restaurant-music
Anthony Dexmier

Anthony likes helping people reach their true potential. Being the victim of his own fears and insecurities in his own business, he has decided to help others create more opportunities.

Silences can be hard to fill. Imagine two customers having very little to say to each other. The music you play in your restaurant can either save their night or make it even worse. In other words, music should be more than an afterthought. People are bombarded with the same songs over and over and the last thing they want when they go to the restaurant is to hear them again. This article addresses the ins and outs of choosing restaurant music. We shall also review a solution you can use to make it easier for you to create the perfect atmosphere.

Why music matters

 

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While cheap bars can sometimes afford to play the latest hits everybody hears, such a strategy is ill-advised for restaurants. People come to have a nice meal and settle down. They don’t come to listen to what they could hear on the radio. Your choice of music should say something about your food and your identity as a business. You can’t play loud electro music with slow-cooked filet mignon. It’s an insult to the food.

Even if you don’t serve fancy dishes, you can benefit from creating a cosy mood. This is where the choice of music matters the most. Put in some empty elevator music and you can make sure your customers don’t pay you another visit. Make a mood-enhancing choice and suddenly your food will taste even better. Obviously, for some places, the ambience is even more critical.

How to make the right choice of music

If you own a pub or generally rely on your guests to be active, the choice of music will be even more important. This is typically where you can opt for the loud electro music if that is what your customers are after. The key is to find tracks they won’t hear anywhere else. Playing unusual music will help you stand out from your competitors and attract a more specific type of customers. It is then up to you what type of customers you want to attract and what atmosphere you want to have. This choice actually matters for the long term. Basically, the music you play can dictate your business results, at least partly.

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Some places invite bands to play live, and while people like that, it can backfire. The acoustics of your place must excellent if you want your customers to stay while there is live music on. Background music is different because it is not meant to be played loud. Whenever the music becomes the focus of people’s attention, however, they will expect some volume.

Since not every restaurant or bar can afford to hire professionals throughout the year, it is difficult to find a suitable solution. You can always set up well-thought-out playlists, but it’s time-consuming. You and your staff are probably busy enough as it is, without having to worry about choosing the best playlist. Not to mention, you may find yourself sued for playing songs you have no licence for. This is why a few companies have thought about you.

A comprehensive solution

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Named after the famous 8-track tape of the glorious 60s, 8track Music Solutions is now providing music for institutions such as Hilton and Four Seasons. Their system allows you to set up the music and programme it on a calendar so you don’t have to worry about it.

They even send you their music consultants to help you make the best choices, and they take care of all the licensing. Your entire library creation is handled by professionals who specialise in working for restaurants. For a lot of serious business owners in the hospitality industry, this solution is more convenient than having a DJ or having their staff take care of the playlist.

Wrap-up

If you never know what to play to create the most pleasant atmosphere, you could benefit from delegating the task to a software. Sometimes it is in the small details that a restaurant makes a difference. Music may not make up for disappointing food, but it can enhance a great plate.