Clicks to Cravings : How Social Media Influencers Drive Gen Z’s Dining Decision - The Moderating Role of Followers Count

Tan, Shi Ling and Jurrizal, Hawa Ikhwanisa and Chong, Si Qi and Lee, Cheng Feng (2026) Clicks to Cravings : How Social Media Influencers Drive Gen Z’s Dining Decision - The Moderating Role of Followers Count. Final Year Project (Bachelor), Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology.

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Abstract

This study examines how social media influencers (SMIs) affect the purchasing decisions of cafes and restaurants among younger generations, particularly Generation Z in the food and beverage (F&B) industry. Considering the fact that digital marketing and social media platforms are becoming more and more important, SMIs have gained the status of a major promotional tool for cafes and restaurants looking to entice young consumers to choose their places for dining. The research is primarily aimed at pinpointing the major SMIs characteristics that drive purchasing decisions and evaluating the moderating effect of influencer followers on this nexus. A conceptual framework underpins the study from which the research objectives and research questions are developed. A quantitative research methodology was adopted, and the data is gathered from the online survey questionnaires that are sent out to the Gen Z respondents. A pilot test with 20 respondents is carried out before the actual data collection to check the consistency and understanding of the research tools. Subsequently, the data is analyzed using various statistical analysis techniques, and the relationships proposed are tested. The outcomes of this research are likely to aid in the theoretical comprehension of social media influencer marketing and consumer purchasing behavior, especially in the case of the F&B context. The practical aspect of the study points out that the results give valuable insights to the owners, marketers, and social media influencers of cafes and restaurants while developing digital marketing strategies that are more effective for the young generations. On the other hand, the research admits some limitations, like the characteristics of the sample and self-reported data, that could impact the overall applicability of the results.