Unboxing the links in understanding customer revisit intention: the role of customer love and experiential quality

PurposeThis study aims to examine the factors influencing customer love (physical environment, food quality, customer-to-customer interaction and innovativeness) and revisits intention in the restaurant industry in Bangladesh.Design/methodology/approachThis study applied a quantitative technique that exceedingly prescribed a methodological approach to positivism from a philosophical stance. Following the purposive sampling, 456 questionnaires were distributed, and 394 were received from the restaurant customer for analysis.FindingsUsing the partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), the salient findings have shown that physical environment, food quality, customer-to-customer interaction and innovativeness have a positive and significant effect on customer love. Besides, customer love is fully mediated between the influencing factors of customer love and revisit intention. The findings also show that customer experience quality actively moderates the factors influencing customer love. Finally, customer love has a positive and significant effect on revisit intention.Originality/valueRestaurant managers may benefit from the study's findings. It can be an essential blueprint for theoretical and practical implications. The study also recommends increasing the restaurant's performance and remaining experienced customers for future transactions.