Normative and informational social influence affecting digital technology acceptance of senior restaurant diners: A technology learning perspective

Acknowledging the rapidly increasing senior population along with restaurant technology adoption intended to replace the labor shortage, this study investigates how to improve senior technology acceptance by focusing on the learning process. Using 298 responses obtained from senior diners aged 60 or older, structural equation modeling was employed to test the hypothesized relationships. Multi-group analyses revealed the moderating effect of normative social influence (NSI) and informational social influence (ISI). Findings support the relationships hypothesized within a senior technology exploration, learning, and acceptance model. In addition, NSI involved the link of “negative attitudes-exploration,” whereas ISI affected the relationships of “exploration-perceived difficulties” and “perceived difficulties-acceptance intentions.” This study presents an integrative framework, emphasizing the pivotal role of the learning process, particularly when combining two distinct social influences for senior technology acceptance. Our approach exhibits potential in directing restaurants towards embracing digital technology services that can be widely accepted by senior diners.