International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management

Generation Y's dining information seeking and sharing behavior on social networking sites: An
exploratory study
Anil Bilgihan Cheng Peng Jay Kandampully

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Anil Bilgihan Cheng Peng Jay Kandampully , (2014),"Generation Y's dining information seeking and sharing behavior on
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Generation Ys dining information

seeking and sharing behavior on
social networking sites
An exploratory study
Anil Bilgihan
Department of Consumer Sciences, The Ohio State University,
Columbus, Ohio, USA

Cheng Peng

Dining
information
on SNS
349
Received 17 November 2012
Revised 29 January 2013
6 May 2013
25 July 2013
Accepted 15 September
2013

North Western University, Evanston, Illinois, USA, and

Jay Kandampully
Department of Consumer Sciences, The Ohio State University,
Columbus, Ohio, USA
Abstract
Purpose Since the advent of the internet, social networking sites (SNS) have grown rapidly in
popularity. This paper aims to explore Generation Ys information seeking and sharing behavior with
regard to information about SNS; it also investigates the impact of consumer characteristics and
gender differences on information seeking and sharing behaviors, to help marketers and researchers
gain better insight into Generation Y consumers and social media marketing.
Design/methodology/approach A self-administered survey was conducted among Generation Y
college students. Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and Mann-Whitney U-tests
were employed to address the research questions.
Findings Generation Yers are heavy users of SNS. Consumer opinion leadership (COL) and
consumer susceptibility to interpersonal influence (CSII) affect Generation Ys dining information
seeking and sharing behavior on SNS. No gender differences emerged.
Research limitations/implications This research extends COL and CSII, from general consumer
behavior to dining-related behavior, and offers insights into the information seeking and sharing
behavior of Generation Y. In practical terms, it raises marketers awareness of Generation Y
consumers and highlights the importance of social media marketing. A limitation of this study is the
sample size and generalizability of the results.
Originality/value This study represents a first attempt to use COL and CSII to explain dining
behavior and link these two consumer characteristics with social media marketing.
Keywords Information sharing, Generation Y, Consumer opinion leadership,
Consumer susceptibility to interpersonal influence, Dining information seeking,
Social networking websites
Paper type Research paper

1. Introduction
Social networking sites (SNS), as recent technology innovation, have considerably
affected the hospitality industry (Xiang and Gretzel, 2010). Various online
communities, whether consumer- or market-developed, provide consumers with an

International Journal of
Contemporary Hospitality
Management
Vol. 26 No. 3, 2014
pp. 349-366
q Emerald Group Publishing Limited
0959-6119
DOI 10.1108/IJCHM-11-2012-0220

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350

opportunity to write reviews of and provide feedback about various brands available
in the marketplace (Bailey, 2005). The use of the internet is characterized by increased
participation and interaction of users to create and share knowledge and experiences,
express themselves and communicate. Mackenzie (2011) compiled various marketing
studies and reported that 81 percent of the online population received advice from
friends and followers relating to a purchase through SNS and 74 percent of those who
received such advice found it to be influential in their decision. Consumers exchange
opinions online about not only retail products but also restaurants and dining
experiences. Diners use SNS to acquire dining-related information and share their
personal experiences, comments, opinions, reviews, meal pictures, and suggestions.
Many people now consult more than friends and relatives when seeking a restaurant,
by turning to online guides and social media (Pantelidis, 2010). Thus, online reviews
and shared experiences influence more than $10 billion in purchases every year
(Compete, 2007), and a recent survey revealed that 92 percent of online users read
reviews before making purchase decisions (Channel Advisor, 2010).
There are two methods consumers use to seek and share dining information online.
One is through review websites, such as Google Reviews, Zagat.com, Yelp.com, or
CitySearch.com. These websites allow consumers to provide feedback on products and
services and share dining experiences with other consumers. Marketers and managers
are increasingly familiar with such websites. However, consumers also exchange
dining information online through SNS, such as Facebook.com, Twitter.com, and
MySpace.com. By offering consumers the ability to exchange dining experiences
directly and develop relationships with others who share similar interests, these online
communities likely develop greater credibility than market-generated information
(Bickart and Schindler, 2001). According to Bloch et al. (1986), consumers gather
information with two general goals: to gain knowledge and to experience pleasure.
Because they meet both goals, SNS are becoming very popular. Yet little research
investigates such consumer behavior on SNS. This study therefore aims to investigate
consumer information seeking and sharing behaviors on SNS in relation to the
restaurant industry.
SNS are mostly for young consumers (Cha, 2009; Ortutay, 2009). Among the many
demographic groups of consumers, Generation Y represents a young,
technology-savvy group. Having grown up with the internet, Generation Y
consumers are heavy users of SNS, and social media in general play a huge role in
how they live and interact with others. For example, US college students browse
Facebook an average of 10 30 minutes daily (Ellison et al., 2007). This cohort also is
economically robust, responsible for $200 billion annually in expenditures, or as much
as half the spending in the economy (Djamasbi et al., 2010, p. 307). It offers a sweet
spot to the restaurant industry, in that consumers in this cohort spend the most money
at restaurants on a per meal basis, while also bringing the largest party sizes out to eat,
resulting in total spending per visit that is 25 percent higher than the average
(Packaged Facts, 2010). Highly sociable, immersed in online behaviors, technologically
savvy, and armed with purchasing power (Djamasbi et al., 2010; Lester et al., 2006;
Metcalf, 2006), Generation Y is the focus of this study.
In the context of SNS, gender likely affects information sharing behaviors
(Magnuson and Dundes, 2008), though no studies have investigated such behaviors
across genders in relation to dining. In turn, this study not only examines Generation

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Ys dining information seeking and sharing behavior on SNS but also investigates the
impact of consumer characteristics and gender difference on information seeking and
sharing behavior. To examine consumer characteristics, the theoretical foundations for
this study derive from marketing literature: consumer opinion leadership (COL) and
consumer susceptibility to interpersonal influence (CSII). These traits likely are
important in SNS, because consumers can influence one another in various ways: as
role models, as imitators of purchase and consumption behavior, as spreaders of
message through word-of-mouth, and as advisors to other consumers with less
knowledge or experience with shopping (Flynn et al., 1996). In turn, the current study
aims to answer the following research questions:
RQ1.

What SNS does Generation Y prefer to use?

RQ2.

How frequently does Generation Y use SNS for dining information seeking
and sharing?

RQ3.

Is there gender difference in Generation Ys dining information seeking and

sharing behavior on SNS?

RQ4.

Does COL affect Generation Ys dining information seeking and sharing

behavior on SNS?

RQ5.

Does CSII affect Generation Ys dining information seeking and sharing

behavior on SNS?

2. Literature review
2.1 Social networking sites (SNS)
Since the first recognizable social networking website SixDegrees.com launched in
1997, SNS have grown rapidly in prevalence and popularity (boyd and Ellison, 2008).
According to boyd and Ellison (2008, p. 211), SNS are web-based services that allow
individuals to: construct a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system;
articulate a list of other users with whom they share a connection; and view and
traverse their list of connections and those made by others within the system. Thus,
they emphasize building online connections among people who share interests and
activities and provide ways for users to interact online (Uhrig et al., 2010).
Originally, most SNS were member-based, internet communities that allowed users
to communicate in innovative ways (Pempek et al., 2009). Modern SNS are increasingly
used in business, creating new channels for consumers to connect with companies and
other customers. Users of SNS can follow companies and restaurants (e.g. on Twitter
or Facebook), post comments, initiate discussions, and expect to find deals provided on
company-sponsored pages. The social communication services provided by SNS in
turn affect the company customer relationship, including brand image and brand
awareness ( Jansen et al., 2009). Therefore, companies are beginning to incorporate SNS
in their communication dissemination efforts, particularly because the sites allow
companies to easily identify their target consumers and efficiently distribute
information to a broader swath of consumers (Zhang et al., 2011). The restaurant
industry also has started launching social media platforms. According to the Third
Annual Rankings of Social-media Mentions (see Brandau, 2011), four restaurant
companies landed among the 100 most social brands. As restaurant marketers

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351

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352

increasingly turn to SNS to attract diners, it becomes more important to study

consumer information seeking and sharing behavior on SNS.
2.2 Generation Y
Different opinions define when Generation Y begins and ends. Some researchers use
birth years ranging from 1977 to 1997 (Alch, 2000; Farris et al., 2002; Bakewell and
Mitchell, 2003). Others define Generation Y as those born between the 1980 s and late
1990 s (Jang et al., 2011). This study specifies the Generation Y cohort as those born
between 1977 and 1997. With 80 million members, Generation Y constitutes more than
25 percent of the world population (Kirk, 2011). Often the children of the Baby
Boomers, Generation Y consumers have enormous impacts on society (Farris et al.,
2002). To reach this powerful group of consumers, marketers must understand how
they spend their time and money (Gronbach, 2000a, b).
In particular, Generation Y is highly sociable, techno-literate, and media savvy
(Farris et al., 2002; Metcalf, 2006). People of all ages might embrace technology, but
Generation Y grew up with it (Palmer, 2009b). According to consumer psychologist Kit
Yarrow, technology represents the third hand and second brain of Generation Y
(Palmer, 2009a, b). They use the internet to find information about products and to
make informed decisions about consumption (Alch, 2000). Social media such as
Facebook and Twitter have huge roles in their lives. Generation Y shoppers engage in
window shopping online, visiting blogs and online resources to read reviews of
products written by fellow customers (Sheahan, 2005). They also are an emerging
micro-blogger class (Lyon, 2010), showcasing retail products on Facebook and gaining
insider information about brands from tweets (Palmer, 2009b).
Generation Y likes to eat out (Sheahan, 2005), such that much of their discretionary
spending goes to food and drinks in the restaurant industry. The average Generation Y
member eats out more than three times a week, a frequency that is twice that of the rest
of the population (Sheahan, 2005). As Jang et al. (2011) note, these consumers are the
most frequent patrons of all types of restaurants, have enormous purchasing power,
and exert serious influences on their parents and friends purchase decisions. Being
technologically savvy, Generation Y diners use networking technologies in
food-centric ways (Lukovitz, 2009), such as downloading menus, placing orders
online, subscribing to receive recipes, and ordering information services. The ability to
seek and share dining information online thus is of vital importance to Generation
Y. This review reaffirms the need for first two research questions listed in section 1.
2.3 Gender differences
Gender differences were investigated in various contexts in information systems
literature such as computer-related attitudes and behaviors (Whitley, 1997); use of
e-mail (Gefen and Straub, 1997); video games (Bilgihan et al., 2013); and e-learning
(Gonzalez-Gomez et al., 2012). Gefen and Straub (1997) advise that researchers should
include gender in IT diffusion models. Gender may affect information sharing and
seeking behaviors (Magnuson and Dundes, 2008). Previous studies reveal that gender
differences exist in the use of SNS (Lu and Hsiao, 2009; Schler et al., 2005; Trammel and
Keshelashvili, 2005). Gender is an influential variable in predicting internet usage
behaviors (Butler, 2000; Sexton et al., 2002). Schler et al. (2005) state that female
bloggers use more words than males. Nowson and Oberlander (2006) find that females

put more effort into posting online content than males. More recently, Lu et al. (2010)
stated that information sharing behavior is influenced by gender. Thus it was
proposed:
H1. Generation Ys dining information seeking and sharing behavior on SNS will
be influenced by gender.

Dining
information
on SNS

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353
2.4 Consumer opinion leadership (COL)
Consumers can influence other consumers in different ways, as noted previously
(Flynn et al., 1996). Those consumers with a greater influence on others constitute
opinion leaders. The concept of opinion leadership purports that some individuals
exert a disproportionate influence on the behavior of others in some given topic area
(Summers, 1970, p. 178). In consumer studies, opinion leadership is the behavioral
tendency and ability to influence others purchase decisions (Ruvio and Shoham, 2007).
In short, COL is a consumers ability to influence other consumers opinions (Bailey,
2005).
The concept of COL is central to any study of interpersonal communication
(Summers, 1970). Previous studies have examined the characteristics of opinion leaders
and addressed their influence on other consumers purchasing behaviors in various
shopping contexts. In a study of opinion leaders in the womens fashion segment,
Summers (1970) finds substantial differences between fashion opinion leaders and
non-leaders, using demographic, sociological, attitudinal, communication, and fashion
involvement measures. Fashion opinion leaders represent a significant target market
with high sales potential; they represent important information exchange agents, such
that they are important as a market segment beyond their individual purchase
activity (Summers, 1970, p. 183). Reynolds and Darden (1971) show that COL is
positively associated with fashion interest and mass media exposure; the concept also
has appeared in the tourism industry. In Jamrozy et al. (1996) study of involvement and
COL in special interest tourism (e.g. nature-based, science, ecotourism), the results
indicate that opinion leaders take more trips and use slightly more information sources
than do non-leaders. Some studies apply the concept of opinion leadership to the wide
use of technology and the internet. Lyons and Henderson (2005) investigate opinion
leadership in a computer-mediated environment and reveal that opinion leaders
possess significantly higher levels of enduring involvement, innovativeness,
exploratory behavior, and self-perceived knowledge than non-leaders. Finally, Bailey
(2005) confirms the positive relationship among COL, consumer awareness, and the use
of product review websites and therefore suggests that companies should target
e-opinion leaders. Although research on COL has expanded, relatively little work links
COL with the use of SNS. In addition, there is little information available about COL in
the hospitality industry.
From a marketing perspective, opinion leaders are characterized by influence,
expertise, communication, and interpersonal word of mouth (Feick and Price, 1987;
Flynn et al., 1996; Hazeldine and Miles, 2010; Myers and Robertson, 1972). Opinion
leaders are motivated by seeking and sharing information with others (Bloch and
Richins, 1983; Corey, 1971; Hazeldine and Miles, 2010; Venkatraman, 1989).
Therefore, this study links COL with dining information seeking and sharing by
hypothesizing:

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354

H2a.

COL affects Generation Ys dining information seeking behavior on SNS.

H2b.

COL affects Generation Ys dining information sharing behavior on SNS.

2.5 Consumer susceptibility to interpersonal influence (CSII)

Consumer susceptibility to interpersonal influence (CSII) is another important concept
in consumer behavior studies, because an important determinant of an individuals
behavior is others influence (Bearden et al., 1989, p. 473). Furthermore, CSII has long
been a source of interest for marketers and consumer behavior researchers (Bailey,
2005), usually conceptualized as a general personality trait that varies across
individual consumers and relates to other consumer traits or behaviors (Orth, 2005).
Bearden et al. (1989, p. 474) define CSII as the need to identify or enhance ones image
with significant others through the acquisition and use of products and brands, the
willingness to conform to the expectations of others regarding purchase decision,
and/or the tendency to learn about products and services by observing others and/or
seeking information from others. Fundamentally, high susceptibility indicates a
tendency to be influenced by others when making decisions; low susceptibility
indicates more independence in decision making (Clark and Goldsmith, 2006).
Several studies have examined the effects of CSII on consumer behavior. In a study
investigating fashion attribute preference in early adolescents, Rose et al. (1998) find
that CSII is positively associated with the importance placed on the display aspects of
clothing. According to Orth (2005), when it comes to wine brand choices, a consumers
susceptibility to interpersonal influence affects his or her desired brand benefits, and
thus final brand choice. Bailey (2005) studies the determinants of consumers
awareness and use of product review websites; consumers who are more susceptible to
informational influence attach more importance to product review websites than do
consumers who are less susceptible to it. Clark and Goldsmith (2006) also investigate
consumer innovativeness and find that CSII correlates negatively with innate
innovativeness. According to Lalwani (2002), in terms of peoples influence on their
spouses decision about fine dining restaurants, CSII is an important determinant.
Social influence has been generally recognized as an important force shaping an
individuals consumer behavior and these influences may occur prior to purchase
(e.g. word-of-mouth, information seeking). Generation Yers may yield to friends
influence because they possess relevant information. They also tend to provide
necessary information to their peers because such behavior helps them construct
positive self-identities (Mangleburg et al., 2004).
This review indicates that CSII has an impact on a variety of shopping-related
behaviors. However, the impact of CSII on dining-related behaviors remains
uninvestigated. Thus, it was hypothesized:
H3a.

CSII affects Generation Ys dining information seeking behavior on SNS.

H3b.

CSII affects Generation Ys dining information sharing behavior on SNS.

3. Methodology
3.1 Data collection
Generation Y can span a wide population, from teens to people in their early 30 s. For
convenience, the data collection for this study focuses on one specific subgroup of
Generation Y, namely, college students, and makes inferences for the wider cohort.

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Previous studies also used college students as Generation Y samples (e.g. Bakewell and
Mitchell, 2003; Kumar and Lim, 2008; Maciejewski, 2004; Nusair et al., 2012, 2013). A
self-administered survey was conducted among undergraduate students from the
Consumer Sciences Department of a Midwestern US university, using convenience
sampling. A total of 257 undergraduate students, enrolled in four hospitality
management classes, participated in a survey conducted in class. Participants who
were enrolled in two or more of these classes at the same time did not duplicate
questionnaires. The 162 usable questionnaires collected represented a response rate of
63.04 percent.
Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to confirm how well the measured
variables represented the constructs. Since the present study combines both
exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, it is recommended to conduct factor
analyses using separate data sets (Hair et al., 2010). The separate data sets allow the
researcher to test the theoretical construct under consideration. Using the same data set
would merely fit EFA results directly into the CFA. Therefore, an initial sample
examined with EFA was subsequently followed by a separate sample used to perform
the CFA. Using SNS websites, the same survey instrument was distributed by fifty-five
students. In two weeks, 133 usable questionnaires were collected.
3.2 Instrument
All the variables were measured using scales adopted from previous research studies,
with only minor wording changes to tailor them to the target context. A three-section
questionnaire was developed to detail Generation Ys dining information seeking and
sharing behavior on SNS. The first section asked participants to report their age and
gender. The second section included seven questions about participants use of SNS
and dining information seeking and sharing behavior. These items reflected insights
from the broad literature review, involving studies of SNS (Bilgihan et al., 2011; Jain,
2010; Liddle, 2010; Zhang et al., 2011) and information seeking and sharing behavior
(Kiel, 1981), as well as interviews with Generation Y peers and colleagues. Respondents
evaluated the frequency of their use of SNS on a five-point scale (1 not at all to
5 very frequently).
The third section included items to measure COL and CSII. Respondents rated each
statement on five-point Likert scales (1 strongly disagree to 5 strongly agree).
To measure COL, this study adopted a scale developed by Reynolds and Darden (1971);
after reviewing the applicability of the five items in the original scale, which measured
consumer opinion leadership in a general shopping context, the adaptation to a dining
context involved dropping one item and rewording the other slightly. For example,
Reynolds and Darden (1971) used, I sometimes influence the products my friends
buy, whereas in this present study, the item read, I sometimes influence my friends
choices of restaurants. Bearden et al. (1989) provide a twelve-item measure of CSII,
with eight normative influence and four informational influence items. Bailey (2005)
uses the four items that measure informational influence, which also are appropriate
for measuring consumer behavior on the internet, as in the present study. In terms of
the applicability of each item to the dining context, three of the four items could be
retained, with some minor rewording. For example, the original item in Bearden et al.
(1989) was, I often consult other people to help choose the best alternative available

Dining
information
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355

from a product class; the reworded item was, I often consult other people to help
choose the best restaurant.
The revised COL and CSII scales also were reviewed by a panel of experts
consisting of hospitality management professors from the same Midwestern
University.

356

3.3 Data analysis

The data analysis relied on SPSS 19.0 and involved three steps. Descriptive statistics
described the respondents age, gender, and use of SNS. Then an exploratory factor
analysis was performed in order to explore the underlying structure or relationships of
this set of variables. When possible, this technique searched for ways to reduce or
summarize the data into a smaller set of factors (Fabrigar et al., 1999; Hair et al., 2010).
This analysis technique was utilized because previous studies had not been conducted
in the SNS context. Therefore, it was considered appropriate to determine how well the
composite variables measured the constructs of interest in the new setting.
Assumptions of normality were examined with Q-Q plots. The results indicated a
lack of normality, so as suggest by Ruxton (2006), a series of Mann-Whitney U-tests
were performed to examine the influence of COL and CSII on dining information
seeking and sharing on SNS.

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4. Results
4.1 Preliminary analysis
Table I contains some general information about the participants. The 162 respondents
included more women (58.0 percent) than men (42.0 percent). The dominant age group
Demographic questions

Were you born between?

1977-1983
1984-1990
1991-1997

9
124
29

5.6
76.5
17.9

68
94

42.0
58.0

159
66
25
7
4
3
3
8

97.6
40.5
15.3
4.3
2.5
1.8
1.8
4.9

Are you?
Male
Female
What social networking website(s) do you use? a
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Foursquare
Blogger
MySpace
Flickr
Otherb
Table I.
General information
about respondents

Notes: a This is a multiple selection question. Percentage score represents the percent of respondents
using a specific social networking website. Percentages do not add up to 100 percent; bThree
respondents use Tumblr.com, one uses Polyvore.com, one uses Yelp.com, one uses Hootsuite.com, one
uses Umicit.com, and another one uses 2dopeboyz.com

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was people born between 1984-1990 (76.5 percent, ages 21-27 years at the time of the
study), followed by the 1991-1997 (17.9 percent, ages 14-20 years) and the 1977-1983
(5.6 percent, ages 28-34 years) groups.
In terms of SNS use, 97.6 percent of the respondents interacted on Facebook, 40.5
percent used Twitter, 15.3 percent viewed LinkedIn, 4.3 percent employed Foursquare,
2.5 percent used Blogger, 1.8 percent were on MySpace, and 1.8 percent relied on
Flickr.com. Facebook is undoubtedly the most popular social networking site among
Generation Y respondents. The questionnaire also asked respondents to specify other
SNS they used that were not listed in the options; the responses included Polyvore.com,
Yelp.com, Hootsuite.com, Umicit.com, and 2dopeboyz.com
Table II contains the descriptive statistics related to Generation Ys information
seeking and sharing behavior on SNS. The six items in total included three that
pertained to information seeking behavior and another three that measured
information sharing behavior. On average, respondents scored around 2 (2.17, 2.02,
1.97, 2.25, 1.68, and 2.14, respectively) on a five-point scale for each item; they seek and
share dining information on SNS at a moderate frequency. A score of four or higher on
a 1-5 scale indicates high frequency, and 16.7 percent, 15.4 percent, and 15.5 percent of
the respondents scored four or higher on the three information seeking items, while
24.7 percent, 12.3 percent, and 15.5 percent of the respondents scored four or higher on
the information sharing items. That is, these respondents were very active on SNS in
terms of dining information seeking and sharing. Although a majority of Generation Y
do not seek or share dining information on SNS very frequently, some of them are very
active.
4.2 Scale reliability and validity
The results of a principal component analysis using Varimax rotation appear in
Table III. Factors with eigenvalues greater than 1 were extracted, and the items loaded
on the appropriate factors. The assessment of the scales reliability employed
Cronbachs alpha values. The reliability coefficients were 0.75 for dining information
seeking, 0.65 for dining information sharing, 0.74 for COL, and 0.68 for CSII. CFA was
performed on the second dataset to assess reliability, convergent validity, and
discriminant validity for measured constructs using Lisrel 8.52 and confirmed the four
distinct factors that emerged in the EFA. The goodness-of-fit measures were used to
assess the overall model fit for CFA. These indices included a x2-to-df ratio of 1.92,
RMSEA of 0.050, NFI of 0.95, CFI of 0.094, and GFI of 0.89. The reliability coefficients
of all constructs were above the 0.65. The average variance extracted (AVE) was used
to assess convergent validity. AVE values ranged from 0.525 to 0.621, which is an
indication that convergent validity was not an issue (Garbarino and Johnson, 1999).
Discriminant validity was assessed by comparing the AVE scores with the squared
correlation between constructs (Fornell and Larcker, 1981). The squared correlations
between pairs of constructs were less than the AVE, suggesting discriminant validity.
4.3 Influence of COL, CSII, and gender on information seeking and sharing on SNS
The results of a series of Mann-Whitney U tests appear in Table IV. First, the median
values for COL and CSII were collected. The median COL score (for all four items) was
15. The median CSII score (median of the sum of the three items) was 11. A median split
of these scores assigned the respondents to high and low groups; for example, the mean

Dining
information
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357

Table II.
Dining information
search and sharing on
SNWs
21.0
20.4
19.8
29.6
10.5
21.6

50.6
32.7
69.1
41.4

2
%

42.0
48.8

Note: Percentages do not add up to 100 percent due to rounding

Dining information search on SNWs

Do you Become a fan of or like some restaurant
pages on Facebook, or follow some restaurants on
Twitter?
Do you look for restaurant information on SNWs?
Do you click on ads of deals and coupons about
dining on SNWs?
Dining information sharing on SNWs
Do you update status on Facebook about a
restaurant you have been to?
Do you check in locations of a restaurant on
Facebook or Foursquare?
Do you upload photos on Facebook, MySpace, Flickr,
etc. about your dining experience?

Questions

Not At All
1
%

21.6

8.0

21.0

14.2

20.4
15.4

3
%

13.0

8.0

21.0

13.0

11.1
11.1

4
%

2.5

4.3

3.7

2.5

5.6
4.3

Very frequently
5
%

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2.14

1.68

2.25

1.97

2.17
2.02

1.17

1.18

1.16

1.18

1.24
1.22

SD

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Cronbachs
Loadings
alpha
AVE

Variables

Items

Information seeking

Do you become a fan of or like

some restaurant pages on Facebook,
or follow some restaurants on
Twitter?
Do you look for restaurant
information on SNWs?
Do you click on ads of deals and
coupons about dining on SNWs?
Do you update status on Facebook
about a restaurant you have been to?
Do you check in locations of a
restaurant on Facebook or
Foursquare?
Do you upload photos on Facebook,
MySpace, Flickr, etc. about your
dining experience?
My friends and family often ask my
advice about dining out
I sometimes influence my friends
choices of restaurants
My friends come to me more often
than I go to them for information
about restaurants
I can think of at least two people
whom I have told about choosing
restaurants in the last six months
I often consult other people to help
choose the best restaurant
If I have little experience with a
restaurant, I often ask my friends
about it
I frequently gather information from
friends and family about a restaurant
before I go

Information sharing

Consumer opinion leadership

Consumer susceptibility to
interpersonal influence

0.70

0.75

0.54

0.65

0.62

0.74

0.53

0.68

0.54

0.79
0.76
0.76
0.67
0.82
0.66
0.83
0.53
0.77
0.69
Table III.
Scale reliability and
validity

0.72

Statistics

COL (Median 15)

CSII (Median 11)

Gender

Information
seeking

Mean rank

Low group 74.57

High group 92.68
22.416
0.016 *
0.008 * *
Low group 73.16
High group 96.46
22.852
0.004 * *
0.002 * *

Low group 72.49

High group 97.66
2 3.313
0.001 * *
0.000 * * *
Low group 73.31
High group 94.71
2 3.062
0.002 * *
0.001 * *

Male 77.55
Female 84.36
20.922
0.358 (NS)
0.179 (NS)
Male 82.28
Female 80.94
20.182
0.857 (NS)
0.428 (NS)

Information
sharing

Z-value
p-value (2-tailed)
p-value (1-tailed)

359

0.86

Variables

Z-value
p-value (2-tailed)
p-value (1-tailed)
Mean rank

Dining
information
on SNS

Notes: NS Not significant. *p-value , 0.05; * *p-value , 0.01; * * *p-value , 0.001

Table IV.
Mann-Whitney U-tests
results

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COL score of 15 served as a cut-off value to distinguish high COL (. 15) and low COL
(# 15) groups. Similarly, the low CSII group included respondents who scored lower
than or equal to 11; the high CSII group scored higher than 11. In terms of gender,
respondents were naturally divided into male and female groups.
After splitting COL, CSII, and gender into two independent groups each, several
Mann-Whitney U-tests could be performed. As indicated in Table IV, COL had a
significant impact on information seeking Z 22:416; two-tailed p 0:016; thus
supporting H2a. The mean rank for the high COL group was significantly higher than
that of the low COL group (one-tailed p 0:008; such that the high COL group scored
significantly higher on information seeking than did the low COL group. The COL also
exerted a significant impact on information sharing Z 22:852; two-tailed p
0:004; thus providing support for H2b. The mean rank for the high COL group was
significantly higher than that of the low COL group (one-tailed p 0:002; such that
the former scored significantly higher on information sharing than did the latter. Thus,
opinion leaders tend to seek and share more dining information on SNS than do
non-leaders.
Moreover, CSII had a significant impact on information seeking Z 23:313;
two-tailed p 0:001; providing support for H3a. The mean ranking for the high CSII
group was significantly higher than that of low CSII group (one-tailed p 0:000; in
that it scored significantly higher on information seeking than did the low CSII group.
The findings show that CSII also had a significant impact on information sharing
Z 23:062; two-tailed p 0:002; therefore, H3b is supported. The mean rank for
the high CSII group was significantly higher than that of the low CSII group (one-tailed
p 0:001; and thus, the high CSII group scored significantly higher on information
sharing than did the low CSII group. People who are more susceptible to interpersonal
influence tend to seek and share more dining information on SNS than people who are
less susceptible.
No significant difference emerged between gender groups, indicating that men and
women seek and share dining information on SNS at the same level, thus failed to
provide support for H1.
5. Discussion, implications, limitations, and further research
Generation Y exerts a powerful influence on modern society as its members progress
through different life stages (Morton, 2002). In particular, it has emerged as a major
group in the restaurant industry. This study has aimed to raise marketers awareness
of Generation Y consumers; to market successfully to this generation, marketers
should realize where these young consumers tend to spend their time and money. They
are highly sociable and technologically savvy (Metcalf, 2006). The results of this study
further confirm that Generation Yers are heavy users of a wide variety of SNS, though
the three most popular sites are Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. On average,
Generation Y seeks and shares dining information on SNS at a moderate frequency,
though a small proportion of Generation Y exhibits very active information seeking
and sharing behavior. These findings highlight the importance of social media
marketing, in the sense that companies and restaurants must recognize and exploit the
power of social media. Bearing in mind the large number of Generation Yers using
SNS, marketers should open new channels to reach this emerging growth segment. For
example, instead of distributing flyers and menus on the streets, restaurants might

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build Facebook fan pages to connect with diners and post commercials or promotions
on SNS. If a restaurant does not offer such online interactions, it could be losing out on
a vast number of potential patrons. Restaurants also might create their own SNS to
help Generation Yers find and engage with them online. Some restaurants already have
started deploying such methods; Chipotles company policy mandates that someone
answer every Facebook post, whether positive or negative, and typically within an
hour or two. As Zagat has warned, restaurants should never underestimate how far the
words thank you can go (Drell, 2011). Restaurants also can benefit uniquely from
SNS by using them as showcases for food, explaining the origins of menu items, and
even showing videos of chefs in action. Another technique might be to post beautiful
pictures of the dishes, because people enjoy looking at artful food (Drell, 2011). Further
techniques involve generating new service ideas from SNSs (Sigala, 2012). Restaurants
can use SNS as public relations tools too, by posting press information. These efforts
all should help restaurants drive traffic to their websites. Because SNS are about
making connections, and considering the importance of Generation Y, restaurants
should connect with Generation Yers through SNS.
It also is critical to understand consumers online information seeking and sharing
behaviors. The scale validity and reliability results show that COL and CSII apply to
the restaurant industry and can explain dining-related behavior. Specifically, COL has
an impact on Generation Ys information seeking and sharing behavior on SNS:
Opinion leaders tend to seek and share more dining information than non-leaders.
Consistent with previous research that has associated COL with mass media exposure
(Reynolds and Darden, 1971), usage of tourist information sources ( Jamrozy et al.,
1996), and product review websites (Bailey, 2005), this study extends the COL concept
from shopping-related behavior to dining-related behavior.
The findings also indicate that Generation Y diners who are highly susceptible to
interpersonal influence tend to seek and share more dining information on SNS than
less susceptible consumers. This finding is consistent with a previous study that noted
the positive relationship between CSII and product review websites usage (Bailey,
2005). Studies in other fields have linked CSII to wine brand choice (Orth, 2005),
drinking and smoking behavior (Kropp et al., 1999), and awareness of apparel
appearance (Rose et al., 1998). By associating CSII with SNS usage, this study
substantiates the fundamental relationship between CSII and consumer behavior and
offers insights into the information seeking and sharing behaviors of Generation Y.
It is important for restaurant marketers to consider that Generation Yers are
technologically savvy and they use SNS substantially (Nusair et al., 2012). SNS is
shaping the buying habits of Generation Yers as they send and receive positive and
negative messages from millions of people each day regarding the restaurants they
visit, how the ambiance was, how they were treated, how the food and presentation
were, and whether they would return again. Further, they tend to upload their food
pictures using apps such as Instagram, Yelp, Urbanspoon etc. These messages are
likely to influence their restaurant decisions and will continue to be heavily relied upon
in the future.
In conclusion, this research adds to our understanding of Generation Yers attitudes
toward SNS as well as their information seeking and sharing behaviors. The
competence to comment and interact with peers has become an expected internet
functionality. Opinion leaders tend to seek and share more dining information, thus,

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restaurants should engage in marketing activities and tactics to attract opinion leaders.
Doing so may result in fan engagement in SNS, thus providing one of the fastest and
most cost-efficient ways to build a significant marketing tool for restaurants. Just like
trendsetters in the fashion industry, opinion leaders for restaurants will be even more
important in the near future. This research also adds to our understanding of why
Generation Yers share information on SNS. Specifically, Generation Yers who are
highly susceptible to interpersonal influence tend to share more dining information on
SNS. In other words, when people post a restaurant review, they do it to project their
identity. Posting I love eating at Chipotle says something about them and establishes
their identity. Therefore, marketers should seek ways to create effective brand
characteristics.
Finally, the lack of gender difference in information seeking and sharing behaviors
suggests that Generation Y women and men attach equal importance to social
networking sites when it comes to dining information seeking and sharing.
As is the case for most exploratory studies, the generalizability of these results is
limited. The sample used for this study consisted of undergraduate students from a
single department in one Midwestern US university. Additional studies should recruit
more participants, spanning the entire range of the Generation Y cohort, instead of just
college students. Nevertheless, considering the exploratory nature of this study, it
contributes to a greater appreciation of the importance of studying Generation Y
consumers.
This study also makes a first attempt to use COL and CSII to explain dining
behavior, and then to relate these two consumer characteristics with social media
marketing. To examine the validity and reliability of COL and CSII in a dining setting,
additional research might be conducted to refine the measurement scale. Special
attention should focus on appropriate measures of dining information seeking and
sharing on SNS. The measurement scale developed for this study relied on interviews
with Generation Y peers and colleagues. Additional research should further specify
and detail Generation Ys use of SNS.
This study centers on consumer behavior and confirms the importance of social
media marketing. People seek and share opinions online, just as they do offline, which
affects the sales of products and services (Goldsmith and Horowitz, 2006). Therefore,
additional studies should examine social media from a corporate angle. For example,
they might consider the return on investments in social media. Such extended
examinations of social media marketing can offer additional insights to increase
understanding of this growing area of interest in the restaurant industry.
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Corresponding author
Anil Bilgihan can be contacted at: abilgihan@fau.edu

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