As already mentioned, the volume in the outdoor area or beer garden plays a special role. Restaurants must comply with the Federal Immission Control Act (BImSchG) and the Technical Instructions for Protection against Noise (TA Lärm).

The night-time quiet period, which starts at 10 p.m. in most cities, is important for restaurants outside the building. It is best to check with your local city council or municipality, as there are special regulations for some places and regions. In the past, there was also a "curfew" for nightlife, which was in the early hours of the morning (5 am to 7 am). This is now rarely observed and currently only applies in Bremen and Baden-Württemberg.

At city festivals or international events such as the Football World Cup, there are often exceptions or special guidelines for night-time quiet and noise levels. Check the official website of the city or district for more information. It is also not uncommon for the local hospitality industry to be informed of changes in this regard by the city in good time before a unique event.

But beware: on public holidays, there are other regulations that prohibit music and entertainment events at certain times. For example, no public events with music are permitted on Good Friday or during church services.

Our tip: Get on good terms with your neighbors from the outset to avoid noise complaints. Leave a telephone number for questions or comments where you can be reached during opening hours. This way, they will turn to you first in the event of a disturbance and not directly to the police or the public order office.

In indoor areas, the volume must not exceed a certain level of decibels (dB). The exact level depends on which federal state you are in. For example, it is already difficult to have a normal conversation above 45 dB. From 60 dB, you even have to speak in a loud voice so that the other person can understand you.

And this is where a well-known phenomenon comes into play: as soon as some people start talking louder, you raise your voice too. After all, you want to understand the other person and be understood. This often increases further and further, so that the parties become louder and louder, which is difficult to stop.

Light jazz music for the Michelin-starred restaurant or ABBA hits for the new bar? How loud and which background music you choose within the given framework is up to you and should match your ambience. If you are unsure, simply ask your guests directly how they feel about the music. Too loud? Too quiet? Just right? Just show that you think about such things and pay attention to even small details that contribute to your guests' satisfaction.

Note: Especially in the ongoing corona crisis, the distance between guests must be increased, which means that the voices are fewer and the volume is lower. Do you need tips on coronavirus catering? Then you canread here to find out how to get off to a fresh start and offer your guests a safe yet pleasant atmosphere.

Generally speaking, the larger the room and the fewer furnishings, the worse the room acoustics. Ultimately, this means that additional room elements can reduce the risk of noise. At the same time, you can take advantage of the height of the room and use soft materials in general to reduce sound.

These include, for example

• Partition walls
• plants
• curtains
• Sliding glass doors
• Flexible partitions
• Large format pictures
• Cloths
• Felt under all chairs
• Ceiling sails or ceiling panels
• Pictures with acoustic foam

With the help of these inspirations, you can keep the volume in the restaurant or bar low and create a feel-good atmosphere at the same time. You can find many of these items in DIY stores, second-hand stores or online.You can find out how to store sustainably online at here.

If you not only want to improve your soundscape, but also the environmental friendliness of your restaurant or hotel, we have some tips for youhere

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Waiting guests, ringing phones, opening doors and laughter from large groups all increase the background noise. To avoid this, there are a few simple tricks to maintain more peace and quiet and a relaxed atmosphere

1. set up a telephone station where the telephone is not mobile and located near the staff. Ideally, it should be located in a separate room away from the seating area. You should also adjust the volume of the sound so that it can still be heard but does not drown out all other noises. Our tip: Always assign one or two people to be responsible for the telephone service for the evening.

2. to mask waiting guests and the rattling of the entrance door, a curtain or even a pane of glass or plexiglass can help. This is particularly important if your restaurant is subject to compulsory reservations and there will be many guests who have to wait or even leave. You can keep these interactions away from your other guests by creating a spatial separation

3. as soon as you have a group of at least 8 people, it is worth separating them a little from the other groups. True to the motto "the more the merrier", the atmosphere and therefore the volume increases with larger groups. This is particularly the case when groups get together for an occasion such as a birthday or wedding.

You can use simple room dividers and plants to reduce the background noise a little. It is also practical to place large groups in the corners of the room to attract less attention from other guests.

Things often get hot and fast in the kitchen: the pudding has to be stirred, the mashed potatoes mashed, the salmon fried and the plates arranged. The cooks have to communicate with each other and with the service and make arrangements. It can get a little noisy. However, there are a few simple measures you can take to ensure that your guests are not disturbed:

• If you are still planning or setting up your catering business, it is definitely worth thinking about the placement of the kitchen. Ideally, you can place it in a separate area.

• If you are no longer in the construction phase of your business, a curtain between the kitchen or private area and the restaurant can help to keep both noise and the hustle and bustle away from the guests. A swinging door is less advisable, as this often leads to accidents such as collisions. A pass-through is another option that can also be installed at a later date. This means that the service staff don't get in the way of the kitchen staff and there is less need for communication thanks to an established system.

• If you offer live cooking in your restaurant, where guests can watch their food being freshly prepared, Plexiglas walls are useful. These not only reduce noise during cooking, but also protect your guests from splashes.

Our tip: Plastic packaging also makes a noise when it is opened, squeezed and disposed of.You can find out how to make your restaurant more plastic-free and reduce rustling and crackling at the same time, here.

Clever designs and regulated processes can make everyday life in the hospitality industry a lot easier. The term "New Work" can provide a lot of new inspiration for designing the working atmosphere, not just in terms of volume but also employee satisfaction. If you want to find out more about "New Work" in the hospitality industry,you can read about it here:

With a few tips and tricks, you can reduce the volume in your hospitality business and create a cozy atmosphere for your guests. With the right preparation, you can create the right atmosphere right from the start.

Remember to get on good terms with your neighbors to keep any complaints at bay. If you do have a complaint, you now have a few ideas to reduce the background noise. Be sure to check or ask your local facilities whether there are any special regulations regarding noise and night-time rest so that you are well prepared.

To summarize: preparation is the most important thing here to avoid complaints in the first place. So get informed, plan & try things out and don't forget to have fun!