• Culinary science and hospitality research
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.1-13
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• 2016

Since protecting the environment became a major issue in modern society, an increasing number of individuals have engaged in lifestyles of health and sustainability (LOHAS). The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of restaurant and LOHAS images on customer satisfaction and loyalty. Particularly, this study analyzes the incremental information content of LOHAS image in the relationship between restaurant image and customer satisfaction/loyalty. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to customers of casual-dining restaurants in three major cities (i.e., Seoul, Daegu, and Busan) in South Korea. The empirical findings suggest significant incremental information content of LOHAS image beyond general restaurant image in explaining customer satisfaction and loyalty.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.748-760
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• 2016

This study investigated the relationship of brand equity of restaurant LOHAS image with altruistic value, LOHAS involvement and additional willingness to pay (WTP). The data collected for this study was taken from a sample of 544 persons during the period of August 1, 2013 to August 31, 2013. The study findings are as follows. First, brand equity and brand association of restaurant LOHAS image had a positive effect on altruistic value, but had no positive effect on brand loyalty and perceived product quality. Second, brand awareness, brand loyalty and brand association of restaurant LOHAS image had a positive effect on LOHAS involvement, but had no significant positive effect on perceived quality. Third, altruistic value was found to have a positive effect on LOHAS involvement. Fourth, altruistic value had a positive effect on additional WTP. Fifth, LOHAS involvement was found to have a significant positive influence on additional WTP. The findings of this study indicate that communication strategies are warranted to emerge environmental friendliness and health targeting population groups that pursue the LOHAS value of restaurants or have a high propensity toward altruism.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.666-675
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• 2016

With the changing consciousness of consumers, there has been an increasing interest in nature-friendly lifestyles and safety of food ingredients. Therefore, the LOHAS image, which has value in social health and sustainability, is expected to be a factor that helps restaurants establish differentiation strategies. This study examined the LOHAS image of restaurants on involvement and willingness to pay. The results were as follows. First, eco-friendly food ingredients and interiors among the LOHAS image factors of restaurants had a significant effect on involvement. Second, the perception of LOHAS in the LOHAS image factors of restaurants had a significant effect on involvement. These results may be due to the lack of a conceptual understanding of LOHAS among restaurant customers, who fail to properly grasp its meaning. Therefore, in order to promote the LOHAS image of restaurants to customers, it is necessary to consider presenting POPs or signs that will enable customers to understand the concept of LOHAS inside the restaurant. Third, consumers' involvement turned out to have a significant effect on their willingness to pay. Thus, it is necessary to imprint the image of a LOHAS restaurant using eco-friendly colors, sculptures, and agricultural products so that customers can perceive food ingredients or interior elements as eco-friendly.

• Culinary science and hospitality research
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.166-182
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of LOHAS images of Japanese restaurants on customers' menu selection and satisfaction to provide useful information on proposing detailed marketing directions by deriving the importance and satisfaction factors of LOHAS images and to suggest practical and effective measures for using LOHAS images to improve menus at Japanese restaurants. The results of the study are as follows. First, as a result of examining hypothesis 1, "LOHAS images will influence essential factors," it was found that healthy ingredient, family-oriented, eco-friendly, sustainability, and energy-saving factors were influential. With greater family-oriented, sustainability, healthy ingredient, and eco-friendly factors in LOHAS image, interests in essential factors increased. Second, family-oriented, energy-saving, social-oriented, and sustainability factors in LOHAS image had a significantly positive impact on the environmental factors of menu. Third, eco-friendly, sustainability, family-oriented, energy-saving, healthy preparation, and healthy ingredient factors in LOHAS image had a significantly positive impact on customer satisfaction. Fourth, essential factors in the selection attributes of Japanese restaurant menu had a significantly positive impact on customer satisfaction. Fifth, environmental factors in Japanese restaurants had a significantly positive impact on customer satisfaction. The significance and limitation of this study are: first, Japanese restaurants would be able to build a better image with customers by providing menu items that are family-oriented, sustainable, and energy-saving. Second, it would be necessary to study how LOHAS factors influence customers' general purchase decisions and psychological factors.