الفهرس 
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Abstract
Locally grown and freshly produced food (from farms to restaurant tables) has grown significantly over the last decades. Yet, despite the growing popularity of the local food movement worldwide, theoretically based research on this movement in the restaurant industry has just begun. Hence, there is a knowledge gap in understanding the local food movement and what motivates and hinders consumers from having local meals in Egyptian restaurants. Therefore, the study aims to fill this knowledge gap and broadens the current research base by adopting the theory of planned behavior to predict local food consumption in Egyptian restaurants. The influence of motivational factors, the perceived social pressure of others, and perceived barriers on respondents’ attitudes regarding consuming local meals at restaurants are investigated. In addition, the impact of these attitudes on consumers; intentions are identified. Moreover, the moderating roles of both subjective norms and perceived behavioral control are investigated in this study.
Data were collected through two tools. First, a survey was used in collecting data from a sample panel of 698 respondents. Data analysis (SPSS & AMOS) revealed that seven motivational factors have a positive effect on the respondents’ attitudes. However, health consciousness was found to be the strongest motive of the attitude, followed by concerns for the environment and information-seeking. As well, it’s noted that the social pressure from families and the perceived barriers of lack of promotion and trust in local food sellers contributed significantly to the prediction of the attitude. Also, the positive moderating roles of the perceived social pressure and the perceived barriers in the relationship between consumers’ attitude and their intention are noted. Moreover, the results indicated that there is a significant influential role of respondents’ attitudes on their intentions to consume local meals at a restaurant. Finally, it was noted that motivational factors, Subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control varied according to the differences in the respondents’ demographic characteristics.
Second, structured interviews were conducted with decision-makers at food and beverage estab-lishments located in Alexandria city. A descriptive analysis of the data obtained from these inter-views showed that their perceptions of many benefits when deciding to implement local sourcing food practices to their menus such as meeting consumers’ needs, better quality attributes, food safety assurance, promoting health well-being, economic development, social support, and envi-ronmental benefits. The descriptive analysis also addressed many perceived barriers they may face when sourcing local foods such as an unreliable source of local foods, lack of information or awareness of local foods, and food safety assurance. Finally, the study provides recommendations for both decision-makers in food and beverage service establishments and the Egyptian govern-ment as well.