The effects of brand attachment on behavioral loyalty in the luxury restaurant sector

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between satisfaction, congruence, nostalgic connections and trust with reference to brand attachment and behavioral loyalty. Behavioral loyalty was examined through the customer’s intention to continue the relationship, as well as proselytism and resistance upwards of the price in the luxury restaurant sector.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire was developed and distributed via email and different Facebook groups which specialized in the luxury restaurant sector in Tunisia. A total of 310 questionnaires were completed and structural equation modeling with AMOS was used to test the hypothesis.

Findings

The findings suggest that brand attachment clearly explains the behavioral loyalty of consumers because it contributes toward maintaining the relationship with the brand in terms of repetitive buying behavior. Only satisfaction and nostalgic connection was found to influence brand attachment and satisfaction has a bearing on proselytism. Brand attachment in turn influences the intention to continue the relationship and the resistance to upward pricing, but not toward proselytism.

Practicalimplications

The managerial implications can guide managers toward enhancing the behavior loyalty of customers through better relational marketing practices.

Originality/value

The research is original in terms of conceptualizing and empirically testing the relation between brand attachment and behavior loyalty within the luxury restaurant sector with a specific focus on Tunisia. This study is one of the first to examine the relationship between brand attachment and behavioral loyalty in the restaurant sector.

Citation

Bahri-Ammari, N., Van Niekerk, M., Ben Khelil, H. and Chtioui, J. (2016), "The effects of brand attachment on behavioral loyalty in the luxury restaurant sector", International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol. 28 No. 3, pp. 559-585. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-10-2014-0508