Perceived risks related to unconventional restaurants: A perspective from edible insects and live seafood restaurants

Abstract

Although edible insect and live seafood restaurants are gaining attention worldwide, there is still limited research on what types of risks consumers associate with these unconventional restaurants and their resulting intentions to visit them during the occurrence of worldwide COVID-19. Therefore, this study combines perceived risk theory and protection motivation theory to propose several antecedents towards consumer's intention to visit edible insect and live seafood restaurants. Surveys conducted from edible insect restaurants (Sample A) and seafood restaurants (Sample B) were analyzed using PLS-SEM. Results showed that only perceived vulnerability, psychological risk, and sensation seeking influence customers' intention to visit both types of restaurants. Perceived severity, financial risk, environmental risk, and social risk do not influence customers' intentions to visit such restaurants.