Stimulating pro-environmental dining behaviours and intentions: an S–O–R model in farm-to-table restaurants

Purpose This study investigates the influence of farm-to-table (FTT) restaurant stimuli on customers’ pro-environmental dining behaviours (PEDB) and behavioural intentions (BI), using the stimulus–organism–response (S–O–R) model. The research examines how restaurant facility aesthetics, food quality, service quality and green practices impact customers’ perceived value (PV) and positive emotions (PE), subsequently affecting their PEDB and BI. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected via a survey of 420 diners at FTT restaurants, with analysis conducted through partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS–SEM). Findings The results reveal that food healthiness, taste and green practices significantly enhance PV and PE, thereby increasing PEDB and BI. Service quality positively influences PE, yet it does not significantly impact PV, while facility aesthetics show no significant association with PV or PE. In the context of FTT restaurants, both PV and PE mediate the effects of these stimuli on behavioural responses, highlighting the importance of cognitive and affective pathways in shaping pro-environmental behaviours and intentions. Originality/value This study extends the S–O–R model by integrating green practices as a core stimulus and focusing on pro-environmental dining behaviours within the context of FTT restaurants. This study advances hospitality research by showing how customers’ cognitive and emotional responses mediate the influence of restaurant stimuli – especially green practices – on pro-environmental dining behaviours and behavioural intentions, thereby informing effective design of responsible strategies in environmentally conscious dining settings.