Table 3 - uploaded by John T. Lang
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Source publication
Are expert aesthetic judgments of restaurants shaped by sound and music? Although sound is an important design element of a built space devoted to consumerism like a restaurant, it is a typically overlooked aesthetic structure. This project analyzes how widely read and influential food writing help the general public define the acceptable repertoir...
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Purpose
Advances in information technology have enabled new ways of organizing work and led to a proliferation of what is known as the “gig economy.” While much attention has been paid to how these new organizational designs have upended traditional employee–employer relationships, there has been little consideration of how these changes have impa...
Citations
... In addition to those tenets set down by Claiborne, Lang (2014) suggests that contemporary critics seek to review restaurants at the forefront of new trends alongside those which epitomise the highest standards. In their study of restaurant reviews in newspapers across five US cities, Titz, Lanza-Abbot and Cruz (2004) evaluate the "professionalism" of reviewers, with their findings bearing numerous similarities to the ethical framework established by Claiborne. ...
This study uses data collected from interviews with professional food critics to analyse how the proliferation of amateur blog and online consumer reviews has disrupted and transformed the tenets of mainstream media restaurant reviewing. The article argues that the proliferation of digital platforms has fundamentally changed the practices of the professional restaurant critic – including changes to the process of carrying out reviews, the ethical framework guiding this process, and the format of reviews. Professional restaurant critics have been forced to accommodate to the new pressures brought by digital media. These changes mark the discursive terrain of a struggle between professional restaurant critics defending their position and status as cultural intermediaries in the gastronomic field against the entry of amateur digital competitors.
Dining establishments are an essential part of the social experience. However, they are often characterized by high levels of background noise, which represents a barrier to effective communication. This particularly affects people suffering from hearing problems. Moreover, noise level exceeding normal conversational levels causes a phenomenon called the Lombard Effect, an involuntary tendency to increase the amount of vocal effort when talking in the presence of noise. Adults over 60 years represent the second largest population in the US and the majority of them suffer from some degree of hearing loss. The primary aim of the current study was to understand the effect of noise on vocal effort and speech intelligibility in a restaurant setting for adults over 60 years old with and without hearing loss. The secondary aim was to evaluate their perception of disturbance in communication and their willingness to spend time and money in a restaurant was affected by the varying levels of background noise. The results of this study showed background noise levels lower than 50 dB(A) will allow senior customers to minimize their vocal effort and to maximize their understanding of conversations, even for those with moderate to severe hearing loss. By setting a limit, it will also keep perceived disturbance low and willingness to spend time and money high among dining patrons.
Noise is currently the second most common complaint amongst restaurant-goers, behind poor service. In fact, over the last decade or two, many restaurants have become so loud that some critics now regularly report on the noise levels alongside the quality of the food. In this review, I first highlight the growing problem of noise in restaurants and bars and look at the possible causes. I then critically evaluate the laboratory-based research that has examined the effect of loud background noise on taste perception. I distinguish between the effect of noise on the taste, aroma/flavour, and textural properties of food and drink. Taken together, the evidence now clearly demonstrates that both background noise and loud music can impair our ability to taste food and drink. It would appear that noise selectively impairs the ability to detect tastes such as sweet and sour while leaving certain other taste and flavour experiences relatively unaffected. Possible neuroscientific explanations for such effects are outlined, and directions for future research highlighted. Finally, having identified the growing problem with noise in restaurants, I end by looking at some of the possible solutions and touch on the concept of silent dining.
