Foreign food consumption as an extraordinary experience

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to explore the perceived value of extraordinary experience and compare it with an ordinary one in the context of food consumption. We examine how Japanese and Thai people perceive local ordinary food and foreign extraordinary food. We used a perceived value scale and past experience for independent variables and customers’ general attitudes for dependent variable. We collect survey data in Japan and Thailand and conduct analyses by PLS-SEM. Five factors are extracted as elements of perceived value. The most influential factor of Japanese attitudes toward local food is conditional value , followed by emotional and epistemic value and menu variety . Conversely, value for money is the only factor that affects Thai customers’ attitudes. In the case of foreign food, Japanese respondents are most affected by emotional and epistemic value , followed by functional value (quality) , and menu variety . Past experience has a significant negative effect on consumers’ attitude. For Thai respondents, emotional and epistemic value is the most influential factor, followed by functional value (value for money) , and past experience . We found significant differences of perceived value of local food and foreign foods.