Why Loud Music Has No Place in a High-End Dining Establishment

Loud music can be exhilarating, energising, and even liberating – but it needs the right setting. A nightclub? Certainly. A bustling city bar? Absolutely. 

But when it comes to high-end restaurants and fine dining establishments, blaring beats and booming basslines simply don't belong.

Here’s why:

1. Fine Dining is About Atmosphere – Not Assaulting the Senses

High-end dining is meant to be a sensory experience: beautifully presented food, refined service, elegant surroundings, and a peaceful ambiance. Loud music shatters that atmosphere. Diners aren’t there to shout over their carpaccio or raise their voice to order a wine pairing. They expect sophistication, calm, and a space that allows conversation and focus on the meal.

2. People Pay for the Whole Experience – Not Just the Food

When someone books a table at a prestigious restaurant, they’re investing in the full package. They want to savour the flavours, enjoy the company they’re with, and immerse themselves in a carefully curated environment. When the music is too loud, it interrupts that flow – and it can come across as disrespectful to the culinary artistry on display.

3. Noise Destroys Nuance

Fine food is all about subtlety. A delicate drizzle of a quality oil, the quiet fizz of a perfectly chilled Champagne, the gentle clink of cutlery. These small but significant touches help create the magic. Loud music flattens these nuances and turns the evening into a rushed or uncomfortable affair.

4. Conversation Shouldn't Be a Struggle

Many people visit high-end restaurants for special occasions: birthdays, anniversaries, client meetings, proposals. If guests can’t hear each other without leaning in or repeating themselves, the moment is lost. Worse still, it may lead to negative reviews or word-of-mouth complaints that no restaurant wants to attract.

5. Music Can Enhance – But Only If It’s Balanced

No one is suggesting restaurants should be silent. A soft background playlist can be a wonderful enhancer – jazz, classical, or acoustic tunes that create mood without overpowering the space. But volume matters. The music should complement, not compete.

6. Hearing Damage and Discomfort

It may seem dramatic, but constant exposure to loud music can cause real discomfort or even harm. For guests and staff alike, the volume matters. In fact, in some cases, excessive decibels could contravene workplace safety laws.

7. Your Clientele Matters

A high-end restaurant typically caters to diners who appreciate elegance, discretion, and comfort. These are not the same people who relish clubbing until 3am. Understanding your clientele – their preferences, expectations and tolerance levels – is key to curating the right experience.

In Summary

There’s a time and place for loud music, but a fine dining restaurant isn’t it. If the chef has spent hours crafting a multi-course tasting menu, the ambience should match that care. Let the flavours sing, let the conversation flow, and save the dance beats for venues where dancing is the main event.

If you want your restaurant remembered for its elegance and excellence – not its decibels – keep the volume low and the experience high.

The Beefy Boys and Nozstock Launch Beef Stock Festival in Herefordshire

Herefordshire's award-winning grill masters, The Beefy Boys, have announced the launch of Beef Stock, a brand-new one-day food and music festival in collaboration with Nozstock Festival. 

The event will take over the iconic Nozstock site in Bromyard, Herefordshire, on Saturday 16th August 2025.

Beef Stock promises to be a bold new addition to the summer events calendar, bringing together live-fire BBQ demonstrations, smoky street food, local producers, live music, DJs, and more.

Food lovers can expect a fire-powered feast of low 'n' slow cooked briskets, sizzling Tomahawk steaks, whole BBQ chickens, and saucy sides across multiple Beefy Boys stations, joined by top-tier guest vendors includingGurt Wings, Doughzy Mares Pizza and Jerk Bay Ltd.

Some of the UK's most exciting BBQ names will hit the Live Fire Demo Stage for tutorials, tips, and tricks. Guests include The Beefy Boys' co-founder Murf, Tubby Tom, Simon Morley (Under The Nut Tree), Ashley Tunley (Big Smoke BBQ), Anthony Legge (Legges Butchers) plus more to be announced.

Beyond the grills, visitors can browse a buzzing marketplace of local traders, artisan butchers, BBQ brands, and food producers. There'll also be interactive cookery stalls and a fiery chilli-eating contest from the infamous Clifton Chilli Club.

Meanwhile, the Nozstock team will bring its signature sparkle to the event with an exciting programme full of performance, play, and serious recreation. Visitors can expect a range of family-friendly entertainment, music from the likes of Foreign Affairs, and of course, a little bit of the infamous Nozstock magic.

“We wanted to create something that brings together everything we're passionate about: food, fire, friends, and good music,” Anthony 'Murf' Murphy, co-founder of The Beefy Boys told That's Food and Drink. 

He ginished by saying: “We've cooked at festivals across the country, and now it's time to throw our own, and Nozstock is the perfect place to do it.”

Tickets for Beef Stock are just £10, with those aged 12 and under admitted free. Early booking is strongly advised.

Beef Stock tickets are now on sale at:  https://ww2.theticketsellers.co.uk/buy-tickets/beef-stock-2025/10058883

How to Choose the Right Music for Your Dinner Party

Create the perfect atmosphere with a well-curated playlist

Hosting a dinner party? Discover how to choose the right background music to enhance the mood, match your menu, and make your evening unforgettable.

How to Choose the Right Music for Your Dinner Party

Planning the perfect dinner party isn’t just about food and drink—though we’ll never downplay the importance of a well-balanced menu and an expertly paired wine. 

But there’s another element that plays a quietly powerful role in shaping the evening: music.

Get it right, and your soundtrack will lift the energy, soothe nerves, and make conversations flow as easily as the wine. Get it wrong, and you might unintentionally derail the relaxed, inviting atmosphere you're aiming for.

Here’s our guide to choosing music that will complement your dinner party just as well as the dessert complements the starter.

1. Set the Role: Music as a Background Guest

Dinner party music isn’t meant to take centre stage—it’s there to enhance, not distract. Think of it as a guest who knows how to stay just involved enough to keep the atmosphere warm and sociable, without dominating the conversation.

A good rule of thumb? If people are leaning in to hear one another, it’s too loud.

2. Pair Music with Your Menu

Just as you’d pair wine with your main course, try pairing your playlist with your cuisine. Serving Italian? Opt for soft classical guitar or elegant opera arias. Mediterranean mezze? Go for upbeat Greek or Spanish instrumentals. Hosting a modern British supper? Some indie folk or lo-fi jazz might hit the right note.

Your food and music should complement each other—never clash.

3. Time the Tempo

Start the evening with slower, softer tracks that create a welcoming ambience. As dinner progresses, especially once the main course is over, feel free to subtly lift the tempo to keep energy levels up.

Avoid anything too dramatic or sudden. Think progression, not party playlist.

4. Keep It (Mostly) Instrumental

Lyrics can compete with conversation, especially in smaller dining spaces. While a few well-chosen vocal tracks can work, instrumentals are generally your best bet.

Top dinner-friendly genres include:

Jazz (Miles Davis, Chet Baker)

Acoustic guitar

Chillhop/lo-fi

Classical or minimalist piano (Ludovico Einaudi is a crowd-pleaser)

5. Curate or Stream with Care

If you’re a music enthusiast, create your own playlist to match your vibe—just make sure it’s long enough to last the evening (around 2–3 hours minimum). Avoid abrupt tempo shifts or playlist gaps.

Not in the mood to DJ? Streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music have excellent themed playlists:

“Dinner Party Jazz”

“Evening Acoustic”

“Classy Dinner”

Tip: Always test your playlist before the event. The last thing you want is a surprise drum and bass drop in the middle of the soup course.

6. Volume Matters

Whether you’re using a Bluetooth speaker or a whole-home sound system, volume is key. Set it just loud enough to notice, but not so much that it interferes with conversation. Place speakers in corners for a warm, even spread—avoid blasting music from one direction.

7. Genres to Use Sparingly (or Not at All)

Unless your party is themed or your guests expect it, try to steer clear of:

Heavy rock or metal

High-BPM dance tracks

Distracting novelty songs

Anything lyrically intense or emotionally heavy

Dinner parties are all about connection, comfort, and creating an easy-going flow. Save the rave for another night.

Final Thought

The right playlist helps bring your dinner party together, adding personality and polish to an already thoughtfully planned evening. Just like the food on the table and the drinks in hand, the music should feel intentional—even if it’s subtly in the background.

Try it out at your next gathering and let us know what worked. And if you’ve already got a go-to dinner party playlist, we’d love to hear it! Tag us @thatsfoodanddrink or leave a comment below.

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Why Restaurants, Pubs, and Eateries Should Avoid Loud Background Music

In recent years, loud background music has become a common feature in many restaurants, pubs, and eateries. 

While some believe it creates a lively atmosphere, there are numerous reasons why this trend can have a negative impact on the dining experience. Here’s why these establishments should rethink the volume of their background music:

1. Conversation Becomes Impossible

One of the primary reasons people visit restaurants and pubs is to enjoy time with friends, family, or colleagues. Whether it’s a casual meal or a more formal gathering, conversations are a central part of the experience. 

Loud background music can make it difficult, if not impossible, to engage in meaningful conversation. Diners find themselves raising their voices to be heard, leading to discomfort, frustration, and even a strained atmosphere. When conversation becomes a struggle, the enjoyment of the meal or drink can significantly diminish.

2. It Detracts From the Dining Experience

For many, dining out is more than just eating; it’s an experience. People want to appreciate the flavours, aromas, and textures of their food in a relaxed setting. Loud music often distracts from this, making it harder to focus on the culinary journey. Research has shown that loud noise can interfere with our ability to properly taste food, as it desensitises our perception of flavours. This means that what could have been an extraordinary meal may be reduced to something forgettable simply because the music drowned out the finer details of the dining experience.

3. Stress and Discomfort for Patrons

High noise levels, including loud music, can lead to increased stress and anxiety. What should be a relaxing evening out can quickly turn into an unpleasant experience when the environment feels chaotic. For patrons who are sensitive to noise or suffer from hearing impairments, the stress can be even more pronounced, making them less likely to return. A calm and inviting atmosphere, with music at a moderate volume, fosters comfort and encourages customers to stay longer and spend more time enjoying their meal or drink.

4. Impacts Staff Performance

It’s not just customers who suffer from loud background music – staff are affected too. In a busy restaurant or pub, clear communication is essential. If staff members have to shout orders to each other over blaring music, mistakes are more likely to happen, whether it’s incorrect orders or miscommunication about customer needs. Additionally, the noise can contribute to fatigue and stress among employees, ultimately impacting their performance and mood. A calmer, quieter atmosphere allows staff to work more efficiently and maintain a pleasant demeanour towards customers.

5. Alienating a Segment of Customers

Loud music may appeal to a younger, more energetic crowd, but it can alienate other demographics. Families with young children, older patrons, or people looking for a quiet, relaxed evening out are unlikely to return if they are overwhelmed by excessive noise. A balance between atmosphere and comfort is crucial to ensuring that a wide range of customers feel welcome and at ease in the establishment. Failing to strike that balance can drive away customers who value a more peaceful environment.

6. Legal and Health Implications

While this may be less commonly discussed, noise levels in public spaces can sometimes border on the illegal. Excessive noise may contravene local regulations, particularly if it disturbs neighbouring businesses or residential areas. Additionally, exposure to prolonged loud music can lead to hearing damage, both for staff and regular patrons. By keeping background music at a reasonable level, restaurants and pubs can help protect their staff from potential long-term health risks while adhering to local noise ordinances. It can also adversely impact people who are on the Autistic Spectrum, those suffering from Tinnitus,  etc.

7. Encourages Longer Stays and Repeat Business

A comfortable atmosphere invites patrons to stay longer and enjoy more of what the restaurant or pub has to offer. When background music is loud, people are often eager to leave quickly after eating or drinking, which can reduce the overall time spent in the establishment and lower sales. On the other hand, when the environment is conducive to conversation and relaxation, customers are more likely to order additional items like desserts, drinks, or coffee, boosting revenue. Satisfied customers also become repeat customers, returning time and again to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere.

Conclusion

While background music can certainly enhance the ambiance of a restaurant, pub, or eatery, it’s essential that it complements rather than overpowers the dining experience. Loud music disrupts conversation, detracts from the enjoyment of food, and can create an atmosphere of stress and discomfort. By keeping music at a moderate volume, establishments can ensure a more pleasant and welcoming environment for all patrons, ultimately improving customer satisfaction and encouraging repeat business.

Why Eating Places and Retail Establishments Should Stop Playing Loud Music

Sometimes sounds make us flip

In today's fast-paced world, finding a moment of peace can be a challenge. Whether you're grabbing a bite to eat at your favourite restaurant or browsing through a retail store, these moments should offer a respite from the hustle and bustle of daily life. 

However, an increasing number of establishments have embraced the trend of playing loud music, often to the detriment of their customers' experiences. Here’s why it’s time for eating places and retail establishments to turn down the volume.

The Impact on Customer Experience

One of the most significant reasons to reconsider loud music in public spaces is its impact on the customer experience. When dining out, people seek to enjoy their meals in a relaxed atmosphere, often accompanied by conversation. However, when music is too loud, it can make conversation difficult, forcing patrons to raise their voices just to be heard. This creates an unpleasant dining environment and can deter people from returning to the establishment.

Similarly, in retail settings, loud music can be more of a distraction than an enhancement. Shoppers often visit stores to unwind or enjoy a leisurely browse. When music blares through the speakers, it can create a stressful atmosphere that hinders the shopping experience. In some cases, it may even drive customers away before they’ve had a chance to make a purchase.

Health and Well-being Concerns

Beyond the immediate impact on customer experience, there are broader health and well-being concerns associated with loud music in public spaces. Prolonged exposure to high decibel levels can lead to hearing damage, which is a serious concern, especially for employees who are subjected to it throughout their shifts. Moreover, loud environments can contribute to increased stress and anxiety levels, both for customers and staff, diminishing the overall enjoyment and well-being of everyone involved.

In a world where mental health is becoming an ever-more pressing concern, creating environments that promote calmness and relaxation is crucial. By turning down the music, establishments can contribute to a more serene atmosphere, which can positively affect customers' mood and encourage them to stay longer, return more frequently, and, ultimately, spend more money.

The Argument for Subtlety

Music, when used thoughtfully, can enhance the ambiance of a space without overwhelming it. Soft background music can create a welcoming environment that complements the dining or shopping experience. It can set the tone for the establishment, whether it’s a cosy café with soft jazz playing in the background or a high-end retail store with elegant classical music.

The key is subtlety. Music should never be the focus; rather, it should serve as an unobtrusive backdrop that adds to the overall atmosphere without overpowering it. This approach not only improves the customer experience but also shows a level of consideration and respect for patrons’ comfort.

Catering to a Diverse Audience

Another important consideration is the diversity of customers. Not everyone enjoys the same type of music, and what might be appealing to one person could be irritating to another. By keeping music at a lower volume, establishments can cater to a broader audience, allowing customers to focus on what they came for—whether that’s enjoying a meal, shopping, or simply spending time in a pleasant environment.

Furthermore, in an age where inclusivity is valued more than ever, it’s important to consider those with sensory sensitivities. Loud music can be overwhelming and distressing for individuals with autism, anxiety disorders, or other conditions that affect sensory processing. Lowering the volume or offering quieter zones within the establishment can make these spaces more accessible and welcoming to everyone.

Conclusion

While music can undoubtedly enhance the atmosphere of a restaurant or retail store, it should be used with care. Loud music often detracts from the customer experience, poses health risks, and can alienate a diverse range of patrons. By opting for softer, more subtle music, eating places and retail establishments can create environments that are comfortable, inclusive, and ultimately more enjoyable for everyone. Customers who are ASD, for example, can find loud music to be very distressing. Some retailers like Aldi acknowledge this issue by having "quiet hours" but perhaps loud music should become the exception and not the rule?

It's time to turn down the volume and let the quality of the food, service, and products speak for themselves. After all, in a world filled with noise, sometimes the most powerful statement is a quiet one.

https://thatsfoodanddrink.blogspot.com/2023/08/when-noise-annoys-aldi-is-here-to-help.html

Signature Brew, the Biggest Noise in Beer Is Crowdfunding

Signature Brew (www.signaturebrew.co.uk), the London-based brewery famed for collaborating with internationally renowned musicians & bands has launched their third crowdfunding campaign. Founded by a brewer and a musician with one simple philosophy, to brew beer that makes music better, Signature Brew is raising funds to fuel their growth over what is going to be a seminal two to three years for the brand.

The only UK brewery to have won SIBA's Brewery of the Year twice, Signature Brew are backed by a community of artists, with many personally investing in the brewery and playing an important, active role in the development of the business. 

They've worked with more bands and musicians than any other brewery in the world from The Prodigy to Lola Young, and Hot Chip to Hospital Records, IDLES to The Darkness, Signature Brew proudly work across all genres and demographics.

Since 2011 they've built their Community of artists, brands and venues and are now London's biggest independent brewery. Through flagship beers Studio Lager and Roadie All-Night IPA they're bringing their passion of uniting people through the power of incredible beer, great music and unforgettable experiences to the masses.

From their state-of-the-art brewery in East London, complete with a vibrant live music venue, they're brewing fresh award-winning beer that's heading out to some of the best venues in the UK like Strongroom, Rough Trade, Bush Hall and The British Music Experience. 

This fund raise is set to allow Signature Brew to take their unique business national and international with the beers, the bands and the brand going on tour to the best pubs, venues and festivals around, plus supermarkets, convenience and bottle shops. Look out for their beers in a venue near you!

Having launched publicly on 25th October Signature Brew is already overfunding having hit the 100% target of £700,000 immediately as investors clamoured to join the stars in supporting the UK's most exciting brewery. If you're interested in investing, then don't hesitate as the fund raise will only be open for a short period of time.

Signature Brew co-founder Tom Bott said, “Our original goal of making beer better at the venues and festivals we loved to go to still drives us today and through our community of artists, venues and partners, more and more venues are choosing to stock Signature Brew across the UK.”

Gus Unger-Hamilton from alt-J and Signature Brew investor said “Ever since alt-J collaborated with Signature Brew in 2018 I've loved the brewery and what the guys are trying to achieve with music & beer. Joe and I are passionate supporters of the business and can't wait for the exciting journey ahead that awaits us all. As soon as we finish a tour, getting down to a Signature Brew venue for a pint and a gig is high on the agenda!”

To follow the raise and express your interest in supporting one of the most exciting breweries in the UK head over to the Seedrs page at www.seedrs.com/signature-brew

Find Signature Brew on social media:

Instagram: instagram.com/signaturebrew

Facebook: facebook.com/SignatureBrew

Twitter: https://twitter.com/signaturebrew