"Restaurant Food Tastes Worse When Lighting Is Dimmer"

English Telegraph
Report Citing Research Results from Maastricht University School of Business and Economics in the Netherlands

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] A study has found that dim lighting in restaurants can actually diminish the taste of food.

This contradicts the common belief that dimming restaurant lights creates a nice atmosphere, encouraging customers to stay longer and eat more.

On the 18th (local time), the British daily The Telegraph cited research results released by the School of Business and Economics at Maastricht University in the Netherlands, which showed that the darker the restaurant lighting, the more customers felt the food tasted worse.

Conversely, brighter lighting was associated with higher satisfaction with the food.

The researchers claimed that adjusting restaurant lighting changes not only the atmosphere but also other factors.

For this study, 138 customers dined at a fine dining restaurant on four separate occasions, with the lighting brightness changed each time while eating the same course meal, then rated their satisfaction on a scale from 1 to 9.

Customers were also asked about the level of enjoyment depending on the lighting brightness.

Customers gave higher scores for food taste under brighter lighting, and rated that lighting had a similar effect on enhancing the dining atmosphere whether it was bright or dim.

However, restaurant operators expressed different opinions regarding the study’s findings.

A restaurant operator in the UK said, "Dim lighting is much more effective in elevating the atmosphere," adding, "The darker it is, the longer customers stay and can properly enjoy the food in a romantic setting."

Another restaurant operator questioned the idea that dim lighting could reduce the taste of food.

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