An Analysis of Customer Willingness to Pay a Premium for Ethically Sourced or Farm-to-Table Menus and the Resulting Perception of the Restaurant's Service Integrity

Abstract

The global food landscape is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by a consumer base that increasingly values transparency, sustainability, and ethical considerations alongside taste and quality [Nielsen, 2018; Talukder et al., 2025]. The Farm-to-Table (F2T) movement, a philosophy emphasizing local, seasonal, and direct sourcing, has emerged as a key response to this demand, dramatically shortening the supply chain [Ganesh, 2024; AGRITECTURE, 2024]. This paper investigates two critical dimensions of this trend in the restaurant sector: the Customer Willingness to Pay (WTP) a Premium for these ethically sourced or F2T menus, and the subsequent impact on the Perception of the Restaurant's Service Integrity (RSI).