Formal versus casual: How do customers respond to service robots’ uniforms? The roles of service type and language style

Although service robots wearing uniforms are increasingly common in hospitality services, little is known about how robot uniforms affect customers’ perceptions and behavioral intentions. Based on social response theory and the stereotype content model, this research investigates the effect of robot uniform style and how it interacts with language style on customers’ willingness to use robots (CWTUR) in utilitarian and hedonic services. The results of three scenario-based experiments reveal that customers prefer to use robots in formal uniforms for utilitarian services, while for hedonic services, they are likely to use robots in casual uniforms. These effects are mediated by competence perception and warmth perception, respectively. Furthermore, social-oriented (vs. task-oriented) language is found to enhance the effect of uniform style on CWTUR in hedonic services, but not in utilitarian services. We present the theoretical and practical implications for robot aesthetic management. •Customers experience different stereotypes towards robots with different styles of uniforms.•Robots with formal uniforms are favored in utilitarian services.•Robots with casual uniforms are favored in hedonic services.•Competence and warmth perceptions are the underlying mechanisms explaining these effects.•Social-oriented language enhance the effect of uniform style on customers’ willingness to use robots in hedonic services.