How waiting decisions are made: A comparison of restaurant waiting equity and behavioral intentions in physical and virtual queues

Abstract

This study explores and validates the psychological mechanisms that drive customers' restaurant waiting intentions and associated consumption intentions. The study then investigates how different queuing settings (physical vs. virtual) influence this psychological process. The findings suggest that when faced with a wait, customers develop a perception of waiting equity, shaped by a cost-benefit analysis. Higher perceived waiting equity increases both the intention to wait and the likelihood of ordering more. Furthermore, the study reveals that virtual queuing is associated with lower perceived waiting costs than physical queuing, leading to higher perceived waiting equity. However, customers in virtual queues exhibit a lower intention to order additional items compared to those in physical queues. This suggests a compensatory effect, where the extra effort involved in physical queuing motivates customers to order more menu items to justify their prior investment in the wait.