Human–robot collaboration in restaurant kitchens: how collaborative chefs foster consumers’ willingness to pay a premium
Alisa Kazakova, Yunmi Kim, Sooyoung Choi, Insin Kim
Abstract
This study identifies, through two experiments, how robot restaurant consumers’ willingness to pay a premium (WTPP) is determined. Based on relevant theories, it examines how chef types (robot vs. collaborative) foster consumers’ WTPP, considering the concurrent influence of the service condition and power. The surveyed consumers exhibited higher WTPP under personalized (vs. standardized) services offered by collaborative (vs. robot) chefs and under standardization (vs. personalization) by robot (vs. collaborative) chefs. Powerful (vs. powerless) consumers demonstrated a higher WTPP under personalized (vs. standardized) services from collaborative (vs. robot) chefs. Implications for hospitality management regarding robotic technology integration are discussed.