Customer incivility is common in the hospitality industry. Assuming a resource scarcity perspective, this study investigates the interpersonal transmission of such incivility in the service context. We proposed that: (i) fellow customers’ incivility (i.e., as a reminder of resource competition) can trigger focal customers’ incivility; (ii) focal customers’ self-interest concerns (i.e., resource competition–induced selfishness) mediate the positive relationship between focal customers’ and fellow customers’ incivility (i.e., selfishness promotes special access to resources); and (iii) when attributing fellow customers’ incivility to an employee’s mistake, focal customers display greater self-interest concerns and express stronger incivility. Data from 302 customer–employee dyads generally supported our hypotheses. This study expands the understanding of bystander effects on customer incivility. Findings will also help service providers treat customer incivility more rationally and implement measures to help mitigate it.

客人不礼貌在酒店业很常见。假设资源稀缺的观点，本研究调查了这种不文明行为在服务环境中的人际传播。我们提出：（i）其他客户的不文明行为（即作为资源竞争的提示）会引发焦点客户的不文明行为；(ii) 焦点客户的自身利益关注（即资源竞争引起的自私）调解了焦点客户与其他客户的不文明行为之间的正相关关系（即自私促进了对资源的特殊访问）；(iii) 当将其他顾客的不礼貌行为归因于员工的错误时，焦点顾客会表现出更大的自身利益担忧并表现出更强的不礼貌行为。来自 302 个客户-员工组合的数据普遍支持我们的假设。这项研究扩展了旁观者对顾客不文明行为的影响的理解。调查结果还将帮助服务提供商更理性地对待客户的不文明行为，并采取措施帮助减轻这种行为。