This study investigates the mechanism by which customers’ affective and cognitive states drive their behavioural intentions towards upscale restaurants. With stimulus-organism-response (SOR) theory as a backbone, two competing mediation scenarios; one-step versus two-step mediation are examined. A dataset of 425 conveniently selected valid responses was used to test the models. Structural equation modelling shows that customer behavioural intentions were better explained by a cognitive-affective mediated model than by one-step mediated model. The results of hypotheses testing reveal the significance of restaurant design in enrichening customers’ cognitive experience, thus, eliciting their affective states, which ultimately affect their behavioural intentions. This paper shows the applicability of the cognitive theory of emotions in explaining restaurant design-customer behavioural intentions relationship. The results also provide insights for restaurant operators on how the design characteristics of their restaurants can be best utilised to encourage positive customer responses. Discussion, conclusion and future work are also provided.