Digital Reputation Formation through Customer Complaints: Evidence from Far Eastern Restaurants in an Urban Context

Abstract

This study examines how recurring complaint patterns in user-generated reviews shape digital reputation formation for Far Eastern restaurants in Ankara. Using a purposive sample of 860 TripAdvisor reviews collected between 2015 and 2025 (117 complaint-containing reviews; 122 coded complaint instances), we integrate Social Identity Theory (SIT) and the Cultural Adaptation Model (CAM) to propose a three-step mechanism wherein perceived cultural authenticity mediates identity-congruence effects on reputational vulnerability, while adaptation strategies moderate these relations. Methodologically, the paper combines theory-informed thematic coding with quantitative content analysis (temporal comparisons, co-occurrence matrices, intra-brand dispersion; CV = 0.43) to link qualitative complaint themes to measurable reputation dynamics. Results show that service quality, food quality, and staff attitude are the principal drivers of negative evaluations; perceptions of inauthenticity amplify negative judgments and frequently co-occur with operational failures. A descriptive post-pandemic increase in hygiene complaints is observed but does not survive conservative multiple-comparison correction. Managerial implications include integrated complaint management, authenticity-sensitive marketing, and targeted staff training to mitigate user-generated reputational risk. The study contributes a socio-cultural, process-oriented account of digital reputation in ethnically framed hospitality contexts and offers a replicable mixed-methods approach for future comparative research.