Made of stone? How traditional restaurants' outdoor signboards' materials affect brand perception and purchase intention

Purpose Traditional restaurants with authentic foods should pay attention to how their outdoor cues are designed. Drawing upon the schema congruity theory, this research explored the combined effects of outdoor signboards' material and texture to enrich the knowledge. Design/methodology/approach Using an experimental design approach, we conducted two studies. Study 1 was conducted to investigate the effect of signboard material on customers' brand perceptions (i.e. brand authenticity, brand heritage and brand status). Study 2 further examined the interaction effect of signboard material and texture on brand perceptions, which then influence purchase intentions. Analysis of covariance was used for data analysis. PROCESS in SPSS was also adopted. Findings We found that stone materials generated a stronger sense of brand authenticity, brand heritage and brand status than wooden materials. Such brand perceptions in turn led to consumers' purchase intentions. In addition, we noted the moderating role of signboard texture. There were significant differences between glossy and matte wooden signboards for brand perceptions. There was no difference between glossy stone signboards and matte counterparts. Practical implications Restaurants should pay attention to how external environmental cues affect consumers' brand perceptions and purchase intentions. Signboards should be carefully designed considering factors such as materials and texture. Originality/value Despite the fact that traditional restaurants' outdoor signboards are crucial for generating brand perception and purchase intention, there is a dearth of relevant studies. Additionally, little research has been done on the material and texture cues of outdoor signboards.