Food selfie sharing as a friendship-building process : the moderating effect of service aesthetic appeal

Abstract

Foodstagramming is an increasingly popular indulgence in both foodservice settings and social media. While existing studies primarily examine individual benefits, they overlook its interpersonal influence, and in particular, how the dynamic interplay between foodstagramming and dining settings shapes one’s dining experience and social media friending process. Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design through a combination of experiment, field survey, and semistructured interview, this research reveals that foodstagramming-induced social interactions significantly enhance dining fun and online interpersonal relationship building. However, while these interactions improve reciprocity, they do not strengthen affective relationships. The findings also indicate that tie strength with peers positively influences online social interactions. Additionally, the relationship between foodstagramming-induced social interaction and dining fun is moderated by service aesthetic appeal. Notably, food and environmental aesthetics exert distinct boundary effects. These insights clarify how foodstagramming could enhance dining experience and foster interpersonal relationships on social media in the restaurant setting.