Human chemosensations play a crucial role in influencing food preference and consumption. Hence, chemosensory disorders often alter eating behaviors. This study delved into the repercussions of olfactory dysfunction on the assessment of food sensory importance and explored whether individuals employ adaptive strategies beyond olfaction to cope with such disorders. Additionally, we examined the interplay between the subjective and objective olfactory abilities and their influence on the perceived importance of olfaction as an indicator for unsuccessful coping. We adapted the Importance of Olfaction Questionnaire to assess the participants’ attitudes toward the importance of the food smell, food texture and food taste, respectively. We conducted a survey involving 426 participants, categorizing them based on their “Sniffin’ Sticks” test scores as normosmia, hyposmia, or anosmia groups. Thorough otorhinolaryngological evaluations, including psychophysical chemosensory tests, were administered to all participants. The results showed that compared to participants with normosmia, individuals with olfactory loss not only diminished their emphasis on olfaction but also significantly lowered their importance ratings for food taste (hyposmia and anosmia) and texture (anosmia). Notably, individuals with parosmia placed heightened importance on smell and taste. Moreover, the reduced importance of food smell in people with olfactory loss was evident in those with a poor self-evaluated sense of smell. These findings suggest that the existence of an adaptive coping mechanism in people with olfactory dysfunctions to a lower importance of multiple sensory attributes of food. Furthermore, inaccurate self-rated olfactory ability appears to be an indicator for assessing the psychological well-being of patients with olfactory disorders, aiding in the identification of those who may require additional attention and support.