Beyond Taste: The Interplay of Food Attributes, Storytelling, and Revisit Intention in the Jordanian Restaurant Industry

ABSTRACT This study investigates the impact of food attributes on customer satisfaction and revisit intentions, with storytelling examined as a mediating factor. Grounded in the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S–O–R) framework, the study conceptualizes food attributes as external stimuli that shape customers' internal evaluations (satisfaction) and subsequent behavioral responses (storytelling and revisit intentions). This theoretical lens provides a structured understanding of how environmental cues in the dining experience translate into emotional and behavioral outcomes. Adopting a quantitative approach, data were collected through a questionnaire targeting customers of local and international restaurants in Jordan. A total of 321 valid responses were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS‐SEM). Conducted within the Jordanian restaurant sector, this study provides insights into a region that has received limited empirical attention in hospitality research. Findings reveal that food quality, preparation and presentation, and authenticity significantly enhance customer satisfaction, with food quality exerting the strongest effect. Moreover, customer satisfaction is positively associated with revisit intentions, and storytelling plays a significant mediating role in this relationship. This study advances theoretical understanding of customer loyalty in the restaurant sector by introducing storytelling as a novel mediator and offers practical insights for restaurant managers on leveraging food quality and narrative‐driven engagement to strengthen satisfaction, loyalty, and long‐term retention.