Gifting a Restaurant: Hospitality Without a Kitchen

Why Gift a Restaurant?

Lekkumporn (2012) surveyed 638 respondents in Australia to examine how personal values influence the choice of a restaurant as an intangible hospitality gift for friends or family. The study combined Kahle’s List of Values (LOV) with the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). Result: six values shape gift-giving behavior particularly strongly — “Warm Relationship with Others” (WR), “Sense of Accomplishment” (SA), “Sense of Belonging” (SB), “Being Well-Respected” (BR), “Security” (SC), and “Excitement” (EC).

The effect of these values is not uniform. People who score high on “Warm Relationship” and “Excitement” choose restaurants primarily based on their own attitude toward the behavior — they ask: “Does this make me happy? Does it bring warmth to the relationship?” Those high on “Sense of Belonging” orient themselves more toward social norms: which restaurant category is expected in my peer group? “Sense of Accomplishment” as a dominant value leads to higher search intensity and more information research — such hosts treat the choice as an achievement task.

Which Values Lie Behind It?

A key finding: gift-giving behavior oscillates between two motivational axes. The first axis is obligatory vs. voluntary (Goodwin, Smith & Spiggle 1990): those who perceive the occasion as duty choose according to norms; those who see it as self-expression choose personally. The second axis is agonistic vs. altruistic (Sherry 1983): agonistic gifts reflect the giver (their knowledge, their status); altruistic gifts reflect the recipient’s preferences.

A restaurant as a gift is particularly interesting because it activates both axes at once: the host invests money (economic), time (research), and taste (selection). Choosing an upscale venue can demonstrate warmth, but also status alignment (“I belong in this price range”) — both readings are possible. Values determine which interpretation dominates.

The Right Restaurant Choice

The study fills a gap in gift research: intangible gifts had barely been studied (Clarke 2007, 2008). Theoretically, Lekkumporn combines Rokeach (1986) on values as a central belief system, Ajzen’s TPB for behavioral prediction, and the Belk-Sherry tradition of gift theory. The statistical methodology is structural equation modeling on a robust sample.

The sample is limited to Australia; cultural differences are large. Qian et al. (2007) show for China that entirely different values (reciprocity, guanxi, face) structure gift-giving behavior. Lekkumporn’s model is thus culture-bound. Moreover, whether the correlation between values and action is causal or moderated by third variables (e.g., income) remains open. Self-report in online surveys also carries bias risks (socially desirable responding).

When a Restaurant Beats Home

The current state of research on this aspect is summarized below.

Practical Significance

The current state of research on this aspect is summarized below.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a restaurant visit a good gift?

Lekkumporn (2012) surveyed 638 respondents in Australia to examine how personal values influence the choice of a restaurant as an intangible hospitality gift for friends or family.

How do I choose the right restaurant?

The effect of these values is not uniform. People who score high on “Warm Relationship” and “Excitement” choose restaurants primarily based on their own attitude toward the behavior — they ask: “Does this make me happy? Does it bring warmth to the relationship?”

When is a restaurant better than home?

A restaurant as a gift is particularly interesting because it activates both motivational axes at once: the host invests money (economic), time (research), and taste (selection).

How do you invite someone properly at a restaurant?

A key finding: gift-giving behavior oscillates between two motivational axes. The first axis is obligatory vs. voluntary (Goodwin, Smith & Spiggle 1990): those who perceive the occasion as duty choose according to norms; those who see it as self-expression choose personally.