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Sweet Spot

Recently, we stopped by at Chinese restaurant at the local strip mall for early dinner. The supplies in the fridge did not inspire any creativity and the day had been too long to contemplate a grocery run. This place was very quiet and we were among the half a dozen people dining there. The food was good not great but that was the expectation given the type of establishment. But the quietness felt wonderful to have a conversation without needing to be loud. The level of loud at restaurants specially the ones that come highly rates is very frustrating for me. I was happy to have mediocre food in relative peace on a weeknight. Noise generally drives business but the the implication is that the diner is there for entertainment

Restaurant owners think they know something about their diners that their diners might not fully know about themselves: They enjoy busy spaces more than they realize. Customers tend to have more fun in louder environments. High-energy dining rooms are more likely to turn diners into repeat clients, they say. 

If you just want a decent meal and not a whole experience, then the loudness could prove a deterrent. Getting the balance right seems to be a pretty dynamic problem. Would be interesting to poll all tables a few times the course of dinner to see if the level of noise is high, low or just right and have the sound profile of the restaurant adapt to what the majority would like. 

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