Restaurant background music: what a Tel Aviv study found
Restaurant background music: in Tel Aviv, slow music meant longer stays, not bigger bills. When that helps, when it costs tables, what to play each shift.
Restaurant background music should fit what you need from the table on that shift. When you're full with a queue, don't slow things down. When you have room and want an unhurried evening, slow music can suit. In a Tel Aviv experiment it lengthened stays without raising bills.
What did the Tel Aviv restaurant experiment find?
Tempo changed how long people stayed, but not what they paid. A field experiment by Malcman, Azar, Shavit and Rosenboim, published in 2024, covered 282 tables of one or two adults at an Italian restaurant in central Tel Aviv, with days randomly assigned to each type of music:
| Music | Average stay | Average bill |
|---|---|---|
| Fast (94+ BPM) | 57.3 minutes | 197 ILS |
| The restaurant's regular playlist | 69.2 minutes | 209 ILS |
| Slow (72 BPM or less) | 80.3 minutes | 207 ILS |
The researchers found no significant effect of tempo on the bill. Between fast and slow music that is a gap of 23 minutes of sitting on average, with no significant extra income from the table. Remember this is one restaurant and one kind of table, so it is a good reference point, not a law for every restaurant.
Does slow music increase the bill?
The research is mixed. According to the discussion in the Tel Aviv paper, Milliman's 1986 study found at one restaurant that slower music went with longer stays and more alcohol bought. Caldwell and Hibbert also linked slower music to longer dining and more spending on food and drink. The Tel Aviv experiment did not find that effect on the bill, so you can't count on a longer stay turning into money. We collected what's known about music and sales here.
When can slow music cost you money?
When every table is taken and people are waiting outside. If a longer stay doesn't raise the bill, it means fewer diners that evening. So ask two questions about each shift:
- Do you have a queue? Don't slow down. Try something livelier, and check the service doesn't start to feel rushed.
- Do you have empty tables? There's no reason to hurry anyone. Something calm can suit the evening, even if you won't see it at the till.
What should you play on each shift?
The shift decides the music. These are starting points to test by ear, with stations from BGplay's restaurant page:
- Prep and opening: Acoustic Chill, so the team can get set quietly.
- Busy lunch: Bistro Pop, with movement but no aggression.
- Between services: Bossa Nova, to let the room breathe.
- Early evening: Lounge Jazz, which also makes a good default station.
- Evening peak: Latin Rhythms or Bistro Pop if the room is buzzing, Lounge Jazz if it's intimate.
BGplay's weekly planner sets what plays and when by the business's clock, so Thursday night can feel different from Tuesday lunch. BGplay's music is 100% AI-generated, so don't look for songs your guests already know. You also can't build your own playlists.
How do fine dining, neighborhood and fast-casual differ?
The difference is how much room the music can take. In fine dining it should let conversation lead, so Lounge Jazz at a low level is a sensible start. A neighborhood restaurant has more freedom, and it's worth finding something that fits the place rather than just filling silence. A fast-casual spot or a place open to the street suits something simple and cheerful, like Bistro Pop.
Should the music match the cuisine?
Not necessarily. Greek music in a Greek restaurant or flamenco in a Spanish one can sound like a costume. Try choosing by the energy of the place rather than the flag on the menu, and if Latin Rhythms works for you regardless of the food, that's a good enough answer.
What about the bar?
If you have a separate bar, it can usually take a bit more energy and a bit more level than the dining room. That is general advice and not a BGplay feature, since BGplay does not offer separate control for each area. You can handle it with speaker placement and volume, or pick one station that works in both.
Which license does a restaurant need?
ACUM prices restaurants under tariff T002 by seat capacity and operating days, and pubs, bars and bar-restaurants have tariff T003. Recording rights are separate, and our guide to music licenses for businesses explains the whole picture. BGplay's catalog is not ACUM or recording-body repertoire, so the service is designed to avoid those bills.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best music for a restaurant?
The music that fits the character of the place and what you need on that shift. A reasonable default is soft jazz or bossa nova for dinner, and something livelier for a busy lunch.
Does fast music help turn tables?
In the Tel Aviv experiment diners stayed less time with fast music, 57.3 minutes compared with 80.3 with slow music. That is one restaurant, so test it in yours before drawing a conclusion.
I already have a royalty contract. What happens if I switch to BGplay?
You can upload the contract and get free access until it really expires. The review takes up to 48 hours.
How do you test this in your own restaurant?
Pick one recurring shift and compare weeks: how many tables turned, the average bill and what the staff said. One change at a time will tell you more than any article, including this one. For the wider picture, see our complete guide to background music for businesses.
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