How do calorie-ending and price-ending matter in the food consumption decision making?

This study conducted two experiments to investigate the relationship among calorie-ending, health motivation, price-ending and desire to save money from food consumption. For Study 1, an online experiment employing a 2 (culinary tour advertisement: up to 1,999 calories per day vs. up to 2,000 calories per day) × 2 (health motivation: high or low) between-subjects design was conducted. For Study 2, an online experiment employing a 2 (price-ending: 1,999 calories culinary tour at $60.00 vs. 1,999 calories culinary tour at $59.99) × 2 (health motivation: high or low) × 2 (level of desire to save money: high or low) between-subjects design was conducted. Study 1’s findings indicated that highly health-motivated consumers are more likely to purchase a culinary tour with 1,999 calories and feel anticipated guilt for participating in a culinary tour with 2,000 calories. Study 2 found a significant three-way interaction between health motivation, desire to save money from consumption and price-ending with odd-ending calories via a three-way ANOVA. The findings revealed a statistically significant, simple two-way interaction between health motivation and desire to save money from consumption of the 1,999 calories culinary tour at $59.99, but not for the 1,999 calories culinary tour at $60.00. Foodservice marketers need to use calorie information based on the left-digit or level effect, to lead consumers to simultaneously reduce a level of anticipated guilt for purchasing the culinary tour and enjoy the provided foods and drinks.