<![CDATA[Rural catering enterprises face increasingly intense competition, as reflected in the fluctuating order volumes experienced by Pawon Fitri Catering in Sambeng District, Lamongan Regency, despite its relatively affordable pricing. This suggests that purchase decisions are not determined by price alone but are also shaped by consumers' perceptions of product attributes. This study examines the effects of taste, food quality, and menu variety on purchase decisions, both directly and through price as an intervening variable. An explanatory quantitative approach with a survey method was employed at Pawon Fitri Catering, Sambeng, Lamongan. The population comprised 1,400 consumers, from which a sample of 104 respondents was determined through purposive sampling based on the Slovin formula. Data were collected using a Likert-scale questionnaire and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling with SmartPLS version 4. The findings reveal that taste significantly affects both purchase decisions and price, whereas food quality and menu variety do not directly affect purchase decisions but significantly influence price. Price significantly affects purchase decisions and mediates the effects of the three exogenous variables, partially for taste and fully for food quality and menu variety. These findings confirm price's dual role, indicating that catering businesses should align their product strategies with appropriate pricing policies to enhance consumers' purchase decisions]]>
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