Predicting the Consumer Complaint Behaviors in Food Service: An Empirical Test of Two Alternative Models

Abstract

Although increasing numbers of conceptual models have been proposed to predict consumers' complaining behavior, very little empirical research has been conducted to test the utility of these models. This study tested the relative utilities of the "intensity of dissatisfaction" model proposed by Landon and the "Complain/Do Nothing Decision Process" model conceptualized by Day. Students' experiences with food service at a college cafeteria were surveyed for this purpose. The results demonstrated that the "intensity of dissatisfaction" model could predict complaint behavior for food service better than the "Complain/Do Nothing Decision Process" model. This finding underscores the importance of the intensity of dissatisfaction consumers experience to predict complaint behavior. Attitude toward the act of complaining also emerged as a potentially important construct to enhance our understanding of consumer complaining behavior.