A Study of Consumers’ Perceptions of Take-Out Food before and after the COVID-19 Outbreak: Applying Big Data Analysis

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

I found this study valuable and very interesting. The methodology is very well visualized and explained. Findings are well described and an adequate literature review is provided. This study adds value to the scholarship.

Utilizing semantic network analysis adds value to this study as it introduced an original approach to evaluating the collected data.

On the other hand, dealing with big data adds an extra layer of reliability and credibility to the outcome.

The research methodology and the presentation of the figures (the Sentimental network visualization) make this manuscript very motivating to read and follow up.  

This study shows restaurant consumers' behavior changes due to the pandemic, which is an important discovery for the service industry in order to tailor customer needs based on how their desire evolves around the circumstances.

The paper is well written and the conclusion of this paper addressed the key points of the study in detail.

Congratulations to the authors!

Author Response

→ We would like to thank the reviewer for thoughtful consideration of our manuscript. Thank you very much for your kind notes!!

Reviewer 2 Report

The presented article is a case of a proper scientific study. The paper contains all the necessary items:
-    very interesting, current, scarce issue and the scientific aim, which completes the research gap in the field of consumers' behaviors,
-    the justification of the research necessity;
-    the conceptualization of the area of knowledge "dining out/take-out food";
-    the description of methodology is very clear;
-    the presentation of the synthetic conclusions and discussion with the findings of other researchers;
-    the authors' awareness of the limitations of the study
This research notes a contribution of authors to the knowledge in the field of consumers' perceptions and  behaviors.

Author Response

→ We would like to thank the reviewer for thoughtful consideration of our manuscript. Thank you very much for your kind notes!!

Reviewer 3 Report

The paper is interesting and well written. The result section is rich of information, so as the discussion and the implication one. I only suggest some small improvements, in detail:

-          In the abstract it should be important to better stress the methodology used and the conclusions derived from  the results.

-          In the introduction section the aim of the study should be more clearly stated, what is the research question that the study investigates?? Please provide it and then  in the discussion section please relate the discussion of the results with the research question developed.

Author Response

The paper is interesting and well written. The result section is rich of information, so as the discussion and the implication one. I only suggest some small improvements, in detail:

We would like to thank the reviewer for thoughtful consideration of our manuscript. We have thoroughly studied reviewer’s comments and recommendations and found them very insightful and constructive; the reviewer provided valuable guidelines for improving the paper. The following paragraphs summarize our efforts in response to the reviewer’s comments and suggestions. Thank you very much for your kind notes!!

 

Comment#1: In the abstract it should be important to better stress the methodology used and the conclusions derived from the results.

 → We appreciate the reviewer’s suggestions. We added it.

“(Line 14-15) These keywords were analyzed by text mining, semantic network analysis, CONCOR analysis, and sentiment analysis, respectively, to understand consumers' perception of take-out food.”

“(Line 23-26) According to the sentiment analysis, the number of positive keywords decreased by 4.03% after COVID-19, while the number of negative keywords increased at the same rate; regarding the increase in negative keywords, such as sadness, disgust, and fear, since the emergence of COVID-19, consumers' anxiety about eating out due to the virus was observed.”

 

Comment#2: In the introduction section the aim of the study should be more clearly stated, what is the research question that the study investigates?? Please provide it and then  in the discussion section please relate the discussion of the results with the research question developed → We appreciate reviewers’ specific and helpful suggestion. In the introduction part, the purpose of the study was more clearly described, and the content of the discussion part was described in connection with it.

“(Line 65-68) As non-contact services have become the new normal for consumers' dining-out behaviors due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this study aims to investigate the changes in consumers’ perceptions and emotions between pre-COVID-19 (2019) and post-COVID-19 (2021) eras in the context of take-out services using a big data analysis.”

“(Line 456-457) This study explored changes in consumers’ perceptions and emotions of take-out food before and after the onset of COVID-19 by applying big data from social media.”