From Consumption to Creation: Social Media Engagement and Visit Intention in Vietnamese Restaurants

Customer engagement with brand-related content on social media is increasingly recognised as a multidimensional phenomenon. Drawing on the Consumers’ Online Brand-Related Activities (COBRA) framework, this study examines how content consumption, contribution, and creation influence consumers’ attitudes toward online reviews and ratings and their purchase/visit intentions in the restaurant industry. Existing research has largely focused on highly visible engagement behaviors, leaving fewer observable forms of engagement underexplored, particularly in emerging markets. A quantitative, cross-sectional design was employed using survey data from 509 social media users engaging with Golden Gate Restaurant Group brands in Vietnam. Measurement scales were adapted from established studies, and the proposed model was tested using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) with AMOS. The findings show that all three engagement dimensions have significant positive effects on attitudes toward online reviews and ratings and on purchase/visit intention. Content consumption, often considered a passive behavior, produced stronger effects on both attitudinal and behavioral outcomes than content contribution and creation. These results demonstrate the importance of low-visibility engagement behaviors in shaping consumer perceptions and decision-making processes. The study contributes to the literature by extending the COBRA framework to the restaurant context and providing evidence from an emerging market. From a managerial perspective, the findings suggest that restaurant marketers should develop social media strategies that encourage engagement across all behavioral levels rather than concentrating solely on content creation. Overall, the study highlights the strategic value of customer engagement in influencing review perceptions and visit intentions within the digital restaurant environment.