Service employee dress: Effects on employee-customer interactions and customer-brand relationship at full-service restaurants

Yao-Chin Wang and Chunmin Lang

Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 2019, vol. 50, issue C, 1-9

Abstract: Using social comparison theory, the purpose of this study is to examine how service employees' dress shapes employee-customer interactions and customer-brand relationship in full-service restaurants. An analysis of 437 useable customer responses collected via an online survey indicated that appropriateness of employee dress improves employee-brand congruence, which then enhances both employee aesthetic trait and enjoyable interaction. Both employee aesthetic trait and enjoyable interaction also improve the customer-employee connection. Furthermore, gratification motivation and social motivation each mediates the effects of customer-employee connection on customers’ affective commitment toward the full-service restaurant brand.

Keywords: Employee dress; Nonverbal behavior; Employee-customer interactions; Customer-brand relationship; Customer-employee connection; Affective commitment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:joreco:v:50:y:2019:i:c:p:1-9

DOI: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2019.04.011

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