The role of online reviews in the choice of restaurants: perceptions of domestic guests in Croatia

Abstract

User-generated reviews are an important information source for both restaurateurs and guests. While their impact has been widely studied in hospitality, most research focuses on hotels or general consumer behavior, with limited attention to restaurants especially in smaller European markets like Croatia. This study addresses that gap by examining how domestic guests perceive and use online reviews when choosing a restaurant. Based on a survey of 315 Croatian respondents, findings show that users value reviews focused on food taste, staff service, and value for money. Perceived accuracy contributes more to review credibility than the number of reviews. Differences emerged by age and education level, while upscale restaurant guests were more responsive to extreme reviews (positive or negative). These findings enhance our understanding of digital review use in the restaurant context and offer practical insights for tailoring online communication and marketing strategies to different consumer segments