Table 2. Integration of food... | Emerald Publishing

Table 2.

Integration of food experiential journey into the FED stages – case example: Farm-to-table restaurant experience

Experiential journey phase	Multidimensional empathy	Holistic assessment	Consumer-centric collaboration	Immersive visualization
Contemplation	Designing sensory cues (freshness, nature, tradition) using emotion contagion, empathic accuracy and emotion regulation to evoke nostalgia, comfort and warmth	Assessing how sensory and emotional cues (e.g. open kitchens, rustic design, seasonal offerings) interact to shape consumer expectations and build trust	Inviting diners to share nostalgic food memories (e.g. cooking with grandparents) to inform and cocreate experience-oriented design features like open kitchens, rustic interiors or evocative menu language	Using immersive tools (e.g. AR, multisensory simulations) to test atmospheric elements that evoke freshness, tradition and emotional anticipation. Simulations may include visual walkthroughs of open kitchens, the scent of bread or herbs and seasonal color palettes to validate emotional resonance before the meal begins
Connection	Using perspective taking to understand communal dining practices and cultural values (e.g. local sourcing, shared meals). empathic accuracy to recognize emotions like pride, connection and trust	Assessing how communal practices and local food sourcing strengthen social bonds and community identity (e.g. storytelling about local farms, communal tables)	Co-ideation with diners to explore shared rituals (e.g. family-style meals, storytelling) and translate them into experience-oriented design choices, such as communal seating, themed events or shared menus	Testing communal dining layouts, visual storytelling components (e.g. video intros of farmers) and shared rituals using immersive setups (e.g. VR dining scenes, AR-enhanced storytelling) to evaluate whether these design elements foster a sense of community, connection to local producers and intergenerational cultural continuity
Creation	Activating concern for others by highlighting ethical and sustainable practices (e.g. local sourcing, minimal waste). using perspective engagement to create participatory experiences (e.g. interactive menu storytelling)	Evaluating how design-enabled opportunities support consumer involvement in creating and sharing food stories that align with values like sustainability and community support (e.g. storytelling of ingredient origins)	Engaging diners in co-creating narratives and rituals (e.g. interactive menus, storytelling about regional agriculture, seasonal heritage dishes)	Prototyping interactive tools (e.g. AR menus, digital ingredient maps, virtual farm tours) to evaluate how well diners experience themselves as co-creators of value and meaning. Testing includes consultative input from local stakeholders to ensure alignment with values like heritage, ethical sourcing and community participation

Experiential journey phase	Multidimensional empathy	Holistic assessment	Consumer-centric collaboration	Immersive visualization
Contemplation	Designing sensory cues (freshness, nature, tradition) using emotion contagion, empathic accuracy and emotion regulation to evoke nostalgia, comfort and warmth	Assessing how sensory and emotional cues (e.g. open kitchens, rustic design, seasonal offerings) interact to shape consumer expectations and build trust	Inviting diners to share nostalgic food memories (e.g. cooking with grandparents) to inform and cocreate experience-oriented design features like open kitchens, rustic interiors or evocative menu language	Using immersive tools (e.g. AR, multisensory simulations) to test atmospheric elements that evoke freshness, tradition and emotional anticipation. Simulations may include visual walkthroughs of open kitchens, the scent of bread or herbs and seasonal color palettes to validate emotional resonance before the meal begins
Connection	Using perspective taking to understand communal dining practices and cultural values (e.g. local sourcing, shared meals). empathic accuracy to recognize emotions like pride, connection and trust	Assessing how communal practices and local food sourcing strengthen social bonds and community identity (e.g. storytelling about local farms, communal tables)	Co-ideation with diners to explore shared rituals (e.g. family-style meals, storytelling) and translate them into experience-oriented design choices, such as communal seating, themed events or shared menus	Testing communal dining layouts, visual storytelling components (e.g. video intros of farmers) and shared rituals using immersive setups (e.g. VR dining scenes, AR-enhanced storytelling) to evaluate whether these design elements foster a sense of community, connection to local producers and intergenerational cultural continuity
Creation	Activating concern for others by highlighting ethical and sustainable practices (e.g. local sourcing, minimal waste). using perspective engagement to create participatory experiences (e.g. interactive menu storytelling)	Evaluating how design-enabled opportunities support consumer involvement in creating and sharing food stories that align with values like sustainability and community support (e.g. storytelling of ingredient origins)	Engaging diners in co-creating narratives and rituals (e.g. interactive menus, storytelling about regional agriculture, seasonal heritage dishes)	Prototyping interactive tools (e.g. AR menus, digital ingredient maps, virtual farm tours) to evaluate how well diners experience themselves as co-creators of value and meaning. Testing includes consultative input from local stakeholders to ensure alignment with values like heritage, ethical sourcing and community participation