Determinants of consumer intention to use smart food lockers during COVID-19: A multi-method approach

• Published in: International journal of hospitality management 2024-09, Vol.122, p.103858, Article 103858
• Main Authors: Hu, Yuqing, Chen, Yuangao, Zhou, Shasha, Yang, Shuiqing, Jiang, Hui, Ma, Yan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Contactless service; COVID-19; Service quality theory; Smart food locker
• ISSN: 0278-4319
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhm.2024.103858

During the COVID-19 pandemic, increased demand for contactless services has triggered the restaurant industry to adopt smart food lockers. Based on service quality theory, we investigated factors associated with consumer intention to use smart food lockers. We collected 222 valid questionnaires for the study and analyzed the data using the partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) and the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) method. Results of the PLS-SEM analysis show that food safety, convenience, perceived security, perceived control, and perceived time pressure significantly impact consumer intention to use smart food lockers. An MGA analysis shows that perceived protection during COVID-19 enhances the positive relationship between food safety and intention to use smart food lockers. For a more comprehensive view of the study’s findings, the fsQCA provides five scenarios that lead to high user willingness to use smart food lockers. This study provides practical insights into platforms and governments. •Food safety, convenience, perceived security, perceived control, and perceived time pressure positively impact consumer intention.•Perceived protection positively moderates the effect of food safety on consumer intention.•The fsQCA results highlighted five scenarios that lead to high consumer willingness.