How Restaurant Protective Ad Messaging Can Increase Patronage Intentions during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Conditional Serial Mediation and COVID-19 Consumer Concern

In the United States, more than 110,000 restaurants permanently closed due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet many restaurants remained open, albeit under very different operating conditions. In light of evolving mandates and consumers’ COVID-19 risk perceptions, restaurants faced the challenging task of determining how to communicate COVID-19 protective practices. Recommended COVID-19 protective messages varied and were dependent on whether restaurants offered indoor dining, takeout, or delivery options. Drawing from U.S. government recommendations and persuasion theory, two studies examine the direct and mediation effects of protective messaging advertised by restaurants on patronage intentions and consider consumer levels of concern about the virus as a moderator. Serial moderated mediation results indicate that communicating protective measures for takeout and patio dining services appeared to be most effective during this pandemic. Moreover, results extend to protective messages presented as both primary advertisement claims and voluntary disclosures footnoted at the bottom of an advertisement. Results have implications for restaurants that offer multiple dining options and provide useful consumer communication protection options for the present and future pandemics.