Whether it’s a class at one of the nation’s leading culinary schools or a case study at the prestigious Harvard Business School, there’s a common thread when outlining success in the restaurant and hospitality field. That element is simply the attention that goes into creating a special customer experience. The payoff for “doing it right” becomes maximizing the table check for that evening with additional coffee, dessert and after dinner drinks and then of course the return visit is that come with that.
Certainly most successful chefs and restauranteurs understand the basics of great food and table service. Increasingly today’s successful operator is looking for those intangibles that make the difference.
At the top of that list, especially in the fast paced, cramped real estate world of New York City is attention to sound control in the restaurant. Too much noise in any fine restaurant can quickly sabotage our dinning experience. Unfortunately, far too many restaurants are designed with little emphasis on sound control solutions to keep the noise level at a comfortable level.
The nation’s leading provider of acoustic strategies has come to Metro New York with a portfolio of innovative new solutions. After building a reputation of with award winning acoustic design in various auditoriums, conference rooms, and home theatre entertainment systems. 3D Squared has expanded their acoustic installations into the restaurant industry. Glen Hoffman, owner of 3D Squared, says “Each restaurant has its goals to help it stand out. Adding acoustic panels has benefits beyond sound reduction.”
“We are sensitive to the balance of not having to compromise the design of your restaurant in order to address excessive noise levels in the dining and bar areas, “Hoffman noted. 3D Squared’s Decorative Acoustic Panels include a full range of food and wine themed prints as well as original art, classic art, photographs, posters and more. “We are able to take any of the art that you are featuring in your restaurant and reproduce them as acoustic panels.”
“In many cases, we find that architects and interior designers overlook creating a plan for how customers will be able to converse with each other, “Hoffman added. “Most restaurant designs include too many hard surfaces. Sound waves bounce off these surfaces which results in a constant, uncomfortable noise level which can peak at 120 decibels.”
3D Squared’s approach has been to create and cost effective approach to reduce the noise in a restaurant through a series of absorptive acoustic panels. “In the past, most Designers didn’t want to use acoustic panels because the fabric colors were muted and unattractive, “Hoffman continued. “We have now created a simple approach that enables us to reproduce just about any image on our acoustic-friendly decorative prints/panels”. With the simplicity of simply placing the panels on existing sheet rock, the firm is able to create and complete an acoustic panel within a range of $28 to $36 per square foot.
3D Squared works seamlessly with it s client base and the architects and designers that support the foodservice professional. “In many cases, clients will come to us with paint swatches or a sample of their carpet, and ask us to match a color scheme,” Hoffman noted.
“The goal is not a soundproofing that brings complete silence to a room full of talking guests. Our panels will absorb excess sound and reduce the overall decibel level so that patrons can enjoy their overall dining experience in your restaurant with compromising the vibe that you were looking to create.”
The 3D lineup includes over 50 original Decorative Acoustic Panels designs created by Hoffman. All the designs are created in a digital format which has several important advantages over traditional art. Digital files allow for the ultimate customization. The colors, size, and shape can all be altered to meet the specific needs of your restaurant decor. “You can use very large prints in your restaurant because we can output high resolution files which translate beautifully to extremely large prints.”
3D Squared’s portfolio of products also includes a Fiber Optic Ceiling. “Our Fiber Optic ceilings are made with acoustic panels,” Hoffman said. “So besides the stunning look of the panels, they will greatly reduce the noise level of your restaurant. We create these ceilings with one of our acoustic friendly prints of clouds, sky or Space Theme. This stunning combination will become the highlight of your restaurant decor.”
Whether it’s the restaurant staff raising their voice to take an order, or a customer raising their voice to give their order, 3D Squared’s goal is to maximize the customer’s experience at your restaurant and keep them coming back.
