Why do tourists over-order in internet-famous restaurants? An investigation of construal level and cognitive distance

This study investigates the effects of restaurant type (internet-famous vs. non-internet-famous) and destination type (far vs. near) on tourist over-ordering behaviour in destination restaurants. Results reveal that tourists tend to order more food at internet-famous restaurants compared to non-internet-famous ones, while the influence of destination type (far vs. near) is not significant. Furthermore, the study identifies construal level as a key psychological mediator, explaining why tourists are more likely to over-order at internet-famous restaurants due to their abstract and holistic thinking. These findings highlight the role of “internet-famous effects” in shaping tourist food-ordering behaviour, offering new insights into this issue in today’s digitally interconnected world.