Human vs. robot service in hospitality: how value co-creation shapes guest revisit intention

As artificial intelligence and robotics transform hospitality service encounters, a key question arises: Can robots effectively replace human employees in building lasting guest relationships? Existing evidence on how service robots shape guest loyalty is limited and fragmented. Grounded in service-dominant logic, this study investigates how service-agent type (human vs. robot) affects revisit intention through perceived co-creation value. Three scenario-based experiments across hotel, restaurant, and cultural venue contexts show that human employees generally elicit stronger revisit intention than robots (Study 1), perceived co-creation value partially mediates this effect (Study 2), and purpose type (solo vs. group guests) moderates these relationships (Study 3). These findings are context-dependent and, not universal; robotic agents may deliver value in standardized or tech-optimized services. Solo guests value robots more, whereas groups benefit more from human employees. This study advances hospitality theory by clarifying when agent type shapes revisit intention and guides sustainable hybrid human – robot ecosystems.