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This study examined how taste compensation is affected by mortality salience and its mechanisms during the pandemic. It conducted four studies and confirmed that mortality salience can cause consumers to seek stronger taste compensation, and the mediating role of compensation motivation. Additionally, low self-efficacy leads consumers to rely more on external compensation, as the impact of mortality salience upon compensating motivation can be negatively moderated by self-efficacy. This study identified new antecedents of F&B taste that add to the literature on compensatory consumption and pandemic research. It also helps hospitality managers and marketers to better understand consumers' dietary preferences and modify their business strategies accordingly during and after the COVID-19 outbreak.