Sustainability, ethics, and cultural authenticity: determinants of tourist satisfaction with street food at religious destinations

The study sought to investigate the impact of street food vendors in religious destinations on tourists' food experiences and satisfaction. It further examined whether the sustainable practices employed by these vendors enhance tourists' memorable food experiences and satisfaction, with particular attention to the moderating effects of the vendors' sustainable and ethical practices, as well as their religious and cultural values. Data were collected using a validated structured questionnaire administered to 358 tourists who consumed local street food during their visit to Varanasi. The data were analysed using Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) to evaluate the direct impact of sustainable practices, ethical practices, and religious-cultural values on tourists' food experiences. The findings reveal that the sustainable practices, ethical behaviour, and cultural and religious values of street food vendors significantly influenced tourists' culinary experiences. Among these factors, sustainable practices exerted the most substantial positive impact, followed by ethical practices, and subsequently, cultural and religious values. The study concludes that tourists consider vendors' behaviour and values conveyed through food, and experiences can be enhanced through eco-friendly actions and ethical behavior.