The transition from the service
economy to the experience economy is one that is encouraging business
establishments to consider different schemes in being able to develop a
competitive positioning, higher customer satisfactions and alignments with the
consumer’s emotional construct. Of the many possibilities to achieve this, the
intelligent use of music is one method that is being given attention in growing
proportions due to its powerful ability in affecting consumer behaviours and
perceptions. The present study is an attempt to identify these musical
properties and apply them in a structured manner to the restaurant environment
which is known for its extensive yet intuitive approach to utilizing music.
The use of the Ecole Hôtelière
de Lausanne’s fine dining establishment, Le Berceau de Sens, acted as the
restaurant property in which the field experiment was held in during the month
of March. Hence, a total of 348 restaurant patrons expressed their evaluations
via the use of a survey while dining under the two contrasting musical
environments; structured music treatment and unstructured music treatment.
Independent Samples T-Tests were utilized in determining whether a significant
difference existed between restaurant patron’s evaluations of the dining
experience under the contrasting music conditions. Analysis showed that
consumers dining under a structured music treatment spent more on beverages and expressed greater awareness
of the music, higher enjoyment evaluations and shorter time perceptions of the dining experience as well as higher
intentions to return to the Berceau de Sens.
The Effects of Music on Consumer Behaviour in a Fine Dining Restaurant 2012
