Customer engagement in Acehnese traditional restaurants: Mediating effects on revisit intention and e-WOM

This study examines the influence of restaurant attributes on customer engagement with traditional food products (TFP), and how this engagement affects revisit intention and electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM). Conducted from January to September 2024 in Banda Aceh and Aceh Besar, Indonesia, the study surveyed 160 customers who had dined at traditional Acehnese restaurants. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale and analyzed using Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results reveal that Food Quality (β = 0.323; p < 0.001), Staff Service (β = 0.256; p < 0.001), Health Involvement (β = 0.219; p = 0.013), and Involvement in Luxury (β = 0.282; p < 0.001) significantly enhance TFP Engagement. In contrast, Convenience Orientation does not show a significant effect. Moreover, TFP Engagement strongly predicts Intention to Revisit (β = 0.877; p < 0.001) and positive e-WOM (β = 0.757; p < 0.001), acting as a mediator between restaurant attributes and customer behavioral outcomes.