Sustainability Considerations and Satisfaction with Online Food-Delivery Services During Covid-19 Pandemic

Purpose: Motivated by an expedited growth and distribution of Online Food-Delivery (OFD) services, especially during the recent Covid-19 pandemic, this research aims to explore 1) how consumers’ sustainability considerations are associated with satisfaction with the services via opt-out cutlery options and 2) the role of the pandemic in the relationships between sustainability considerations, attitudes toward opt-out cutlery options, and satisfaction with the OFD services. Data and Methodology: An analysis of survey data using 434 consumers in the United States recruited from Amazon M-Turk was conducted using structural equation modeling. Results: Findings suggest that consumers’ environmental, health, and ethical considerations are positively related to their attitudes toward opt-out cutlery options. Furthermore, attitudes toward opt-out cutlery options are positively related to satisfaction with the OFD services only when they feel connected with the environment, driven by perceived threats of an infectious disease (i.e. Covid-19). Conclusion: The study findings provide new insights to managers in the OFD service industry on how to promote sustainable consumption during the pandemic.