Volume 13, Issue 6 (June 2026), Pages: 94-102

----------------------------------------------

 Original Research Paper

Understanding consumer behavior toward ready-to-eat street foods in Cabadbaran City: An extended theory of planned behavior approach

 Author(s): 

Walter B. Juera *

 Affiliation(s):

Department of Hospitality Management, College of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Caraga State University, Butuan City, Philippines

 Full text

    Full Text - PDF

 * Corresponding Author. 

   Corresponding author's ORCID profile:  https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8332-1779

 Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

 
https://doi.org/10.21833/ijaas.2026.06.009

 Abstract

Street food plays an important role in the cultural and economic life of the Philippines by providing affordable and accessible meals to different groups of consumers. This study examined the behavioral factors influencing consumer decisions toward ready-to-eat street food in Cabadbaran City using the Extended Theory of Planned Behavior (ETPB). A mixed-methods approach was applied, combining descriptive-correlational analysis of 320 respondents with thematic analysis of qualitative responses. The findings showed that most consumers were young adults, especially students, who preferred street food because of its low cost, convenience, and accessibility near schools and workplaces. Although enjoyment and hedonic satisfaction strongly encouraged consumption, consumer attitudes and intentions were generally neutral due to concerns about hygiene, nutritional value, and limited time. Correlation and regression analyses revealed that habit and hedonic motivation were the strongest predictors of behavioral intention, exceeding rational factors such as safety and affordability. Qualitative findings further indicated that vendor selection depended on cleanliness, taste, affordability, accessibility, and trust. Consumers also associated street food with social interaction, cultural identity, and nostalgia. Despite health and safety concerns, consumers continued purchasing street food, showing the combined influence of practical needs, emotional satisfaction, and cultural attachment.

 © 2026 The Authors. Published by IASE.

 This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

 Keywords

Street food consumption, Consumer behavior, Hedonic motivation, Behavioral intention, Cultural attachment

 Article history

Received 12 December 2025, Received in revised form 8 May 2026, Accepted 9 June 2026

 Funding

This publication was funded by Caraga State University. 

 Acknowledgment

The author sincerely thanks the respondents from Cabadbaran City, Agusan del Norte, especially the street food vendors and local administrators, for their participation and cooperation in this study. Deep appreciation is also extended to the administration of Caraga State University – Cabadbaran Campus, the Office of the Research, Development, Innovation, and Extension (RDIE), and the faculty, staff, and students of the College of Tourism and Hospitality Management (CTHM) for their encouragement and support throughout the completion and publication of this research. 

 Compliance with ethical standards

 Ethical considerations

This study was conducted in accordance with established ethical standards for research involving human participants. Participation was voluntary, and informed consent was obtained from all respondents prior to data collection. For participants below 18 years of age, parental or guardian consent was secured in accordance with institutional requirements. Respondents were assured that their participation was confidential and anonymous, and that the collected data would be used solely for academic and research purposes. Participants were informed of their right to withdraw from the study at any stage without penalty. 

 Citation:

Juera WB (2026). Understanding consumer behavior toward ready-to-eat street foods in Cabadbaran City: An extended theory of planned behavior approach. International Journal of Advanced and Applied Sciences, 13(6): 94-102

  Permanent Link to this page

---------------------------------------------- 

 References (40)

1. Albayati H, Alistarbadi N, and Rho JJ (2023). Assessing engagement decisions in NFT metaverse based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Telematics and Informatics Reports, 10: 100045. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.teler.2023.100045   [Google Scholar]
2. Ali N, Nakayama S, and Yamaguchi H (2023). Using the extensions of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) for behavioral intentions to use public transport (PT) in Kanazawa, Japan. Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives, 17: 100742. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trip.2022.100742   [Google Scholar]
3. Azhar M, Nafees S, Sujood, and Hamid S (2023). Understanding post-pandemic travel intention toward rural destinations by expanding the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Future Business Journal, 9: 36. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43093-023-00215-2   [Google Scholar]
4. Barbu A, Catană ȘA, Deselnicu DC, Cioca LI, and Ioanid A (2022). Factors influencing consumer behavior toward green products: A systematic literature review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(24): 16568. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192416568   [Google Scholar] PMid:36554445 PMCid:PMC9778922
5. Boca GD (2021). Factors influencing consumer behavior in sustainable fruit and vegetable consumption in Maramures County, Romania. Sustainability, 13(4): 1812. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13041812   [Google Scholar]
6. Boubker O (2024). Does religion raise entrepreneurial intention and behavior of Muslim university students? An extension of Ajzen's theory of planned behavior (TPB). The International Journal of Management Education, 22(3): 101030. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijme.2024.101030   [Google Scholar]
7. Chung A, Vieira D, Donley T, Tan N, Jean-Louis G, Kiely Gouley K, and Seixas A (2020). Adolescent peer influence via social media on eating behaviors: A scoping review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 23(6): e19697. https://doi.org/10.2196/19697   [Google Scholar] PMid:34081018 PMCid:PMC8212626
8. De Lara MGO and Santos AR (2024). Service delivery and quality assurance in administrative units of higher education institutions during the pandemic. Corporate and Business Strategy Review, 5(1): 494-504. https://doi.org/10.22495/cbsrv5i1siart22   [Google Scholar]
9. Grace D (2023). Burden of foodborne disease in low-income and middle-income countries and opportunities for scaling food safety interventions. Food Security, 15: 1475-1488. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-023-01391-3   [Google Scholar]
10. Guan X, Gong J, Li M, and Huan TC (2022). Exploring key factors influencing customer behavioral intention in robot restaurants. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 34(9): 3482-3501. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-06-2021-0807   [Google Scholar]
11. Gundala RR and Singh A (2021). What motivates consumers to buy organic foods? Results of an empirical study in the United States. PLOS ONE, 16(9): e0257288. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0257288   [Google Scholar] PMid:34506582 PMCid:PMC8432837
12. Günden C, Atakan P, Yercan M, Mattas K, and Knez M (2024). Consumer response to novel foods: A review of behavioral barriers and drivers. Foods, 13(13): 2051. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13132051   [Google Scholar] PMid:38998556 PMCid:PMC11241638
13. Hashemi S, Mohammed HJ, Kiumarsi S, Kee DMH, and Anarestani BB (2023). Destinations food image and food neophobia on behavioral intentions: Culinary tourist behavior in Malaysia. Journal of International Food & Agribusiness Marketing, 35(1): 66-87. https://doi.org/10.1080/08974438.2021.1943101   [Google Scholar]
14. Hussain K, Abbasi AZ, Rasoolimanesh SM, Schultz CD, Ting DH, and Ali F (2023). Local food consumption values and attitude formation: The moderating effect of food neophilia and neophobia. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights, 6(2): 464-491. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHTI-08-2021-0214   [Google Scholar]
15. Ilieva RT, Cohen N, Israel M, Specht K, Fox-Kämper R, Fargue-Lelièvre A, Poniży L, Schoen V, Caputo S, Kirby CK, Goldstein B, Newell JP, and Blythe C (2022). The socio-cultural benefits of urban agriculture: A review of the literature. Land, 11(5): 622. https://doi.org/10.3390/land11050622   [Google Scholar]
16. Khan Y, Hameed I, and Akram U (2023). What drives attitude, purchase intention and consumer buying behavior toward organic food? A self-determination theory and theory of planned behavior perspective. British Food Journal, 125(7): 2572-2587. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-07-2022-0564   [Google Scholar]
17. Khanna S, Nagar K, Chauhan V, and Bhagat S (2022). Application of the extended theory of planned behavior to street-food consumption: Testing the effect of food neophobia among Indian consumers. British Food Journal, 124(2): 550-572. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-04-2021-0403   [Google Scholar]
18. Korsunova A, Halme M, Kourula A, Levänen J, and Lima-Toivanen M (2022). Necessity-driven circular economy in low-income contexts: How informal sector practices retain value for circularity. Global Environmental Change, 76: 102573. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2022.102573   [Google Scholar]
19. Li S, Kallas Z, and Rahmani D (2022). Did the COVID-19 lockdown affect consumers’ sustainable behaviour in food purchasing and consumption in China? Food Control, 132: 108352. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2021.108352   [Google Scholar] PMid:36474958 PMCid:PMC9716012
20. Liu KS, Chen JY, Ng MY, Yeung MH, Bedford LE, and Lam CL (2021). How does the family influence adolescent eating habits in terms of knowledge, attitudes and practices? A global systematic review of qualitative studies. Nutrients, 13(11): 3717. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13113717   [Google Scholar] PMid:34835973 PMCid:PMC8624651
21. Loh Z and Hassan SH (2022). Consumers’ attitudes, perceived risks and perceived benefits towards repurchase intention of food truck products. British Food Journal, 124(4): 1314-1332. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-03-2021-0216   [Google Scholar]
22. Noort MWJ, Renzetti S, Linderhof V, du Rand GE, Marx-Pienaar NJMM, de Kock HL, Magano N, and Taylor JRN (2022). Towards sustainable shifts to healthy diets and food security in Sub-Saharan Africa with climate-resilient crops in bread-type products: A food system analysis. Foods, 11(2): 135. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11020135   [Google Scholar] PMid:35053868 PMCid:PMC8774613
23. Olivadese M and Dindo ML (2023). Edible insects: A historical and cultural perspective on entomophagy with a focus on Western societies. Insects, 14(8): 690. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14080690   [Google Scholar] PMid:37623400 PMCid:PMC10455489
24. Ong AKS, Tacardon ER, and Gumasing MJJ (2025). An extended theory of planned behavior approach for assessing factors affecting street food consumption in the Philippines. Food Quality and Preference, 123: 105344. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2024.105344   [Google Scholar]
25. Ozcelik A and Akova O (2021). The impact of street food experience on behavioural intention. British Food Journal, 123(12): 4175-4193. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-06-2020-0481   [Google Scholar]
26. Park E and Widyanta A (2022). Food tourism experience and changing destination foodscape: An exploratory study of an emerging food destination. Tourism Management Perspectives, 42: 100964. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2022.100964   [Google Scholar]
27. Praesri S, Meekun K, Lee TJ, and Hyun SS (2022). Marketing mix factors and a business development model for street food tourism. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 52: 123-127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2022.06.007   [Google Scholar]
28. Ramos K (2022). Factors influencing customers' continuance usage intention of food delivery apps during COVID-19 quarantine in Mexico. British Food Journal, 124(3): 833-852. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-01-2021-0020   [Google Scholar]
29. Rockliffe L, Peters S, Heazell AE, and Smith DM (2021). Factors influencing health behaviour change during pregnancy: A systematic review and meta-synthesis. Health Psychology Review, 15(4): 613-632. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2021.1938632    PMid:34092185
30. Rozenkowska K (2023). Theory of planned behavior in consumer behavior research: A systematic literature review. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 47(6): 2670-2700. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.12970   [Google Scholar]
31. Santos AR, Galano JA, Claudio EG, and Obligado JRT (2025). Project Liwanag Kita: Assessing its impact on community empowerment and economic development. International Journal of Public Policy and Administration Research, 12(1): 1-16. https://doi.org/10.18488/74.v12i1.4152   [Google Scholar]
32. Seo KH and Lee JH (2021). Understanding risk perception toward food safety in street food: The relationships among service quality, values, and repurchase intention. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(13): 6826. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18136826   [Google Scholar] PMid:34202074 PMCid:PMC8297265
33. Sexton AE, Garnett T, and Lorimer J (2022). Vegan food geographies and the rise of Big Veganism. Progress in Human Geography, 46(2): 605-628. https://doi.org/10.1177/03091325211051021   [Google Scholar]PMid:35400793 PMCid:PMC8984928
34. Soltani M, Soltani Nejad N, Taheri Azad F, Taheri B, and Gannon MJ (2021). Food consumption experiences: A framework for understanding food tourists’ behavioral intentions. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 33(1): 75-100. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-03-2020-0206   [Google Scholar]
35. Sujood, Ali R, Irfan S, and Hamid S (2024). Emerging themes in food tourism: A systematic literature review and research agenda. British Food Journal, 126(1): 372-408. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-11-2022-0939   [Google Scholar]
36. Thi Tuyet T, Do MP, and Nguyen N (2025). The effect of sensation seeking on intention to consume street food: Utilizing the theory of planned behavior. Cogent Social Sciences, 11(1): 2460716. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2025.2460716   [Google Scholar]
37. Trübswasser U, Baye K, Holdsworth M, Loeffen M, Feskens EJ, and Talsma EF (2021). Assessing factors influencing adolescents’ dietary behaviours in urban Ethiopia using participatory photography. Public Health Nutrition, 24(12): 3615-3623. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980020002487   [Google Scholar] PMid:32792020 PMCid:PMC8369459
38. Tuglo LS, Agordoh PD, Tekpor D, Pan Z, Agbanyo G, and Chu M (2021). Food safety knowledge, attitude, and hygiene practices of street-cooked food handlers in North Dayi District, Ghana. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 26: 54. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12199-021-00975-9   [Google Scholar] PMid:33941082 PMCid:PMC8091506
39. Vignola R and Oosterveer P (2022). Street food environmental sustainability in a urbanizing global south: A social practice perspective. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 6: 910547. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2022.910547   [Google Scholar]
40. Zocchi DM, Fontefrancesco MF, Corvo P, and Pieroni A (2021). Recognising, safeguarding, and promoting food heritage: Challenges and prospects for the future of sustainable food systems. Sustainability, 13(17): 9510. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13179510   [Google Scholar]