What will make Generation Y and Generation Z to continue to use online food delivery services: a uses and gratifications theory perspective

The rapid growth of online food delivery (OFD) services presents new opportunities and challenges for OFD stakeholders, emphasizing the strategic importance of retaining customers. However, the existing OFD continuance literature lacks diverse theoretical approaches and customer segment-specific knowledge, limiting a comprehensive understanding of post-pandemic customer behavior. This study leverages the uses and gratifications (U&G) theory to delve into customers' expectations and motivations for continuing to use OFD, with a particular focus on the possible differences between Generation Y and Generation Z customers. By applying a mixed-method approach, the results identified six gratifications of OFD continuance usage, classified into three groups: utilitarian, hedonic, and social gratifications. Generation Y and Z assign varying levels of importance to the identified gratifications. The study enriches the current OFD literature by demonstrating the explanatory prowess of U&G theory to the continuance phenomenon and provides practical suggestions for OFD stakeholders to cultivate competitiveness and sustainable growth.