Investigating customer behavior toward branded food-delivery apps: moderating role of habit

Purpose This study examines how performance and effort expectancies affect perceived values of food delivery apps’ brands and, consequently, customer loyalty while investigating the moderating role of habit. Design/methodology/approach A web survey was conducted to gather data from 325 Saudi participants, which was analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings The findings showed that performance expectancy significantly influences all three perceived values (social, emotional and price), while effort expectancy significantly affects only the emotional value. Both price and emotional values significantly influence attitudinal loyalty, which, in turn, leads to behavioral loyalty. Additionally, habits significantly moderate the relationship between performance expectancy, effort expectancy and perceived values as well as the relationship between price value and attitudinal loyalty. Practical implications Developing a marketing strategy that distinguishes a food delivery application brand through unique perceived values that promote user loyalty is a potentially effective way to strengthen its competitive advantage. Additionally, segmenting the market based on user habits can significantly enhance the customization of offers. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by re-specifying the prior technology adoption, acceptance and use perspectives while examining the perceived values of food delivery application brands as dependent variables and habit as a moderating variable.