The effects of relational benefits on customers' perception of favorable inequity, affective commitment, and repurchase intention in full-service restaurants

The purpose of this study is to investigate how relational benefits (including confidence benefits, social benefits, and special treatment benefits) affect customers ’ perceptions of favorable inequity and affective commitment, and thus ultimately affect customer reten-tion. The study first develops and presents a conceptual model of the relationships that exist between the constructs of “relational benefits, ” “favorable inequity, ” “affective commitment, ” and “repurchase intention. ” This model is then empirically tested using 411 sample long-term customers of full-service restaurants. The results indicate that relational benefits trigger customers ’ perceptions of being favorably treated and that these perceptions, in turn, induce customers to form an affective commitment and repur-chase intention with respect to particular restaurants. The study confirms the strategic importance of relational benefits in fostering relationships with long-term customers in the context of full-service restaurants