The effects of eWOM on visit intention toward micro-celebrity restaurants

Purpose The rise of micro-celebrity restaurants has attracted significant academic and industry attention. This study applies self-determination theory (SDT) to explore the impact of electronic word of mouth (eWOM) quantity, eWOM credibility and eWOM quality timeliness on consumers’ social presence (SP), autonomy (AU), competence (CO), relatedness (RN) and visit intention (VI) in the context of micro-celebrity restaurants. Design/methodology/approach To assess the research model, the study adopted online questionnaire collection, with a total of 389 valid questionnaires being used. SmartPLS software was applied to conduct the data analysis. Findings EC and eWOM quality timeliness have significant associations with consumers’ SP. Consumers’ SP has significant associations with customer autonomy, competence, relatedness and VI. In contrast, eWOM quantity has no significant association with SP and relatedness has no significant association with VI. Originality/value The work empirically expands SDT application in micro-celebrity restaurants. Through exploring the relationships between eWOM, SP, autonomy, competence, relatedness and VI, this study advances understanding of micro-celebrity restaurant marketing.