Quantifying the acoustic environment for restaurant consultation

Abstract

This talk presents a case study in which methodology for the diagnosis and treatment of poor restaurant acoustics is discussed. The subject of this case study is Uchi, an upscale Japanese restaurant in Austin, Texas. While revered for their excellent cuisine, Uchi’s reputation is marred by its excessively loud dining room at peak business hours. The discussion details how the restaurant’s acoustical quality was evaluated through strategic integrated impulse response measurements, along with finite element and analytical models. The measurements and models provide strong evidence of acoustical problems such as room modes, focusing gain, and excessive reverberance. Once diagnosed, improvement criteria are defined using well-established metrics for restaurants, such as “acoustic capacity” and “preferred signal-to-noise ratios.” Treatment options are assessed based on their potential effectiveness as well as their feasibility to be implemented by restaurant management.