The impact of customer perceived value on customer satisfaction and loyalty toward the food delivery robot service

Abstract

Purpose Food delivery robot service (FDRS) is a novel service using autonomous delivery robots that alters human delivery in mobile food ordering. Despite FDRS companies’ skyrocketing service expansions throughout the USA, there has been limited understanding of customer perceived value, customer satisfaction and loyalty which is imperative to promote repeat sales. Therefore, this study aims to examine customer perceived value of FDRS, identify antecedents of customer satisfaction with FDRS and investigate the additional impact of customer satisfaction and loyalty toward FDRS and the restaurant using FDRS. Design/methodology/approach As a sample population, this study targeted the US customers over 18 years old and have used FDRS within the past 12 months. With a total of 323 responses, descriptive statistics, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were conducted for data analysis. Findings The findings of this study demonstrate the positive impacts of functional, price and emotional value on customer satisfaction. The current study also shows that customer satisfaction positively influences customer loyalty toward FDRS and the restaurant. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the current study is arguably the first to investigate customers’ post-purchase experience with FDRS, which enhances understanding of customer behavior toward the service. Moreover, with a multidimensional consumption value approach from the theory of consumption values, this study provides a single framework to explore the relations between customer perceived value, satisfaction and loyalty in the FDRS context.