Rich Uncle Tavern (formerly The Berlin)

[ookpik]

There seem to be two opposing views when it comes to noise in fine dining restaurants.  Some people, including many younger people, like the "vibe".  Others, including many boomers, find that too much noise spoils the experience.  My own tolerance is fairly high, but I get annoyed when a restaurant is so noisy that it's hard to hear the server.

We boomers tend to have hearing issues. My wife wears hearing aids. Although I generally hear well I find it increasingly difficult to have conversations in restaurants due to the high levels of background noise. It's not hearing acuity but rather the declining ability to distinguish among multiple sound sources. 

Many, perhaps most, of the other boomers we know have the same difficulty. This not only makes conversation difficult, it results in conversants raising their voices to be heard over the background noise. This results in a positive feedback loop and a negative dining experience for everyone.

ISTM there's a business opportunity for enterprising restaurateurs to, um, cater to boomers who want a more quiet experience. Thanks to those who suggested other establishments that may be quieter.

Added: It seems my hearing deficiency may be some form of brain damage    

What Should Be Done About Hearing Loss? 

BACKGROUND NOISE

Q. After thorough testing, the Mayo Clinic told me that I had a slight hearing loss, but my difficulty separating sounds (as in a noisy restaurant) is caused by a brain function that can’t be alleviated by audiology modifications. What is the name of this disability, and are people being sold hearing aids that can’t deal with it very successfully? — George B., Creve Coeur, Mo.

Q. I only have hearing problems in certain situations, e.g., at movies, crowded restaurants. If I got a hearing aid, would there be any problem wearing it in just those situations? — John Fisher, Winston-Salem, N.C.

A. Without seeing audiological test results from either George B. or John Fisher it is difficult to provide consultation as to whether hearing aids would help. An important fact to keep in mind is that most hearing loss occurs in the high-frequency range. This is the part of the hearing organ that typically produces awareness of sounds such as “s”, “f”, “th”, “p”, and “t”. An inability to hear these consonant sounds can cause considerable confusion when listening to speech. When listening in the presence of background noise, the damaged high-frequency portion of your hearing organ cannot provide you with accurate high-frequency speech information. You may easily confuse the word shoot with shoe, or hit with hip. Your inability to hear these high-frequency consonant sounds can certainly send your brain an inaccurate message.