P080 Seeing Is Believing? Menu Image Authenticity and Consumer Trust in Online Food Delivery Platforms in Kuching, Sarawak

Abstract

Online food delivery platforms such as GrabFood and Foodpanda have become an integral part of consumers' daily lives. Since consumers cannot physically examine food before placing an order, menu images play an important role in shaping their purchase decisions. To attract customers, some food vendors use AI-generated, edited, or stock images that may not accurately represent the actual food served. When the delivered food differs from its menu image, consumers may perceive the menu as misleading, which may reduce consumer trust and discourage future purchases. Previous studies have largely examined service quality, perceived value, customer satisfaction, food safety, menu visual appeal, and menu information in the context of online food delivery. However, limited attention has been given to whether menu image authenticity influences consumer trust and repurchase intention. Therefore, this study aims to examine the effect of menu image authenticity on consumer trust and repurchase intention, with consumer trust serving as a mediator. A quantitative cross-sectional survey will be conducted among online food delivery users in Kuching, Sarawak. Data will be analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics, while Hayes' PROCESS Macro will be used to examine the mediating effect of consumer trust. The findings are expected to indicate that menu image authenticity enhances consumer trust, which, in turn, leads to higher repurchase intention. These findings are also expected to contribute to the digital food marketing literature and provide practical guidance on the use of authentic menu images.