Repercussions of restaurant corporate social responsibility on positive emotions, memorable experiences and eWOM

Purpose This study endeavours to (1) evaluate the impacts of consumers’ perceptions regarding the corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices of casual dining restaurants on their memorable experiences (ME); (2) assess the impacts of consumers’ perceptions regarding the CSR practices of casual dining restaurants on their positive emotions; (3) explore the mediating effect of consumers’ positive emotions in the relationship between CSR and ME; (4) examine the impacts of ME on electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) and (5) investigate whether consumer behavioural engagement on social networking sites (CBE-SNS) moderates the relationship between ME and eWOM. Design/methodology/approach This survey included 394 casual dining restaurant consumers in Portugal. The hypothetical model, grounded in the stimulus-organism-response theory (S-O-R) proposed by Mehrabian and Russell (1974), was evaluated employing partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Findings The results demonstrated that restaurants’ CSR (stimulus) directly and positively impacts consumers’ ME and positive emotions (organism). Positive emotions mediate the relationship between restaurants’ CSR and consumers’ ME. Memorable consumer experiences directly and positively impact eWOM (response). Finally, CBE-SNS moderates the relationship between ME and eWOM. Originality/value This study uniquely elucidates the relationships among CSR, positive emotions, ME, CBE-SNS and eWOM within casual dining restaurants. Restaurants can use CSR as a stimulus to affect consumers’ positive emotions and ME (organism), generating repercussions on eWOM. Moreover, ME positively influences eWOM. However, CBE-SNS is crucial to establish strategies for distinct consumer profiles, which would increase the impact on eWOM. This study contributes to the S-O-R and provides practical implications for restaurant owners, managers, marketing professionals and policymakers in the food service sector.