arbiter
JournalsAccount

Driving Reward-Based Crowdfunding Success: CSR Orientation and Risk Disclosure in U.S. Restaurant Campaigns

Ngoc Tran Nguyen et al.

Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research2026https://doi.org/10.1177/10963480251415223article
AJG 2ABDC A
Weight
0.50

Abstract

Crowdfunding has become a vital financing option for early-stage restaurant ventures, yet many campaigns fail to meet their funding goals. As competition intensifies, understanding what drives campaign success is critical. This study examines how corporate social responsibility (CSR) orientation affects reward-based crowdfunding outcomes and how risk communication moderates this relationship. Logistic and OLS regressions were used to analyze 1,777 U.S. Kickstarter restaurant campaigns for a proposed inverted U-shaped relationship between CSR and funding outcomes. Results revealed that moderate CSR engagement improves performance, while excessive CSR emphasis leads to diminishing returns. However, when project descriptions communicate higher levels of risk, the relationship shifts toward a U-shape, with stronger CSR orientation improving funding outcomes under uncertainty. This study advances understanding of CSR in crowdfunding by showing its non-linear effects and the role of risk, providing clear guidance for entrepreneurs to design more effective campaigns.

Open via your library →

Cite this paper

https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/10963480251415223

Or copy a formatted citation

@article{ngoc2026,
  title        = {{Driving Reward-Based Crowdfunding Success: CSR Orientation and Risk Disclosure in U.S. Restaurant Campaigns}},
  author       = {Ngoc Tran Nguyen et al.},
  journal      = {Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research},
  year         = {2026},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/10963480251415223},
}

Paste directly into BibTeX, Zotero, or your reference manager.

Flag this paper

Driving Reward-Based Crowdfunding Success: CSR Orientation and Risk Disclosure in U.S. Restaurant Campaigns

Flags are reviewed by the Arbiter methodology team within 5 business days.

Evidence weight

0.50

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20
M · momentum0.50 × 0.15 = 0.07
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

† Text relevance is estimated at 0.50 on the detail page — for your query’s actual relevance score, open this paper from a search result.