Antecedents of digital transformation of Trinidad’s fast-food industry: an empirical investigation from the untapped Caribbean market

Digital transformation refers to the adoption of digital technologies required to improve productivity and add value. Today’s world has quickly adopted new norms based on digitalisation business models; especially after the novel COVID-19 pandemic, sectors are growing, and some are being restructured, whereas others have been totally recreated. COVID-19 has forced individuals to adapt to digital means simply to remain safe. However, this study seeks to investigate how the digitalisation has impacted the individual’s behavioural intention with respect to the adaptation to the new norms in a fast-food industry in Trinidad and Tobago, which is not very digitally advanced. The research is the first of its type in Trinidad and Tobago, wherein the impact of digitalisation on consumers’ behavioural intention is being investigated. A non-probability convenience sampling technique was used to collect the data through online questionnaires. The data was analysed for 303 responses collected from respondents across Trinidad and Tobago. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to analyse data. Findings indicated that customers’ convenience motivation, information quality, and promotion have a significant impact on the digital transformation of Trinidad’s fast-food industry, whereas privacy and security had no significant impact. The findings of this study will help managers, marketing personnel, and other authorities make informed decisions through the important factors that lead to customers’ behavioural intention to be digitally engaged, specifically in countries that did not have advanced digital technologies in the past but are now showing signs of adaptation to digital technologies through policy and change in market dynamics.