Understanding The Growth Of Takeaway Food Apps in The UK: A Supplier and Consumer Perspective

This research investigates the development, use and consumer acceptance of online takeaway food ordering (OTFO) apps in the UK. Although the online takeaway food ordering sector is well-established, it continues to improve services by bringing new technology and innovation in the sector. Among the latest technologies introduced into the sector is the development of takeaway apps. Given the recent developments and advancements in technology, there is limited evidence on how consumers view and use takeaway apps. In addition, the development and operation of the sector has so far received little attention in the academic literature. To develop a more in-depth understanding of this new technology and its adoption, the study employed a mixed methods approach. The first approach adopted a case study perspective to investigate the growth of technology within one organisation. The second approach focused on consumer acceptance of the technology through conducting in-depth semi-structured interviews (n = 12) and a questionnaire survey (n = 150). The findings from this study suggest that organisations that supply takeaway apps tend to adopt innovation to improve business growth and ensure customer satisfaction. The best way for the organisation to encourage consumers to adopt the new technology was evidenced through the marketing mix such as through television advertisements. Although organisations have been active in promoting the apps, there are still insufficient information of consumer perception of how the technology. Through investigating the consumer perspective, it was revealed that the consumer perceived the use of takeaway apps similar to purchasing takeaway food. To understand consumer acceptance of takeaway apps, the study used the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) by studying perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived trust, perceived risk security and perceived social influence on the intention to use and actual use of the apps. This study contributes to the emerging body of knowledge on the online takeaway food ordering sector. In addition, it has an applied contribution in contributing to the development of new theory in the technology influence on university student takeaway food purchase and the acceptance of takeaway food apps