Brian Wansink, a professor at Cornell University and his co-author, Koert van Ittersum from the Georgia Institute of Technology, conducted an experiment splitting a fast-food restaurant into two halves.
One half remained a typical fast food restaurant fitted out with yellow and red décor, bright lights and loud rock music.
The other half featured softer lighting and classic jazz instrumentals.
The researchers found that diners in the ‘softer’ half of the restaurant consumed less calories and enjoyed their food more. Interestingly, the relaxed music and lighting didn’t change what customers ordered, but it caused them to cut their calorific-intake by 18% by eating slower.
Instead of consuming 949 calories, diners in the redesigned restaurant took in 775 calories, challenging the theory that a more relaxed environment encourages you to graze for longer.
In the ‘brighter’ half of the restaurant, researchers found that customers stimulated by bright colours and loud music eat more over a shorter time period.
As Professor Wansink explained: “These results suggest that a more relaxed environment increases satisfaction and decreases consumption.
“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.”