Conspicuous consumption motives and ambivalence toward dining at vegan restaurants: a perspective from social comparison theory

Purpose Despite the rise in vegan food consumption, vegan restaurants have experienced high turnover rates. Given that non-vegans make up the majority of the customer base, this study explores the critical role of conspicuous consumption motives in driving ambivalence, which, in turn, affects intentions to revisit vegan restaurants. Design/methodology/approach Through a purposive sampling method, data were obtained from non-vegans who had experienced dining at vegan restaurants. The proposed relationships within the study framework were analyzed using a PLS-SEM model. Findings Results support the significance of the need for uniqueness and the desire for access to elite social strata in shaping conspicuous consumption motives, consequently increasing ambivalence among non-vegans. Interestingly, ambivalence was discovered to positively influence revisit intentions for vegan restaurants. This positive effect was significantly enhanced by perceived objective authenticity in vegan restaurants. Research limitations/implications Findings provide novel insights into the existing understanding of vegan consumption, particularly by focusing on non-vegans and their conspicuous consumption motives in the context of dining at vegan restaurants. Our approach expands the research by highlighting the greater significance of objective authenticity over existential authenticity in the context of vegan restaurants, offering practical insights to enhance their operation. Originality/value The study provides compelling evidence that non-vegans’ novel and non-altruistic motivations can generate favorable outcomes. Our model can serve as a fundamental baseline for vegan restaurant management, applied to design appropriate operational strategies to attract more non-vegan consumers and increase their likelihood of revisiting.