Reference no: EM133270105

In order to remain distinct and attract customers, restaurants and food service operators place huge importance on their menu as the basis of their operation (Frei, 1995). However, apart from diverse menu selection, restaurant customers have come to also appreciate and develop expectations for a representation of technology in their interactions with restaurants (Mehta, 1999), as a way of improving their experience and distinguishing between one restaurant and its competitors (Olsen & Conolly, 2000). As in other aspects of their lives, customers have come to rely on technology when interacting with a restaurant to facilitate seamless ordering, reduce wait lines and anticipate prospective visits to restaurants based on information on their website and other digital platforms (Gragmigna, 2014). Likewise, researchers have found the use of technology to coordinate tasks in restaurant operations to be effective in maximizing operational efficiencies and productivity, standardizing functions and improving customer experience (Sigala 2004, Ham, Kim & Forsythe, 2008, Maria-Eugenia et al. 2014). Use of technology is acknowledged as one of the most significant competitive advantages for the hospitality industry (Olsen and Conolly, 1999); including restaurants in online directories and other Internet marketing platforms helps attract prospective customers and increases restaurant reservations, while providing information on pricing and communications of competitors (Maria-Eugenia, 2014). According to Gragmigna (2014), restaurants are the most searched industry location on phones and mobile devices. For example, 65% of location-based traffic on online platforms such as Foursquare and Yelp are related to restaurants. Gragmigna also notes that 63% of consumers would view restaurant menu and make reservations online, while 75% will make decisions based on their satisfaction with the results produced by their online search. Based on this, we conclude that the use of technology and presence of restaurants on online 7 directories and reservation platform contributes immensely to customers' expectation and anticipation of their visit to such restaurant. The present study uses the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to understand intentions to use restaurant reservation systems by examining customers' attitudes. It also extends previous knowledge in the use of TAM in examining people's adaptation of new technology. The next section provides an overview of this theory.