How can restaurants affect sales and guest behavior with background music?

Beyond cuisine and client service, the atmosphere plays a significant role in shaping customer perception of a hospitality brand. And music is an irreplaceable part of it. Furthermore, playing tailored background music for restaurants is a powerful, yet cost-effective way to create a memorable dining experience, boost customer retention, and drive sales.

In this article, we will consider how restaurants can strategically use music to influence guest behavior, from the purchase amount to food consumption and energy levels. Let’s start our journey.

• How music impacts restaurant profit and guest behavior
• How to select background music for restaurants
• Get the best music playlists for restaurants

How music impacts restaurant profit and guest behavior

1. Background music helps increase restaurant sales

Background music customized to a restaurant is proven to help increase their profit. When playing tailored music selections that reflect their culture, restaurants can boost overall sales by greater than 9%, as reported by HUI Research.

Some positions showcased more impressive results. For example, restaurants managed to push up dessert sales by over 15% and side dishes — by over 11%. 

When choosing background music for restaurants, you should consider attributes such as volume, tempo, and language. Take into account that music has to match your brand identity, the target audience’s preferences, and staff tastes.

It is also important to know the music’s psychological effects on consumer behavior. For instance, a study determined that the purchase amount in a restaurant was larger when music was soft in volume than it was loud regardless of music type. While the average check was $21.63 in the first case, it amounted to $18.57 in the second one.

On top of that, music tempo can affect the amount spent by visitors on drinks. Analysts say that slow background music encourages customers to order on average three drinks more per table in comparison with fast-paced songs, leading to a 40% profit growth. 

2. Music affects restaurant table turnover rate

Maximizing seat turnover rate is crucial to drive sales for certain types of dining places, especially fast-food restaurants, fast-casual restaurants, and bistros. The challenge is to improve the KPI without a negative impact on service quality and atmosphere. Here is where background music comes into play.

By playing certain kinds of background music for restaurants, it is possible to affect the speed at which diners take their food. Experts found that the tempo of music impacts the chew rate.

In the study, people were asked to eat several chocolate pieces when different-tempo songs were played at the venue. It is worth noting that the participants didn’t know about the research. 

The analysts discovered that eating time was significantly longer when streaming slow-paced compositions with notes connected into one another (“legato”) rather than when playing fast songs with notes played separately (“staccato”). 

Therefore, dining establishments can use fast-tempo energetic background music to turn tables faster and serve more guests. 

However, if your restaurant positioning implies calm peaceful rest and elegant ambiance, fast upbeat music is rarely a good option. In this case, it is advisable to focus on increasing a purchase check, not boosting seat turnover rate. So, soft quiet music will be a sure way.

3. Certain music for restaurants impacts the taste of food

Did you know that the right type of music for restaurants can actually affect what the food tastes like to your customers? Yes, surprising as it may sound, music is a great way to help your customers truly enjoy the food they have at your restaurant and leave them feeling quite content.

People mostly think that the senses of touch, taste, and smell only come to play when it comes to enjoying food, but your sense of hearing also has a significant role to play in the overall experience. 

The Guardian reported a scientific study that found that high-pitched music enhances sweet flavors, while lower-pitched music can make savory dishes more enjoyable. Why not use this to your advantage?

4. Background music influences consumer food choices

Background music may affect not only guest satisfaction but also their buying decisions when spending time at restaurants. The experts from the University of South Florida revealed that music volume has a direct influence on consumer food orders. 

The research determined that loud music causes diners to take unhealthy dishes—such as fries and burgers—since the volume of songs increases heartbeat and stimulation. Calm quiet music, in turn, contributes to a relaxed mood, making people more focused and mindful about food orders.

Another study found that upbeat hip and loud pop background music stimulates customers to pick more junk food whilst soft compositions force them to choose healthier dishes. 

Knowing this small science, HoReCa establishments can connect music with their cuisines, this way driving sales. If you have a fast-casual restaurant, you should play more loud music. In case you own a classic prestigious restaurant, we recommend that you opt for playlists with calm music, for example, soft jazz and instrumental tunes. 

5. Tailored music for restaurants can set customer mood

Playing tailored background music for restaurants, it is possible to set customer moods. For instance, music can create a sense of energy and excitement, making the environment more immersive and lively.

This is particularly topical for nights and evenings when keeping people engaged, socialized, and entertained is especially important.

To provide a vibrant dynamic atmosphere, dining places can stream upbeat and rhythmic tunes. Regarding genres, a music playlist for a restaurant can include genres like pop, jazz, or even some classic rock. This will help you encourage social interactions and cause guests to enjoy conversations more. 

For a romantic and intimate setting, you should consider soft and melodic tunes that enhance the sense of intimacy. Classical, acoustic, and jazz music can be excellent choices for designing a refined and sophisticated ambiance. 

How to select background music for restaurants

The strategic use of background music for restaurants will allow you to create the desired customer experiences, influence guest behavior, and increase profit. Therefore, music streaming may be an effective and cost-effective tool to design a memorable delightful atmosphere, boost the audience’s satisfaction, and drive sales.

In order to leverage the power of music, it is essential to carefully select playlists for your restaurant. For this purpose, you should consider the brand concept, guest preferences, staff tastes, and the ambiance you want to deliver. 

You should also take care of many aspects like streaming different songs throughout the day. Even 20-hour playlists often make people bored very quickly. On top of that, it is crucial to use only licensed music for a restaurant. Otherwise, you may have to pay significant fines or deal with lawsuits. 

Few establishments know that B2C solutions such as Spotify, YouTube Music, and Apple Music are not suitable for commercial goals, so music streaming at venues via these apps is simply illegal. In addition, you should have a plan B in case the Internet connection is lost. 

Get the best music playlists for restaurants

Moodby Play is a B2B music streaming platform that allows for resolving all the above mentioned issues. The service offers numerous music playlists for restaurants, with each composed by professional DJs. The music content is licensed for business use.

Furthermore, Moodby Play enables establishments to easily manage background music across multiple locations via an intuitive user interface. You can connect employees to the platform and use it from any device, from any place. 

Additionally, you will get access to Moodby digital jukebox that lets guests request their favorite songs when spending time at your venue. Helping you improve diner engagement and stand out from competitors, a mobile jukebox will become a unique selling point of your place.

If you have any questions about choosing the best background music for your restaurant or our product, you’re welcome to contact us via support@moodby.com. 

Our music experts are always ready to assist you and compile a personalized music station based on your specific needs. So, start your free trial.🎁