Softer lighting, music helps people eat less at fast-food joints: Study
Article content
A new U.S. study has found soft lighting and music can cut the calorie intake of customers by up to 18%.
As well, people enjoyed the restaurant experience more.
Cornell University researchers Brian Wansink and Koert Van Ittersum did a makeover of a fast-food restaurant to include soft music and lighting, and then observed how it changed customers' habits.
While the makeover didn't change what the people ordered, it did cause them to eat 18% less of it. On average, that's 775 calories instead of 949. The customers also rated the food as being better than they did before the makeover.
"These results suggest that a more relaxed environment increases satisfaction and decreases consumption," Wansink said. "This is important information for fast-food restaurants, which are often accused of contributing to obesity: Making simple changes away from brighter lights and sound-reflecting surfaces can go a long way toward reducing overeating -- and increase their customers' satisfaction at the same time."
The results are posted online in the journal Psychological Reports.