Creating Atmosphere

When people go out to eat, they aren’t just looking for food, they’re looking for an experience. Most businesses who deal in the restaurant industry understand this and they seek to make an all encompassing ambiance. They understand that atmosphere, in many cases, brings as many people in as the food. There are many factors that go into creating a wonderful atmosphere for your diners, such as the decorations, the attire and attitude of your staff, and the silverware you use. Here we are mainly going to focus on music and why it is important. Included are some tips on the best way to effectively use music to drive your restaurant business.

Choosing a Genre

As we know through experience, not only do certain types of music attract certain types of people, but music also create a certain type of atmosphere for your establishment. If you want to attract a younger crowd, perhaps a bit of light rock or chill-hop (a lighter form of Hip Hop) would work for your restaurant or your bar. However, if you are seeking to attract a more upscale clientele, then perhaps you may want to use either jazz or country. I know many would be surprised by the suggestion of country but it is listened to by 40% of the population, many of whom own their own businesses and make over six figures. Try to stay away from elevator music, or easy listening music. You want to drive an atmosphere where people are chatting and actively interacting with each other as they eat, not getting sleepy.

Deciding on Tempo

Once you have the genre of music you wish to use, what you want to focus on next is the tempo and the volume. A faster tempo of music is better suited for a bar or nightclub style atmosphere, and a slower tempo will be more inclined for your traditional steakhouses, lounges, and specialty food restaurants such as Chinese or Indian style restaurants. It is also important to be aware of the volume of the music in your establishment. If you make it too loud it distracts from your customers’ dining experience. People don’t go to restaurants just to enjoy the food, they go to enjoy each other’s company, catch up with each other, and converse. Too loud of music would make this difficult for them. On the flip side, music that is too low would defeat the purpose of playing music all together. When trying to find the right volume just turn the music up while someone on the other side of the room is speaking and when they are about twice as audible as the music itself, that would be a suitable volume.

Final Notes

Another thing you must be aware of as you choose your music is the copyright. There is a chance that you may be infringing on someone’s copyright if you simply play music from a streaming service or from your own personal playlist. Above all else, try to make sure that the music you are playing matches the atmosphere you are trying to create with the theme of your restaurant. Mismatched music will confuse people and make it less likely that they will return.

For more information about creating restaurant atmosphere, visit Italian Garden, located downtown in San Marcos, TX.