Health and taste dilemma in the context of restaurants: The effect of health and taste variables on food choice

The belief that "Unhealthy = Tasty" is often a factor that complicates individuals' food choices. This study explores the health-taste dilemma by examining variables related to health and taste and their impact on food choice. The literature suggests that consumers experience a dilemma between health and taste during food consumption. It is presumed that a similar dilemma occurs in the context of restaurants as well. Given that restaurants encompass a variety of elements that can directly influence consumers' food choices, it becomes important to consider the restaurant environment to understand the factors affecting the perception of healthiness and taste of food. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine the variables related to health and taste that influence consumers' food choices in the context of fine-dining restaurants. In this framework, two empirical studies were conducted. The first empirical study aims to determine how variables such as health consciousness, subjective knowledge, and taste attitude affect the intention to choose healthy food, and to evaluate the moderating role of food involvement in this relationship. The second empirical study aims to examine the relationship between health consciousness, the perception of food healthiness and taste, and the intention to choose between foods presented as healthy or tasty. In this study, the restaurant menu selected as the sample encompasses a diverse array of dishes representing the rich culinary heritage of Mediterranean cuisine. The sample population comprises individuals aged 18 and above who frequent establishments providing high-quality service at least once a month. Confirmatory factor analysis was utilized to test the validity and reliability of the measurement model, and structural equation modeling was employed to test the hypotheses within the research model. The findings of the first empirical study indicate that consumers' health consciousness positively influences the intention to choose healthy food, while subjective knowledge and taste attitude do not affect the intention to choose healthy food as expected. Additionally, it was found that food involvement moderates the relationship between subjective knowledge and taste attitude; as food involvement increases, the effect of subjective knowledge on taste attitude weakens. The second empirical study focuses on a more specific context, examining participants' intentions to choose food when exposed to healthy or tasty food stimuli. The findings of the second empirical study reveal that health consciousness affects the intention to choose food in terms of the perception of food healthiness and taste, as well as the healthy and tasty food stimuli presented to consumers. In conclusion, the findings contribute to our understanding of consumers' food choice intentions in the context of the health-taste dilemma in fine-dining restaurants, providing valuable insights for practitioners and future research