BRAND EXPERIENCE AND BRAND LOYALTY IN QUICK SERVICE RESTAURANTS IN PORT HARCOURT, RIVERS STATE

Osi, Vine Chinwe; Ekeke, John Ndubueze

doi:10.5281/zenodo.20206194

Osi, Vine Chinwe Department of Hospitality Management & Tourism, Faculty of Management Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, Rivers State, Nigeria.
Ekeke, John Ndubueze Department of Hospitality Management & Tourism, Faculty of Management Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, Rivers State, Nigeria. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9067-3780

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20206194

Keywords: Brand experience, guest satisfaction, brand loyalty, quick service restaurants, experiential marketing, Port Harcourt, Rivers State

Abstract

In the increasingly competitive Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) industry, understanding how brand experience shapes brand loyalty is essential for sustained growth. This empirical study investigates the effect of four dimensions of brand experience: sensory, emotional, intellectual, and relational on brand loyalty in QSRs with customer satisfaction acting as a mediating variable within Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Anchored on Experiential Marketing Theory and Brand Equity Theory, the study employed a quantitative survey design and collected data from 400 QSR customers using structured questionnaires. The data were analyzed using Multiple Regression Analysis to determine the influence of the dimensions of brand experience on brand loyalty. The Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (PPMC) and the Partial Correlation were used to test mediation role of customer satisfaction. Results indicate that sensory and emotional brand experiences had little but significant effects on brand loyalty, intellectual and relational brand loyalty had strong but significant effect on brand loyalty. Customer satisfaction positively and significantly mediated the relationship between brand experience and brand loyalty. The study concluded that determining the effect of brand experience dimensions by service brand managers is pivotal to evaluating customers’ behavioural intentions towards service brands. The study highlights the importance of designing emotionally and socially engaging brand experiences to foster long-term guest relationships. Practical implications for QSR operators and future research directions are discussed.

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