Authenticity does matter

Abstract

In light of the important role of authenticity in dining experiences and the diverse conceptualisations of authenticity especially in the tourism context, this study reviews authenticity literature in dining experiences. Adopting a systematic quantitative approach, this paper maps out the current landscape of authenticity in dining experiences and offers insights for future research. The review findings highlight the overwhelming focus on examining authenticity of the Thing and authenticity of the Self in dining experiences and points to an enhancement of understandings of authenticity by also conceptualising authenticity of the Organisation. The findings indicate that while initial steps towards scales of authenticity have been made, there is no multi-dimensional scale development of authenticity that yields key determinants shaping authentic dining experiences, as well as a lack of systematic quantitative research into authenticity discourse using online restaurant reviews. Directions for further studies are suggested to address the identified gaps.