Understanding merchants' continued use of food delivery platforms: an investment model-based perspective on relationship commitment

Purpose The rapid expansion of food delivery platforms has reshaped the foodservice industry, yet prior research has largely emphasized consumer behavior while overlooking merchants' relational decisions. This study examines the key factors influencing foodservice merchants' relationship commitment toward food delivery platforms. Design/methodology/approach Grounded in the investment model of commitment, this study develops a relationship-based framework incorporating relational competence, brand image and perceived benefits as antecedents, with satisfaction, relationship investment and quality of alternatives as predictors of relationship commitment. The COVID-19 pandemic is examined as a contextual moderator. Survey data were collected between May and August 2023 from 253 foodservice merchants in Taiwan and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Findings The results show that relational competence positively affects satisfaction, brand image strongly enhances relationship investment and perceived benefits significantly reduce the perceived quality of alternatives. Satisfaction and relationship investment positively influence relationship commitment, whereas quality of alternatives exerts a significant negative effect. Most associations were highly significant (p < 0.001), with brand image and relational competence demonstrating the strongest effects, while relationship investment had a smaller yet still significant impact (p < 0.05). The moderating effects of the pandemic were examined but found not significant, suggesting that contextual factors did not alter the strength of these core relationships. Originality/value This study extends the investment model of commitment to a platform-based foodservice context from the merchant perspective, offering novel insights into the relational mechanisms underlying sustainable merchant–platform partnerships.