Invisible Kitchens, Visible Values: Understanding Consumer Trust and Boundary Formation in Digital Food Experiences

ABSTRACT This research investigates how consumers establish trust in ghost kitchens, a rapidly growing digital service format that eliminates physical interaction and redefines the boundaries of food consumption. Despite their growing popularity, ghost kitchens present a paradox of trust, as the absence of physical premises and direct interaction raises concerns about safety, authenticity, and transparency. Existing research has not sufficiently examined how sustainability awareness, lifestyle fit, and digital experience influence consumer perceptions and trust. This study addresses these gaps by developing an integrated framework to explain how diverse service attributes shape trust formation in digital‐only food environments. A sequential exploratory mixed‐methods design was employed. Qualitative interviews identified consumer‐derived dimensions of trust, followed by quantitative validation using survey data. Grounded in e‐commerce trust models, the study conceptualizes ghost kitchen attributes as environmental stimuli influencing consumer trust formation. Six key dimensions emerged as critical to trust formation: personalized preferences, value sensitivity, technology‐driven service quality, health and hygiene assurance, quality assurance, and sustainable awareness. These dimensions collectively explain the mechanisms through which consumers negotiate confidence and control in the absence of physical cues. This research extends trust theory into the context of digital gastronomy by conceptualizing ghost kitchens as technology‐mediated experiential services. It contributes new consumer‐derived constructs, offering a validated multidimensional model of trust formation. The findings provide practical insights for operators and policymakers to enhance customer confidence through personalization, technological transparency, and sustainability integration in online food ecosystems.