Objective: With the expansion of digital technologies in the service industry, particularly augmented reality (AR), customer experiences in restaurant and café environments have entered a new stage. Augmented reality, by combining virtual and real elements, enables interactive menu displays, food previews, and the creation of a multisensory experience that can influence customers’ cognitive and emotional perceptions. In this context, variables such as aesthetic perception, service aesthetic appeal, and source credibility play an important role in shaping users’ attitudes and responses toward this technology. However, the psychological mechanisms through which these factors influence interest in augmented reality applications and the enjoyment of the dining experience—especially through mediating variables such as product involvement and augmented reality flow experience—have received limited scholarly attention. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine the effects of aesthetic perception, service aesthetic appeal, and source credibility on interest in augmented reality applications and dining enjoyment, considering the mediating roles of product involvement and augmented reality flow experience among university students in Tehran.

Methods: In terms of purpose, this research is applied, and in terms of data collection method, it is a descriptive–survey study of a correlational type. The statistical population consisted of all students who use augmented reality applications in restaurants and cafés in Tehran. Given the unlimited population size, the sample size was estimated at 384 respondents using Cochran’s formula, and participants were selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected using a standardized questionnaire based on previous studies. The validity of the instrument was confirmed through content and construct validity, and its reliability was verified using Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliability. To test the research hypotheses and examine the causal relationships among the variables, structural equation modeling based on the partial least squares approach (PLS‑SEM) and Smart‑PLS software were employed. The evaluation of measurement and structural model fit indices indicated the adequacy and acceptable quality of the proposed model.

Results: The results of the data analysis showed that service aesthetic appeal and source credibility had a positive and significant effect on dining enjoyment and represented the strongest predictors of this variable. In addition, aesthetic perception had a positive effect on interest in using augmented reality applications. The mediation analysis revealed that flow experience played a significant mediating role in the relationship between service aesthetic appeal and dining enjoyment. This finding indicates that the more users experience immersion and deep concentration while interacting with augmented reality applications, the greater the level of enjoyment they perceive from the dining experience. Furthermore, product involvement strengthened the relationship between aesthetic variables and interest in augmented reality applications. Overall, the results suggest that the visual and perceptual dimensions of service, along with brand and information source credibility, play a decisive role in shaping customers’ emotional and behavioral experiences within emerging technology-based environments.

Conclusions: Based on the findings, the successful implementation of augmented reality technology in the restaurant industry is not limited to technological innovation alone; it also requires simultaneous attention to the visual quality of the environment and food, attractive and user-friendly application design, and the reinforcement of brand and information source credibility. Creating an aesthetic and credible experience can enhance customers’ enjoyment through increasing cognitive involvement and flow experience, and consequently strengthen their intention to use innovative technologies.