Submit a Manuscript to the Journal
Journal of Foodservice Business Research
For a Special Issue on
The Trend of Hybrid and Virtual Dining Experiences
Manuscript deadline
Special Issue Editor(s)
Joseph Lok Man Lee,
Division of Business and Hospitability Management, College of Professional and Continuing Education, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
[email protected]
Helen Shun-Mun Wong,
Division of Business and Hospitability Management, College of Professional and Continuing Education, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
[email protected]
The Trend of Hybrid and Virtual Dining Experiences
Dining experiences have undergone significant changes due to the catering industry’s operational demands, changing consumer preferences, and enhanced technology (Han et al., 2026). While satisfying customers with flexibility and new experiences, technology-driven hybrid and virtual dining help restaurants stay viable, effective, and competitive in a turbulent market. Whereas virtual eating focuses on delivery-focused firms that only exist online, hybrid models blend digital and physical dining components, such as online ordering, AR/VR-enhanced surroundings, and digital menu customisation (İntepea and Demirgül, 2024).
Given the intricate association between technology and dining experience of the food service industry, this special issue aims to fill the apparent research gap in future dining. With digital innovation and experiential design at the heart of future dining success, this transformation signifies a fundamental shift in the way food service organisations function and engage with their customers. Our approach to this issue is all-encompassing, covering topics such as hybrid dining experience, virtual restaurant innovations, AI-related customisation of meals, digital ordering system, virtual kitchen operations and health-support virtual platforms.
Special issue information:
The purpose of this special issue is to promote knowledge of business theories and practices by accepting food service research pertaining to specific firm-level or industry-level analysis in a global or national setting, cross-country comparison, or single-country analysis with a global dimension. Some possible topics are, but are not restricted to:
- Hybrid dining experience with augmented plating and entertainment
- Virtual restaurant innovation strategies with sustainability
- AI-related customisation of meals with service innovation
- Digital ordering system of food service corporations: A cross-country comparison
- Virtual kitchen operations within the global competitive arena
- Health-support virtual platforms for target food service customers
Submission Instructions
Manuscript submission information:
Journal of Foodservice Business Research’s submission system is open for submissions for the Special Issue “The Trend of Hybrid and Virtual Dining Experiences” from October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026. Please submit your manuscript to the Editorial Manager and select 'Yes' to the question on submitting in response to a call for papers, and select the Special Issue title. Publication of accepted manuscripts is expected to start on a rolling basis.
Article types accepted: Original (Research) Articles, Research Notes. Please select the article type 'Article' in the JFBR Submission Portal for both.
Original (Research) articles
Structure and word limits are the same as the Regular Issue. A typical paper for this journal should be no more than 25 pages or 8,000 words
Research notes
Structure: Research Notes (RNs) provide a forum for brief communication on empirical research themes or methodological advancements relevant to the food service industry. RNs are supposed to present new approaches, methodological updates, exploratory work, or preliminary findings before conducting a full-scale study.
Word limits: A typical research note for this journal should be no more than 8 pages or 3,000 words.
All papers will undergo peer review in accordance with the policies of Taylor & Francis and JFBR. This special issue will feature either a virtual SI or a collection of articles. Instead of waiting for a compilation of all eventually accepted articles, accepted articles will be submitted to production instantly. Articles from this Special Issue will be identified as special issue articles. Before submitting your manuscript, please make sure you have read the Guide for Authors.