Exploring family experiences in local guided food tours on meal-sharing platforms

This study aims to analyze in depth the experiences of families participating in guided food tours in Istanbul, Türkiye, offered through meal-sharing economy platforms, using real user comments. The main purpose of this selection is to reveal the role of children in gastronomy-based cultural experiences and the key components of how such tours contribute to family interaction and the learning processes. In this context, thematic analysis was conducted within the framework of a qualitative research approach. Five key findings emerged from the analysis, represented by the following main themes: (1) Family Interaction; (2) Child-Friendly Experience; (3) Local Guides’ Competencies; (4) Authentic Experience; and (5) Familiarization and Orientation. The findings reveal that families with children tend to prefer these tours on the first day of their holiday in order to gain basic information about the destination, adapt to the environment, and make the overall experience feel safer. This indicates that the “Familiarization and Orientation” theme provides a theoretical contribution to understanding family-oriented tourism behavior. The study’s theoretical and practical implications are discussed in line with the findings. Its limitations are acknowledged, and suggestions for future research are provided.