Drone-based food delivery as everyday public automation in China: public-facing cues, attitude, and adoption intention

Drone-based food delivery is increasingly encountered as publicly visible automation embedded in everyday environments. This study examines how consumers evaluate such a service when adoption evaluation extends beyond utility towards sensory fit, mediated intelligibility, public legitimacy, and exchange acceptability. Building on social cognitive theory and the goal-directed behaviour model, the study develops an integrative account in which heterogeneous public-facing cues are associated with attitude as an established evaluative node linked to behavioural intention. Four theory-driven modules specify structured entry points into evaluation: aesthetics and experience, mediation, politics and governance, and price valuation. Survey data collected in China ( N = 314) were analysed using ordinal CFA/SEM with WLSMV estimation, multi-group comparisons by residence type, and supplementary covariate-adjusted robustness checks. The findings indicate that public-facing cues were associated with attitude and behavioural intention. Trajectory visualisation/traceability was associated with both perceived knowledge and attitude, while price fairness, subsidy expectation fit, and fee-cap tolerance were associated with attitude as valuation-related cues. Urban–rural comparisons indicated limited residence-based moderation, with only marginal and non-robust variation around fee-cap tolerance. The study contributes to adoption research by contextualising attitude formation in a physically and socially visible service setting.