Music volume can either add to your venue's atmosphere or detract from it. Here’s some tips on how to get it right.
Restaurant critic Jay Rayner once said, “One of the joys of restaurants is that they’re a brilliant place for disclosure. If you’re going, ‘Sorry, what? You did what? To whom?’ you’re going to miss out on the juicy details. What’s the fun?”
Music can influence how quickly we eat[1]. When lower volume music is playing we eat at a more relaxed pace[2], more chance of increasing per table spend. If the volume increases, customers will tend to increase their rate of chewing[3], good for table turn.
High volume beats ignite excitement and increase heart rate which drives customers to order unhealthier food options. Quieter music makes us calm and mindful of what we order.[4] If you have an excess of F&V, you know what you've got to do to move them.
Selecting the right volume can have a huge impact in your business and brand. “A Tex-Mex Restaurant might play trendy salsa and upbeat Jazz at a higher volume. The music sets a fast pace, fits the theme and establishes fun, causing patrons to linger and “see what they’ll play next”. A higher-end gourmet restaurant might select lower-volume background music, usually light classical and jazz instead”[5]. Usually matching the volume of music to the energy of the room is the way to go.
1 - Smith & Curnow, 1966.
2 - Milliman, 1982, 1986; Smith and Curnow, 1966.
3 - Smith & Curnow, 1966
4 - Sounds like a healthy retail atmospheric strategy: Effects of ambient music and background noise on food sales, 2018
5 - Expert Advice for Successful Restaurant Music, Joe Blackmon, 2009
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