Factors influencing tourist satisfaction with street food experiences in Hanoi: An empirical study toward sustainable tourism development

Abstract

 This study examines the factors influencing tourist satisfaction with street food experiences in Hanoi from the perspective of sustainable tourism development. Although street food is widely recognized as a key component of Vietnam’s culinary tourism, empirical evidence remains limited for Hanoi, where long-standing culinary heritage coexists with rapid urbanization, increasing tourist demand, and challenges related to service consistency, hygiene, space management, and price transparency. Addressing this gap, the study investigates how five experiential dimensions, Food Quality (FQ), Service Quality (SQ), Perceived Price Value (PPV), Ambiance (AM), and Authenticity and Cultural Identity (AC), shape tourists’ satisfaction. Data were collected using convenience sampling through face-to-face surveys at ten street food clusters in Hanoi and online questionnaires distributed via Google Forms and Zalo. After screening, 437 valid responses were retained for analysis. The data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0, and multiple linear regression was employed to test the proposed relationships. The results show that all five predictors significantly affect tourist satisfaction (p < 0.05). Authenticity and Cultural Identity is the strongest predictor (β = 0.304), followed by Food Quality (β = 0.258), Ambiance (β = 0.173), Service Quality (β = 0.156), and Perceived Price Value (β = 0.135). The model shows strong explanatory power, with an adjusted R² of 0.629. Theoretically, the study highlights cultural identity as a core sustainable tourism asset. Managerially, it suggests that Hanoi should prioritize culinary heritage preservation, food quality improvement, service training, and better management of street food spaces to strengthen satisfaction and destination competitiveness.