Does background music increase sales? The evidence is mixed
Does background music increase sales? In a Tel Aviv experiment slow music meant longer stays, not bigger bills. Earlier studies differ.
Does background music increase sales? The evidence is mixed. In a Tel Aviv restaurant experiment, slow music kept tables 23 minutes longer than fast music, but tempo had no significant effect on the bill. Earlier studies linked slower music to more spending, so no single result applies to every business.
What did the Tel Aviv experiment find?
The Tel Aviv experiment found that tempo changed how long people stayed but not what they paid. Malcman, Azar, Shavit and Rosenboim (2024, Behavioral Sciences 14(12):1188) ran it at an Italian restaurant in central Tel Aviv. They observed 282 tables of one or two adults, with days randomly assigned to fast music, slow music or the restaurant's regular playlist.
| Music | Time at the table | Bill |
|---|---|---|
| Slow (72 BPM or less) | 80.3 minutes | 207 ILS |
| Regular playlist | 69.2 minutes | 209 ILS |
| Fast (94 BPM or more) | 57.3 minutes | 197 ILS |
The bills look a little different on paper, but the researchers found no significant effect of tempo on the bill. The difference that held up was time: slow music meant longer stays without bigger bills.
What does that mean for a busy restaurant?
At a busy restaurant, slow music can cost you table turns. If a table stays longer and pays about the same, a table that could have been reseated earns nothing extra in that time. The result is about one restaurant, so treat it as a reason to test rather than as a rule.
A quiet afternoon is a different situation, because no one is waiting for the table. That is our reasoning rather than a finding of the study. Our guide to restaurant background music looks at the practical side.
What did the earlier studies find?
Earlier restaurant studies did link slower music to higher spending, which is why the question stays open. Both of these are discussed in the Tel Aviv paper:
- Milliman (1986): at one restaurant, slower music meant longer stays and more alcohol bought.
- Caldwell and Hibbert: slower music was linked to longer dining and more food and drink spending.
Put together with the Tel Aviv study, the studies agree on one direction: slower music went with longer stays. They disagree on spending. That is what "mixed" means here, and we won't turn it into a percentage you can put in a business plan.
Why don't the studies agree on spending?
These sources don't settle why. They come from different restaurants and different periods, and any of those differences could matter, but none of the studies above proves which one does. What you can safely take from them is narrower: tempo may affect how long people stay, and whether that becomes more revenue is a separate question.
Does this apply to shops, gyms or salons?
Not directly, because all three studies here were done in restaurants. A shopper, a gym member and someone in a salon chair aren't deciding the same things as a diner. We aren't quoting retail figures in this article because we would need a study we can link to and stand behind. If you run a store, read our guide to music for retail stores as practical advice, not as proof of a sales effect.
How can you test music in your own business?
You can run a small version of the same test, using your own numbers. This is a starting point rather than a scientific method.
- Choose one measure you already have, such as average bill, time at the table or tables served at peak.
- Choose two kinds of music you are happy for customers to hear.
- Assign days at random, as the Tel Aviv researchers did, and compare like with like, for example Tuesdays with Tuesdays.
- Keep the menu, the staffing and the volume as steady as you can.
- Run it for several weeks, and be careful about reading much into a small difference.
Whatever you test, the music still has to be properly sourced: ACUM states that "any public use of music requires a license". BGplay's music is AI-generated and its stations are grouped by venue type. Its weekly planner can schedule different stations on different days, but it has no customer BPM controls, so you would be comparing stations rather than exact tempos.
For the wider picture, see why background music matters in business, our guide to background music for business in Israel and how to choose a music service.
Frequently asked questions
Does slow music make customers spend more?
The studies disagree. Milliman and Caldwell and Hibbert linked slower music to more spending of some kind, while the Tel Aviv experiment found no significant effect of tempo on the bill.
Does fast music turn tables faster?
In the Tel Aviv experiment, yes: tables stayed 57.3 minutes with fast music against 80.3 with slow music. That was one restaurant, so test it in your own before relying on it.
Will background music pay for itself?
We can't promise that, and the evidence doesn't support a general promise. Judge the cost on atmosphere and fit, and treat any sales effect as something to measure in your own business.
Are these studies relevant to Israeli businesses?
The Tel Aviv study is the closest evidence, since it took place at a restaurant in central Tel Aviv. It still describes one Italian restaurant and tables of one or two adults, so it doesn't speak for every Israeli business.
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