It’s a restaurant owner’s dream: a lively ambience with delicious food, crowded tables, vibrant music and buzzy energy.
But is it a diner’s nightmare?
A bustling eatery can feel like a dreadful enclosed box if the noise level gets too high, making it impossible to converse with friends or even hear the server.
When the South Florida Sun Sentinel asked readers if restaurants were getting too noisy, many admitted that dining out has become a challenge for them due to extreme sound levels.
“Lately, more and more places have become unbearably loud,” Coral Springs resident Steve Feinberg said. “In some, background music is played at concert volume. This forces guests to practically scream over the music just to have a conversation.”
The noise can be close to unbearable, said Steve Ruprecht, of Delray Beach.
“Somewhere along the way, restaurants decided that dinner should come with a side of eardrum damage,” Ruprecht said. “Between overcrowded layouts and DJs moonlighting as playlist curators, the noise levels in some places make it easier to text the person next to you than actually talk to them.”
Restaurants field lots of complaints, from food quality to air conditioning issues, but surveys show noise is a major dining irritant. A 2018 Zagat National Dining Trends report listed noise as the worst annoyance at 24%, followed closely by service (23%). Crowds (15%), high prices (12%) and parking (10%) also made the list.
It’s no surprise that some people are attracted to raucous dining venues, such as sports bars or dance clubs. And many restaurant owners have seen the studies that show pumping up music brings in revenue: A 2008 report found that Top 40 songs, blasted to a deafening 88 decibels, led to more beers ordered in less time.
Still, other studies show it’s important for these establishments to limit the clamor. Sound levels higher than 85 decibels can damage customers’ and workers’ hearing, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Researchers say restaurant noise should measure 55 to 65 decibels for people to be able to talk. A 2024 study showed that the frequency of noise complaints from diners started increasing at around 70 decibels.
Have restaurants become noisier?
Some say the “industrial-chic” restaurant aesthetic that started in the 1990s marked the beginning of widespread American restaurant cacophony. Owners gave up on cushioned seating, carpeting and thick curtains, and replaced them with concrete floors and high ceilings — not to mention open kitchens with clanging pots, whirring fans and bellowing chefs that added to the boisterous atmosphere.
Eric Anderson, managing partner of the The Butcher & The Bar in Boynton Beach, said he moved into his space in 2020 and decided to keep the existing concrete floor and ceiling for an “industrial feel.”
“I knew it would be loud,” he said.
He bought acoustic tile for the ceiling and artwork to absorb sound. He invested in a stereo system with volume control on each speaker. Still, on a scale of 1 to 5, he says the space hits a 4 on a crowded evening, with music ranging from ’70s funk to blues-rock bands such as The Allman Brothers.
“People are drinking,” he said. “We don’t want them to have to yell, but we want the music to be heard. They are having a good time, laughing, joking. Sometimes you have a couple of people who are naturally loud talkers (as am I).”
Although Anderson operates a bar-restaurant where the volume increases as the night proceeds, most restaurants should be playing background music that is “not recognizable,” said Eric Bass, an adjunct professor at Florida International University’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management.
“People should be able to hear each other across the table,” Bass said. “If people can’t hear each other, they won’t come back.”
But restaurant owners must weigh sound among many cost considerations as they wrestle with a tight budget.
“It’s not something that improves the visual vibe, so sometimes it’s one of the first things that gets excluded,” said Eddie Pozzuoli, owner of five restaurants in Palm Beach and Broward counties.
At his Eddie & Vinny’s in Coral Springs, the ceiling has been sprayed with 2.5-inch thick acoustic insulation, he said, and there are speakers over most tables so music doesn’t have to be blasted across the restaurant.
If diners complain about loudness, Pozzuoli said his staff tries to accommodate them.
“We can offer to move them outside, or we can take the volume down in their zone,” he said. “We approach this with empathy. Our restaurants are lively, but not at shouting levels.”
Tips if you’re looking for a mellow evening out
Avoid the rush. Arrive at the restaurant before peak dining hours so it’s less crowded.
Call ahead and ask about sound levels and music. Restaurant managers are usually familiar with their acoustic systems and should be able to say whether their atmospheres are amenable to conversation.
Try to sit by a wall or in a corner. These spots are not always quieter, but at least there will be fewer people surrounding you. “You don’t want to hear what your neighbors are talking about,” said FIU’s Bass.
Check reviews. On platforms such as OpenTable and Yelp, diners often mention sound levels as they review restaurants. Or check if the noise level at a restaurant you’re interested in has been worthy of mention in discussion groups online. (It’s certainly a topic of conversation on “Let’s Eat, South Florida,” the South Florida Sun Sentinel’s foodie Facebook group.)
Download this app. SoundPrint is a crowd-sourced collection of venues that allows users to measure a restaurant’s noise levels and share it with fellow diners. You can search for restaurants based on how loud they are and also filter for cuisine type and distance.
Set hearing aids to adjust for noise. Many modern hearing aids have a “restaurant mode” that reduces background sounds and focuses on the voice in front of the wearer. Those without hearing aids can buy noise reduction earpieces such as Loop Experience Earplugs, which say they “make sure you still hear everything, just a little less loud.”