The Number One Restaurant Customer Complaint: Noise

That's right, according to Consumer Reports, noise from loud customers and crowded tables was the complaint cited most often in their recent survey of 70,403 customers who made 158,744 visits to 101 restaurant chains.

For us at ASC, that is no surprise. We've been making restaurants quieter for over 2 decades, using our own proven methods that retain a bright and lively sonic ambiance. We call it Distributed Acoustics, and it creates a sonic speedbump to slow down sound that bounces off hard surfaces such as floors, windows and ceilings. Instead of large areas of absorptive material, the acoustic panels are smaller and distributed on the walls or ceiling.

Case Study: Humble Beagle Bistro
Owner Gary Katz contacted ASC shortly after opening because, while the food was excellent, customers were complaining about the noise. The dining area featured a beautiful concrete floor, and the ceilings were painted gypsum. The hard surfaced floor and ceiling was enough to quickly fill the room with noise, way beyond the comfort zone. Customers had to yell just to be heard by people sitting right next to them.

ASC Project Advisor Michael Adams knew right away that some kind of ceiling grid would be the most effective way to calm the room down, and drew up several option plans. Adams also visited the restaurant, took additional measurements, and met with Katz to determine the most effective use of acoustics within the architectural layout of the restaurant. They settled on SoundPlanks laid out in a grid pattern of squares on the ceiling.

Distributed Acoustics
When the noise source is evenly distributed in a room, ASC tries to distribute the acoustics within a ceiling grid of coffers. This approach has many benefits because we place acoustics in the "hot spots" where they'll do the most good. This preserves room ambiance, and saves money by minimizing the amount needed. Patrons don't notice that they are even there. But they certainly notice the great acoustical qualities because they can enjoy their meal, and have a calm conversation as well.