The chef has been trained by Pierre White; the service is 5 star; the décor is a designer’s dream, but there’s something missing. You can’t quite put your finger on it but you just don’t feel right. You eat there once and never go back.
Recent research by Psychologist Charles Areni has revealed that successful restaurants also understand that sound can be as influential as the food itself in creating our gut impressions of a restaurant.
Customers Eat by the Beat
Many of the managers interviewed claimed that they could change a person’s dining speed just by changing the tempo of the background music. Sounds like a bold claim, but it actually works! Research shows that diners subconsciously match their eating speed with musical speed.
“Over our morning tea when we’re really busy and people are only here for a short stay we play slightly more up-tempo music, sort of like funky jazz kind of music to encourage that sort of move in, move out, because we want to turn our seats over as fast as possible”
Is Background Music Always Needed In A Restaurant?
According to one restaurant manager,
“There’s nothing worse than a quiet restaurant unless you’re a quaint little teashop up in the mountains somewhere where you’ve got, you know, beautiful mountain surroundings and bird noises.”
Since the average eatery is located somewhere between a noisy intersection and a competing restaurant, managers turn to music as an easy way to create a unique atmosphere.
What’s Classier than Classical?
Classical music – calming and sophisticated or annoyingly neutral? To some restaurant managers, classical music’s “classiness” is arguable. They believe their customers can see through the ploy. Ironically, the once rebellious and “immoral” genre of jazz has become a substitute for classical music at the upscale dinner table.
As one manager commented,
“Younger people now associate jazz with success…There was a time I guess when classical music would do that. Classical music tends to be a little bit too cheesy now.”
Do We Really Need to Pump Up The Volume?
Some restaurants may actually be blasting their customers away. WNYC’s John Schaefer talks with critics and restaurant owners about the volume of music in restaurants.
Subtle background music can create an impression that a restaurant is busy, even when it’s really not. Louder music puts diners in “party mode” and fills any awkward silences. Really loud music makes intelligent conversation nearly impossible – one reason pubs and clubs may crank the volume!
What sounds work for you while you eat? Do you notice? Have you ever walked out of a restaurant because of the music? Where do they play the best music in town? We’d love to hear your thoughts.
Charlie McCarron, Sound Consultant
Ruth Simmons, Managing Director
soundlounge
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