Influence of robot anthropomorphism on consumer attitudes toward restaurants and service providers

We conducted this study to investigate the influence of robot anthropomorphism on consumers’ attitudes toward restaurants and service providers, focusing on the moderating effects of robot social roles and consumer autonomy. The results of Study 1 revealed that anthropomorphic robots fostered more positive attitudes toward restaurants and service robots than non-anthropomorphic robots when consumers viewed restaurant advertisements. The results of Study 2 revealed that consumers also exhibited more positive attitudes toward anthropomorphic robots compared to non-anthropomorphic robots when picturing restaurant dining experiences. Furthermore, when non-anthropomorphic robots were assigned partner roles and consumers were given the option to choose their servers, attitudes toward these robots improved. Collectively, these findings suggest that anthropomorphism in robots can lead to more positive attitudes, and the acceptance of non-anthropomorphic robots can be enhanced through greater consumer autonomy and the assignment of partner roles. These results provide insight into AI service marketing strategies.