Examining the effects of values and risks on outdoor food delivery robot adoption using mixed methods: different stakeholders’ perspectives

Boyu Lin (), Woojin Lee (), Rui Yang () and Egon Lim ()
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Boyu Lin: City University of Macau
Woojin Lee: Arizona State University
Rui Yang: Arizona State University
Egon Lim: Arizona State University

Information Technology & Tourism, 2025, vol. 27, issue 1, No 5, 157-188

Abstract: Abstract Piloted outdoor food delivery robots have been attracting attention from different stakeholders. This study investigates the difference between customers’ and operators’ value and risk propositions and examines their distinctive impacts on the first trial and regular use intention. This study adopts an exploratory sequential mixed approach. The qualitative phase uses Starship as a case study to comprehensively understand the perceptions of customers, employees, and managers through 14 semi-structured interviews. Codes are identified, selected, and grouped into functional value (monetary value, efficiency, convenience, food quality), emotional value (enjoyment and attractiveness), conditional value (sustainability and promotion), and performance risk (use process and service failure). Owing to the theory of consumption value and perceived risk theory, the quantitative phase builds the model and tests the relationships between customers (N = 265) and operators (N = 284). The results show that all values and risks could affect regular use intention. However, functional value has no impact on the first trial intention for customers, and performance risk has no effect on the first trial intention for both customers and operators. Our study is the first to target both the values and risks of the particular type of robots for food delivery services from different stakeholders’ perceptions, dividing the impact on the first trial and regular use intention, a crucial step for effective implementation strategies within outdoor food delivery services.

Keywords: Outdoor food delivery robot; Food service providers; Conditional value; Performance risk; First trial intention; Regular use intention (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1007/s40558-025-00313-7

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