How to set your restaurant’s music according to its size and layout

In the competitive world of gastronomy, the in-store experience is one of the keys to attracting and retaining customers. While food is the star, background music in restaurants plays a fundamental role in shaping the atmosphere.

However, not all dining spaces require the same strategy. The size, layout, acoustics, and even the type of cuisine influence the selection and placement of the sound system. In this article, we’ll explain how to adapt music to the physical characteristics of your restaurant and what aspects to consider to achieve a professional and coherent result aligned with your concept.

Not All Restaurants Sound the Same

Musical ambiance begins with analyzing the space. A specialty coffee shop with a counter and four stools is not the same as a fine dining restaurant with spacious halls and terraces.

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In small spaces, like a coffee shop, music should be subtle, accompanying without overwhelming. The setting is usually more intimate, and any excess in volume can feel intrusive. Here, it’s essential to control the volume and curate the music selection according to the time of day: soft, relaxing styles in the morning, and something more lively in the afternoon.

In contrast, places like large restaurants with high ceilings and multiple areas need a strategy that contemplates the different atmospheres within the same establishment. A terrace with lots of background noise may need more present music, while indoors with good acoustics can opt for something more sophisticated. Dividing audio into zones is ideal to adjust music and volume independently.

How to Choose and Place Speakers

The general rule is lower volume, wider coverage. It’s preferable to install more speakers at lower volume rather than fewer at high volume. This way, you avoid saturating the environment, reduce “dead spots,” and create a uniform experience.

General recommendations:

• For spaces under 50 m²: usually 2 to 4 speakers are enough.
  
  
• Between 50 and 150 m²: distribute 4 to 8 speakers, adapted to the layout.
  
  
• From 100 m² upwards (especially in restaurants with multiple areas or ambiences): it’s best to work with a zoned system to control sound independently.
  
  

Ceiling height also matters. In high ceilings, speakers must be strategically placed to avoid loss of definition and maintain a balanced atmosphere.

Equipment quality is another key factor for your in-store music. It’s better to invest in professional speakers that ensure sound fidelity and durability, especially if they’ll run many hours per day.

Key Elements for Good Musical Atmosphere

Beyond the equipment, there are overlooked factors that are equally or even more important:

• Music curation: The soundtrack must align with the cuisine, schedule, and target audience. A generic playlist without strategy can ruin an excellent dining experience.
  
  
• Smooth transitions: Abrupt changes between styles or songs can create emotional dissonance. Ideally, music should flow organically and be as homogeneous as it can be.
  
  
• Proper volume: It should allow conversation without effort. If people need to raise their voices, it’s too loud.
  
  
• Adaptation to different times of day is also important. A brunch doesn’t sound like an intimate dinner. Music should accompany that transition.

Music Is Not Just a Detail: It’s a Management Tool

A well-implemented sound system can radically improve customer experience, but installing good speakers is not enough. The key lies in how music is managed: what plays, when, at what volume, and in which zone.

Today, there are technological solutions that allow you to schedule music, monitor what’s playing in real time, make automatic adjustments based on foot traffic, or even change playlists remotely. These tools not only guarantee sonic coherence but also provide operational efficiency and control over one of the venue’s most important assets: its atmosphere.

Investing in a professional music strategy is not an expense, it’s a direct investment in customer experience, dwell time, and therefore, in the profitability of your business.