ABSTRACT
Food consumption presents an opportunity more for memorable experiences than for mere physical nourishment. Almost any business report about the new trends in food includes experiences as the key drivers for the future of the industry. Everyone agrees that the food industry is witnessing a revolution as it evolves from serving utilitarian needs to providing hedonic pleasures. The traditional focus on utilitarian value has been integrated with and sometimes even replaced by attention to the role of hedonic value. Scholars have studied consumption experiences via an intense and broad debate about their definition, antecedents, and consequences, highlighting the role of fantasies, feelings, and fun as drivers of hedonic value. Based on a solid psychological stream of research, a broad range of studies has addressed the link between individual emotions and market performances in the areas of advertising, customer satisfaction, or branding and even just as antecedents that explain consumer attitudes and decisions.
