Consumers’ Perceptions and Attitudes toward Halal-Certified Cafés: Evidence from Lombok, Indonesia

Abstract

The rapid growth of the halal food and beverage industry has increased the importance of understanding consumer behavior toward halal-certified cafés as emerging lifestyle consumption spaces. This study examines consumers’ perceptions and attitudes toward halal-certified cafés and explores how halal awareness, halal certification and labeling, and religious responsibility relate to café visit decisions. The study applied quantitative descriptive design, gathering data from café consumers through an online questionnaire that generated 103 valid responses. Descriptive statistical analysis was conducted using frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations. The findings indicate high halal awareness and strong expectations for visible halal certification, which functions not only as a religious marker but also as a signal of hygiene and quality. Religious responsibility strongly shapes consumer attitudes; however, many respondents do not strictly avoid non-certified cafés, revealing an attitude–behavior gap influenced by lifestyle and situational factors. The study contributes by highlighting that halal attributes operate simultaneously as religious, trust, and quality signals in contemporary café consumption contexts. Practical implications are provided for café operators and policymakers in strengthening consumer confidence in halal-certified establishments.