The Influence of Food Quality on Consumer Intention Towards Cloud Kitchens in Mumbai: The Parallel Mediating Roles of Perceived Value and Trust

Abstract The rapid expansion of cloud kitchens in urban India has reshaped the food service landscape, yet the mechanisms through which food quality translates into consumer purchase intention remain insufficiently understood. This study examines the influence of food quality on consumer intention towards cloud kitchens in Mumbai, with parallel mediating roles assigned to perceived value and trust. Grounded in stimulus–organism–response (S–O–R) theory and signalling theory, a cross-sectional quantitative design was adopted. Data were collected from 400 respondents who had ordered food from cloud kitchens in Mumbai during the preceding six months, using a structured questionnaire measured on a five-point Likert scale. Convenience sampling was employed, and data were analysed using the General Linear Model with parallel mediation in Jamovi. The results indicate that food quality significantly enhanced both perceived value (β = 0.698, p < .001) and trust (β = 0.824, p < .001). Perceived value (β = 0.379, p < .001) and trust (β = 0.476, p < .001) in turn positively influenced consumer intention. The direct effect of food quality on consumer intention was not significant (β = 0.087, p = .059), while both indirect paths were significant, with trust exerting the stronger mediating effect (β = 0.392) than perceived value (β = 0.265). The model explained 75.3% of the variance in consumer intention. The findings establish full parallel mediation, suggesting that cloud kitchen operators should prioritise food quality as a signal that builds trust and value, which subsequently drive repeat patronage.