Developing and Validating a Perceived Digital Customer Value Scale in Restaurants

Customers are switching to being “digital customers” when interacting with restaurants more digitally than traditionally. Therefore, the current study aims to create a multidimensional scale for measuring perceived digital customer value derived from ordering and payment functionalities in restaurants. Seven stages were taken in the development of the scale; the first was qualitative for item generation, and the other steps were quantitative for empirically establishing the scale’s psychometric qualities. Four hundred twenty-five customers filled out the questionnaires from two different types of restaurants (i.e. fast-food and casual dining restaurants) in Cairo, Egypt. This study found five dimensions of the perceived digital customer value scale: price, hedonic, experiential, transient, and service quality. This measurement helps restaurants comprehend digital customer behavior and change customer preferences and interactions in a digitalized environment. Accordingly, the study extends customer value theory and previous models within the hospitality industry, addresses gaps in the literature, and improves understanding of customer value in digital transformation. The developed multidimensional scale helps restaurant management understand their digital customers’ preferences and deliver value that meets their desires in a digital transformation.