The Impact of Facebook on Consumers' Intention to Visit a Restaurant in Macau

The proliferation of social media usage changes how consumers
receive information and their purchasing behaviour. Nowadays, many
consumers routinely browse reviews and recommendations from past diners
on social media before dining. Through the wealth of information and
suggestions to maximise the satisfaction of the dining experience and
minimise potential risks that may arise from dining. In this regard, the impact
of social media platforms on consumers’ dining decisions needs further
research to provide insights for practitioners to design effective marketing
strategies.

This dissertation studies the impact of Facebook on restaurant visit
intention among Macau consumers by examining their perceptions of
restaurant information on Facebook. Facebook is used as the primary social
media platform. This study employs a qualitative research method with a data
set of 15 interviewees in Macau to determine how impactful Facebook is in
impacting Macau consumers’ intention to visit restaurants in Macau by
discovering which specific Facebook content type affects consumers’ dining
choices and the role credibility of dining reviews and recommendations on
Facebook in Macau consumers’ restaurant visit intention.

The results indicate that Facebook plays a vital role in helping Macau
consumers finalise their restaurant choices. Macau consumers perceive that
ads on Facebook are most attractive and influential in their dining choices.
The comprehensiveness and recentness of dining reviews greatly influence their credibility and thus possibly affect consumers’ impression of the
restaurant and their intention to visit.