Sunday Times South Africa: Why a noisy restaurant makes you crave a cheeseburger over a salad
Stock image amirali mirhashemian
May 29, 2018
Diners take note: If you're eating at a restaurant that's playing loud music, you may be more prone to making unhealthy food choices.
That's according to the results of a recent study, which found that the ambient music volume at restaurants can mean the difference between ordering a cheeseburger or a salad.
In the study, which was published recently in the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Sciences, researchers from the University of South Florida, Linnaeus University in Sweden and Louisiana State University showed that low-volume ambient music led to increased sales of healthy foods like salads.
By contrast, when they dialed up the volume, 20% more patrons ordered something greasy, fattening, sugary and unhealthy.
The reasoning? Softer music has a calming effect making us more mindful of what we order, which typically results in healthier choices.
