to develop a conceptual stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) model of consumers’ restaurant behavior by drawing comparisons across satisfied and dissatisfied ones.

Citation

Aragonés-Jericó, C., Rodriguez Santos, C., Kuster-Boluda, I. and Vila-Lopez, N. (2024), "Brand loyalty and electronic word-of-mouth antecedents: the moderating effects of experiences", British Food Journal, Vol. 126 No. 12, pp. 4242-4259. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-10-2023-0877