Everyone has a favorite restaurant or two.  And, if you close your eyes - you can probably see it.  Your imagination can also probably conjure up the smells that first hit your nose when you enter.  And - if you're like most people - you can even HEAR what your favorite restaurant sounds like.

There is a growing trend - especially with high-end eateries, towards having their own signature music playing as a background to the food they prepare.   To accomplish this, a lot of restaurants are hiring out composers and musicians to create that sound for them.

Until recently, many restaurants were content to turn on the radio or let the manager fire up his iPod. But for a growing number of foodies and restaurateurs, what’s on the playlist is almost as important as what’s on the menu.

Custom playlists that pair tunes to tastes — created by the restaurateurs themselves or by companies devoted to the task — are becoming de rigueur in the food industry as more chefs and their customers seek dining experiences that are harmonious and hip at every turn.

Even those establishments without as large a budget are getting into the game;  Even if you're not hearing original music, chances are - your favorite restaurant has someone custom-picking the playlist of the types of music and the songs you hear.

The benefits of this symbiotic relationship between food and music is two-fold.  First, having control of the music that plays in the background allows a restaurant owner to help paint the image they want for their business.  Second - and perhaps most telling - is the fact that studies have shown that the right music can increase sales numbers.  And at the end of the day, restaurants ARE businesses after all.

 

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