My observation is that customers and owners seem to be at odds in restauraunts. Owners want the restaurant to seem lively/busy even if it's not full and don't

My observation is that customers and owners seem to be at odds in restauraunts. Owners want the restaurant to seem lively/busy even if it's not full and don't find quiet as a competitive edge. One chain I find bucking the trend is Chipotle. They seem to have a standard of using a wood product that looks like spaghetti on the ceiling that is fairly absorptive.