Impulse Buying in Restaurant Food Consumption

Impulse buying behavior is prevalent in restaurant food consumption. In the present study, we examine the relationship between individuals' impulse buying behavior and their pre-purchase and post-purchase affective states in the context of restaurant food consumption. The current research experimentally induced consumers' pre-purchase mood followed by a mood-freeze procedure. The findings provide strong evidence that primary food motives (health vs. indulgence) and situational motives (affect regulation) jointly affect impulse buying behavior in food consumption. Results also suggest that pre-purchase mood and affect regulation motives influence post-purchase mood as a result of impulse buying. Theoretical and managerial implications of the findings also are discussed.