Operational excellence in online food delivery service: the role of food biosafety measures

Purpose: This study explores how food biosafety measures (FBM), electronic service quality and product quality influence consumer satisfaction and loyalty in the online food delivery service (OFDS) sector. It also integrates the technology acceptance model (TAM) and the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) to form a robust framework for assessing consumer behaviours and providing insights for this sector. Design/methodology/approach: Data from 877 Colombian urban consumers were collected. The proposed theoretical model was tested using structural equation modelling (SEM) in the SEMinR package of the R program (an open-source programming language). Findings: The results reveal that food biosafety measures and product quality are the most essential factors for OFDS consumers. Besides, food biosafety measures strongly affect product and e-service quality, which in turn significantly and directly impact consumer satisfaction and loyalty. This means that it is necessary to consider both visible actions strongly related to product quality and invisible actions that highlight the role of e-service quality in ensuring operational excellence. Practical implications: To maintain customer satisfaction and loyalty, OFDS managers should consider first working with restaurants that practice high food biosafety measures so that the order leaves the restaurant in good condition. However, OFDS should maintain these measures to ensure operational excellence from the order on the platform until delivery to the end consumer. Originality/value: This innovative study demonstrates how FBMs directly affect perceptions of service, product quality, satisfaction and loyalty. This goes beyond traditional findings suggesting that food biosafety measures' influence is only indirect and mediated by satisfaction.