ORCID
- John White: 0000-0002-5684-1461
Abstract
Purpose Even after the lifting of all government restrictions, introduced to combat the spread of Covid-19, many consumers remain fearful of in-person dining. This paper seeks to understand this reticence, and explain post-pandemic restaurant dining intentions. Design/methodology/approach The paper introduces and tests a conceptual framework for understanding in-person dining intentions in the post-Covid-19 era, utilizing structural equation modelling. To empirically validate the model, survey data collection (n = 436) occurred in China after the government lifted its “Zero-Covid” policy. Findings Neuroticism, as a personality trait, negatively affects restaurant trust and increases fear of Covid-19 (threat appraisal), which in turn reduces intentions to dine in a restaurant post-pandemic. Neuroticism also increases the importance placed on preventative measures by diners (coping appraisal), with the latter positively affecting in-person dining intentions. Practical implications The paper details the hygiene-related actions that restaurateurs can take to strengthen consumers’ intentions to dine, post-pandemic. We encourage restaurant managers to communicate the measures they implement to reduce the spread of Covid-19 and other viruses, to encourage in-person dining. Managers should regard such measures not as short-term actions, but important to long-term, post-pandemic restaurant viability. Originality/value The paper introduces and validates a novel model, which relates neuroticism to Protection Motivation Theory. It identifies that neuroticism increases the fear of Covid-19 (threat) and the importance placed on restaurants’ preventive measures (coping strategy). Neuroticism is associated with maladaptive coping strategies and underpins reticence to dine out even after the lifting of all government restrictions.
DOI Link
Publication Date
2025-08-11
Publication Title
Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
ISSN
2514-9792
Acceptance Date
2025-06-12
Deposit Date
2025-06-13
Funding
Some of the research presented in this paper was funded by Research England as part of the National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise (NICRE) - RED-2019-07.
Additional Links
https://www.emerald.com/jhti/article-abstract/doi/10.1108/JHTI-01-2025-0179/1271703/Post-pandemic-restaurant-patronage-the-importance?redirectedFrom=fulltext, https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105014880801
Keywords
Covid-19, Neuroticism, Post-pandemic, Preventative measures, Restaurants
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Gorton, M., Yan, M., Lin, H., Gaćeša Brlić, D., White, J., Brečić, R., & Tkalac Verčič, A. (2025) 'Post-pandemic restaurant patronage: the importance of neuroticism in shaping in person dining intentions.', Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights, . Available at: 10.1108/JHTI-01-2025-0179
