Comparing the distinctive influences of physical and social servicescapes on brand love for internet‐famous restaurants

Purpose This study aims to investigate the different effects of physical and social servicescapes on brand love for internet-famous restaurants, focusing on their pathways and strengths of influence. Design/methodology/approach Structural equation modeling was applied to analyze data from 387 online questionnaires in China. Findings Results indicate that social servicescape directly influences brand love for internet-famous restaurants, while physical servicescape does not. The effect of physical servicescape on brand love for internet-famous restaurants is mediated by perceived coolness and perceived enjoyment, whereas social servicescape’s influence is mediated solely by perceived enjoyment. Overall, physical servicescape has a stronger impact on brand love for internet-famous restaurants compared to social servicescape. Practical implications The findings help internet-famous restaurants create effective physical and social servicescapes to enhance brand love, underscoring that physical servicescape is more crucial than social servicescape for cultivating this love. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by analyzing the heterogeneous pathways and strengths of physical and social servicescapes influencing brand love for internet-famous restaurants, while highlighting the mediating role of perceived coolness and expanding the application scope of cognitive appraisal theory.