Fast-food brands may build loyalty through emotional experiences, not service alone

A study of more than 800 fast-food customers suggests that loyalty to a brand is shaped not only by satisfaction with the product or service but also by customers’ emotional experiences. The study, published in the International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising, focused on fast-food consumers in Peru but could have implications for fast-food brands in other emerging markets.

The study was based on responses collected through an online questionnaire and analyzed with a statistical technique known as structural equation modeling, which tests the relationships among multiple variables. The researchers found that perceived service quality was associated with the degree of satisfaction with a brand. Satisfaction, in turn, was linked to customers’ happiness and their level of brand love, and thus to brand loyalty. The research distinguishes between customer satisfaction, which considers whether expectations have been met, and happiness, which reflects a broader positive emotional response to the customer’s experience with the brand.

The findings add to a relatively small body of work that has examined happiness and brand love together and have implications for this particular emerging market, where cultural factors may influence how customers assess services and develop relationships with brands.

For fast-food businesses, the results suggest that improving service alone may be insufficient. Managers must also focus on experiences that generate positive emotions, potentially strengthening customers’ attachment to a brand and their willingness to remain loyal.

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Lisa Lock

BA art history, MA material culture. Former museum editor, paramedic, and transplant coordinator. Editing for Science X since 2021.

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Andrew Zinin

Master’s in physics with research experience. Long-time science news enthusiast. Plays key role in Science X’s editorial success.

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