When Likes Turn into Dislikes: How Negative Reviews from Food Vloggers Shape Consumer Perception in the Restaurant Sector: The Mediating Role of Brand Loyalty in Western Province, Sri Lanka

The rapid expansion of social media has significantly transformed consumer decision-making in the restaurant sector, where food vloggers increasingly function as influential opinion leaders shaping public perceptions of restaurants. Through platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram, food vloggers share dining experiences that can strongly influence audience attitudes toward restaurants. While positive reviews often enhance restaurant visibility and reputation, negative reviews can spread rapidly across digital networks and potentially damage brand image. However, despite exposure to negative online content, some consumers continue to patronize certain restaurants, suggesting the presence of moderating or mediating psychological factors. This study therefore examines the impact of negative reviews from social media food vloggers on consumer perception in the restaurant sector in the Western Province of Sri Lanka, with particular emphasis on the mediating role of brand loyalty. A quantitative research design was adopted using a structured online questionnaire administered to 384 respondents who actively engage with food vlogger content. The findings reveal that negative reviews significantly influence consumer perception of restaurants, while brand loyalty partially mediates this relationship, indicating that loyal customers are less likely to alter their perceptions or behavioral intentions despite negative online evaluations.