A recent article in the Washington Post focused on an aspect of the built environment that rarely gets mainstream attention: excessive noise levels in restaurants. Bishop Sand, an audio producer, along with Lily Wang, Director of the Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, provided a helpful introduction to the problem of earsplitting restaurants. (In addition to Sand and Wang, Post food critic Tom Sietsema, who added decibel-level readings to his reviews a few years ago, makes a worthwhile appearance.)
A 2018 Zagat Dining Trends Survey revealed that noise is the top complaint of restaurant-goers, ahead of the perennial irritant of poor service. (And poor service and uncomfortable noise levels probably intersect. After all, if you have trouble communicating with your server over a roaring din, the possibility of having the wrong entree set before you increases.) But excess noise in restaurants goes far beyond mere annoyance. As Bishop Sand notes: “Our brains have a tough time sorting through the cacophony in crowded dining rooms, which can influence our behavior. Multiple studies show that prolonged exposure to noise has physical effects such as increased anxiety and fatigue. Taken together, these effects can make the restaurant experience more taxing than relaxing for patrons, and they can leave staff drained from a long day straining to offer service while risking permanent hearing damage.”
Yet, while the Post article did an admirable job in highlighting certain aspects of clamorous restaurants and offering a few solutions, the piece suffers from one glaring oversight: the effects of noise on taste perception. Indeed, of the mainstream outlets that have recently covered the issue of loud restaurants (including Vox, Bon Appetit, the New York Times, and the Post) none of them mention taste.
Sewickley Tavern. Studio St. Germain
According to some research studies, loud environments can flatten the perception of saltiness and sweetness in certain foods. At the same time, excessive noise levels may veil or mask aromas, seemingly undermining a key experience of dining out altogether. Although the science behind how noise affects taste is still ongoing, studies have shown that excessive decibel levels —the kind found in many restaurants—can interfere with sensory perception enough to distort the flavor of certain foods. Other possible explanations for the effect noise has on food perception are simple distraction and, more complex, biochemical responses to a nerve-racking environment. Continuous noise at high decibel levels causes the body to release cortisol and adrenaline, stress hormones that may momentarily short-circuit the gustatory system.
There are several reasons why noise complaints in restaurants have risen over the years. In trying to create a vibrant environment, restaurant owners have gone overboard with music, turning their speakers up so loud that they create a sonic chain reaction: diners begin to shout at each other to hear themselves over the songs, creating a virtual cacophony. And while many diners find the drama and hectic craft of an open kitchen mesmerizing, the clash and clatter of a lively “back of the house” can be thunderous enough to raise your blood pressure.
Modern design trends, streamlined if not outright minimalist, also contribute to excessive noise. Despite their capacity to absorb or deflect sound, carpeting, tablecloths, drapes, upholstery, and the occasional decorative screen are relics of the past, unlikely to become fashionable again. The stripped-down, sometimes raw decor of contemporary restaurants—usually box-shaped and dominated by hard, flat surfaces—allows sound to travel unimpeded and to ricochet throughout the space. For the Sewickley Tavern, Studio St. Germain used an acoustical plaster ceiling system and a micro-perforated tin ceiling for sound absorption. These elements not only reduced noise significantly, but they also stood out for their aesthetic appeal. One of the drawbacks of soundproofing is how unattractive it can be. Spray foams, organic polyboard, and wall panels are hardly classy decor choices. In addition, Studio St. Germain installed noise-measuring sensors in the dining and kitchen areas to monitor the decibel levels for both diners and staff in real-time
Sewickley Tavern Decibel Level Performance Data. Studio St. Germain.
While not every restaurant should aspire to sound like a monastery, it is also counterintuitive to imitate the deafening ambience of the Hard Rock Cafe or a bar-and- grill with a jukebox in the corner. Steady exposure to decibel levels above 80 (a common figure in restaurants) can also cause long-term harm to employees, from servers to line cooks to bussers to hosts/hostesses. Because of constant exposure, hearing loss is a serious potential hazard to restaurant workers; for diners, who are less likely to linger under sonic bombardment, a night at a dB-oblivious establishment can be frustrating and uncomfortable.
It was only a matter of time before the backlash to sonic overload hit. The restaurant industry is highly competitive in the best of times; after years of struggling during the pandemic, survival might mean making new adjustments. Remote work, shut-downs, the growth of meal-preparation kits and delivery services such as DoorDash and Grubhub not only made diners accustomed to eating at home, but these alternatives also made them less tolerant of middling experiences. Because restaurants rely on “regulars” —repeat customers—for long-term success, perfecting the atmosphere is crucial. If excessive noise is not enough to deter a gourmand, then the inexplicably bland taste of the house specials may.