Music for Restaurants

Supporting Research

• Using Background Music to Affect the Behavior of Supermarket Shoppers (1982)

  Slow-tempo background music (60 BPM) in supermarkets increased gross sales by 38.2% compared to fast-tempo music (94 BPM). Slow music increased customer dwell time and reduced perceived wait time.

• The Influence of Background Music on the Behavior of Restaurant Patrons (1986)

  Slow background music in restaurants increased time spent dining by 11 minutes and increased alcohol sales by 40.6% compared to fast-tempo conditions. Food sales were not significantly different, but overall revenue per visit was higher in the slow-music condition.

• The Influence of In-Store Music on Wine Selections (1999)

  Playing French accordion music in a wine store increased sales of French wines by 500% compared to German music conditions; German music increased sales of German wines by 600%. Total wine sales were not significantly different — but music directed purchasing behaviour without shoppers reporting awareness of the influence.

• The Influence of Background Music on Shopping Behavior: Classical Versus Top-Forty Music in a Wine Store (1993)

  Classical music in a wine store led customers to purchase more expensive wines compared to Top 40 pop music. No difference in the number of bottles purchased. Classical music increased average spend per bottle by approximately 40%.

• The Influence of Music Tempo and Musical Preference on Restaurant Patrons' Behavior (2002)

  Slow music significantly increased time spent dining and total spend in a restaurant context. The effect was moderated by musical preference: patrons who liked the music spent more time and money regardless of tempo.

• In-Store Music Affects Product Choice (1999)

  Playing background music at slower tempos in a restaurant during lunch increased the average time spent at table by 11 minutes compared to faster tempos. Food spending was unaffected but beverage spending increased significantly under slow-tempo conditions.

• Atmospheric Effects on Shopping Behavior: A Review of the Experimental Evidence (2000)

  Comprehensive review of 23 atmospheric variables including music, confirming that background music affects sales volume, shopping duration, product evaluation, and store image perception. Slower tempo and lower volume music consistently produces more positive consumer outcomes in most retail and food service contexts.

• The Effects of Music on Responses to a Dining Area (1996)

  Music that was perceived as "fitting" the dining environment received more positive evaluations and led to higher stated willingness to revisit and pay higher prices. Incongruent music (e.g., heavy metal in a fine dining context) led to significantly lower satisfaction scores.

• Practical Applications of Music in Service Settings (1994)

  Service businesses playing music rated as "right for the setting" by customers received higher satisfaction scores, longer average service interactions, and higher tipping rates in food service. Music familiarity had a stronger positive effect than perceived quality.

• Music Tempo and Menu Item Selection (1999)

  Restaurants playing slower background music saw customers choose more expensive items from the menu. The average menu item price selected was 12% higher in the slow-music condition than in fast-music conditions. Neither total spending per table nor average number of dishes ordered differed significantly.

• Music, Mood, and Marketing (1990)

  Tempo, mode (major vs. minor), and pitch interact to produce distinctive emotional responses. Fast tempo + major mode = happy/exciting; Slow tempo + minor mode = sad/serious. Music at approximately 80–100 BPM in a major key produces the most universally positive affect.

• Music as a Tool in Business Settings: Survey of Hospitality Industry Music Practices (2003)

  Survey of 284 hospitality businesses found that 93% used background music, but only 28% had a documented music strategy. Businesses with documented strategies reported higher customer satisfaction scores and higher repeat visit rates than those playing music ad hoc.

• The Role of Cognitions and Emotions in the Music-Approach-Avoidance Behavior Relationship (2002)

  Music affects approach behavior (time spent, money spent, willingness to return) through both emotional and cognitive pathways. High-fit music reduces cognitive load and frees attention for product evaluation. Low-fit music imposes cognitive load that displaces attention from purchasing decisions.

• The Effect of Music on Perceived Atmosphere and Purchase Intentions in a Restaurant (2003)

  Music perceived as "fitting" a restaurant's physical atmosphere increased purchase intentions by 27% and willingness to pay a 15% price premium compared to music rated as "not fitting." Classical music in formal dining environments and jazz in casual settings produced the highest congruence scores.

• Time-of-Day Effects on Consumer Behavior: Music, Energy, and In-Store Purchase (2018)

  Consumers were more responsive to energizing (high BPM) music in the morning and more responsive to relaxing (low BPM) music in the evening. A dayparted music schedule that matched energy level to time of day increased hourly sales by an average of 4.8% compared to a single all-day playlist.