Understanding behaviors of sustainable dining and online engagement: An application of the triple bottom line perspective

This study examines the predictors of consumers’ online and offline sustainable behaviors in the context of the UK restaurant industry, focusing on the role of consumers’ involvement with sustainability topics on social media and awareness of Triple Bottom Line (TBL) practices. The study integrates constructs of environmental, social, and economic TBL awareness with sustainability-related social media involvement to assess their influence on sustainable dining behaviors and online engagement. Data was collected from 247 respondents and analyzed using Partial Least Squares (PLS) path modelling. Results suggest that consumers’ environmental TBL awareness, social media involvement with sustainability and attitude positively predict both sustainable dining behavior and online engagement. This is the first empirical study to explore how sustainability attitudes shaped through TBL framework and consumer social media involvement with sustainability translate into both online and offline behavior specifically within the restaurant sector. Findings offer actionable insights for managers, sustainability communicators and hospitality marketers seeking to promote sustainable dining practices and online engagement. • Environmental TBL awareness drives positive attitudes. • Social media involvement with sustainability fosters favorable attitudes, sustainable dining behavior and online engagement . • Attitudes shapes online translate into sustainable dining behavior (offline behavior). • Attitudes predict positive online engagement with sustainable restaurants (online behavior). • Social media involvement moderates the attitude–engagement link.