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Restaurant Acoustics

Nobody wants to shout over their steak. We make restaurants sound as good as the food.

The Restaurant Noise Problem

Modern restaurant design loves hard surfaces: concrete floors, exposed brick, metal ductwork, glass walls. It looks great. It sounds terrible. Every hard surface reflects sound, and when you fill the room with people talking, it gets loud fast. Diners raise their voices to be heard, which makes it louder, which makes everyone raise their voices more. It's called the Lombard effect, and it kills the dining experience.

Restaurant review sites now include noise ratings. "Too loud" is the second most common complaint after poor service. Acoustics aren't optional anymore — they're part of the business.

Products for Restaurants

  • Felt baffles — The most popular solution for restaurants with exposed ceilings. PET felt in colors that match the design. Absorbs noise from both sides. We install these in restaurants and breweries every month.
  • Felt wall panels — Accent walls that pull double duty as acoustic treatment. Geometric patterns, solid panels, or custom shapes.
  • Wood plank ceilings — For restaurants going for a warm, intimate atmosphere. Perforated planks with acoustic backing for the best of both worlds.
  • Stretch wall panels — Upscale restaurants and private dining rooms. Seamless fabric walls with high absorption.
  • T-bar ceiling — Chain restaurants, fast-casual, and anywhere that needs economical ceiling coverage with good acoustics.
  • FRP panels — The kitchen. Health code requires washable wall surfaces in food prep areas. We install FRP in restaurant kitchens constantly.

Front of House vs. Back of House

Front of house is the dining room, bar, and entry. This is where design and acoustics meet. Products need to look good and control noise. Felt baffles, wall panels, and wood ceilings are the typical treatments.

Back of house is the kitchen, prep areas, and storage. This is purely functional. FRP on walls and ceiling, maybe standard ceiling tile in the office and dry storage. Health department compliance is the priority.

We handle both. One contractor, one schedule, one point of contact for the whole restaurant.

Typical Restaurant Projects

  • New restaurant build-outs — dining room and kitchen, complete ceiling and wall package
  • Acoustic retrofits — adding baffles and panels to an existing restaurant that's too loud
  • Kitchen FRP — new installs and replacements for health department compliance
  • Brewery and taproom acoustics — high ceilings, hard surfaces, live music
  • Fast-casual and chain restaurant ceiling packages

Restaurant Acoustic Solutions by Product

Get a Quote

Opening a restaurant or fixing a noise problem in an existing one? Contact us for a free estimate. We'll visit the space and recommend the right treatment for your budget and design.