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.