For most of my life, I had two criteria when it came to choosing a restaurant – great food and acceptable service. Now, as a get a little older, I find myself adding a third criteria to the list – a reasonably quiet room so that I can actually enjoy the company of my friends and family.

To be clear, my hearing hasn’t reached the point that I need a hearing aid. But, like many older adults, I still find myself struggling to hear the details of conversations in crowded locations. Do you ever feel the same?

Well, if you sometimes find yourself wishing that there was a way to search for quiet restaurants, you’re in luck. Several groups of entrepreneurs have launched apps designed to do exactly this!

Let’s look at a few such apps.

Soundprint – Discover Quiet Places and Help Support Businesses That You Love

Soundprint is an app that can help you to discover quiet and moderately noisy restaurants, coffee shops and other places to hang out.

Like many apps, Soundprint relies on its users to find quiet locations. When you reach a restaurant, you can open the app and record the level of the sound around you, using the microphone on your mobile.

In addition, the app lets you search for quiet locations around you, so, you will never need to be stuck in a noisy café or restaurant again!

Find out more about Soundprint on their website or watch the video below.

iHEARu – Find Quiet Restaurants All Over the World

Another similar app, iHEARu, was created by a Seattle audiologist. iHEARu already has data for over 2000 restaurants and other public spaces all over the world, meaning that no matter where you travel, silence is only a click away!

The app also allows users to leave reviews of places that they visit. So, for example, you might want to tell your fellow iHEARu friends what the quietest table is at a certain restaurant so that can make a reservation.

Find out more about iHEARu on their website or watch the video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFFhOAOzaPs

Will Apps Like Soundprint and iHEARu Change the Way Restaurants Work?

Initially, the people who benefit most from apps like Soundprint and iHEARu will be their users. But, eventually, I can’t help but wonder whether all of us will benefit from these apps indirectly.

Here’s my thinking. For a long time, noise level has been an invisible factor in the restaurant space. If a restaurant was noisy, you just had a put up with it.

I can’t help but wonder what will happen when noise level becomes a factor in people’s decision making. Will restaurants be forced to have quiet areas? Will they install sound dampening panels? The possibilities are endless!

Do you ever have trouble hearing others at restaurants or other public places? Would you be interested in using an app to find quiet restaurants in your area? Let’s have a chat!