Picking the Perfect Soundtrack
Dining out is about the experience just as much as it’s about the food. The ambiance of your establishment makes a difference. It’s important to consider what your diners are hearing as well as what they’re seeing and tasting. Use these tips to ensure your soundtrack really is music to diners’ ears.
- According to a study by Soundtrack Your Brand, a consulting firm based in Sweden, diners like to hear a mixture of familiar and lesser-known songs.
- If your restaurant has a theme, diners are expecting to hear music that fits. In fact, they’d rather have silence than music that’s out of theme.
- It’s recommended to have a playlist that’s much longer than you’d expect to need. Curator Alf Tumble suggests having a soundtrack of at least 600 songs.
- When it comes to volume, you don’t have to set it and forget it. Try adjusting the volume of your music based on the number of guests seated. If you have a full house, you’ll need to turn it up. Conversely, slower times call for softer sounds.
- It’s also helpful to adjust the energy level in addition to the volume of the songs you’re playing. Busier times call for higher-energy music, while not-so-busy times lend themselves to something more mellow.
Find more super-helpful hints for the front and back of house in our Tips section.
SOURCES
Pilon, Annie. Restaurant Customers Prefer Silence, Small Business Trends, April 2017.
Hansegård, Jens. Music in restaurants: From beginner to pro in less than eight minutes, Soundtrack Your Brand, September 2016.
