Quiet RESTAURANTS

Quiet Restaurants

Equal access for noise-averse people

Respecting individual noise preferences

Noise can cause discomfort and make communication difficult. Enjoying good food and the company of friends is one of life’s great pleasures. People who are sensitive to noise often get left out of the conversation. This includes those with sensory challenges such as single-sided deafness, autism, tinnitus, hyperacusis, PTSD, and age-related hearing loss.

A young woman with long black hair wearing a blue shirt and large white headphones is sitting at a table, writing in a notebook. There are drinks and a small vase with yellow flowers on the table, and a beige purse is nearby. The background shows a modern, cozy interior with wooden and black furniture and shelves.

Our work

We want to make restaurants accessible to people of all hearing abilities. Quiet Restaurants is working on many fronts to make this happen.

Creating meaningful change requires education and engagement by restaurant industry leaders, business owners, staff, and customers.

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Our approach

  • Conducting research to show that quieter restaurants are good for the bottom line

  • Collaboration with the U.S. Surgeon General on his Isolation and Loneliness Initiative

  • Working with restaurant industry stakeholders to raise awareness, arrive at best practices, and make this a win-win for everyone

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Improving the restaurant experience for people of all hearing abilities

  • Designated quiet hours to accommodate diverse preferences

  • Sound-dampening technologies to create more peaceful, welcoming settings

  • Quiet sections to provide space for those who prefer less noise

  • Heightened staff awareness to foster understanding of those sensitive to noise

  • Reduced volumes to quiet competing noise from sound systems and televisions

A middle-aged man with gray hair, glasses, and a beard, sitting at a wooden table in a cozy cafe. He is smiling and holding a red coffee cup. There is a laptop open in front of him, and a smartphone on the table. Green plants and blurred figures are in the background.
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Together, We Can Change Course

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