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5 Minute Read

The 5 Best Acoustic Panels For Restaurants

In this blog, we’ll cover the best acoustic panels for restaurants and discuss why they are so important.

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TL;DR – What are the 5 Best Acoustic Panels for Restaurants?

Poor acoustics are one of the top customer complaints in restaurants, affecting comfort, conversation and overall dining experience. The best way to reduce noise and improve ambience is by installing Class A absorption acoustic panels on ceilings and walls. Top recommended products include:

  1. Ecophon Solo
  2. Tenso Wall
  3. Tenso Ceiling
  4. Autex Horizon
  5. Autex Frontier Baffles

With the right treatment, restaurants can significantly reduce echo, improve speech clarity, support staff wellbeing, and create a calm, enjoyable environment that keeps customers returning.

Acoustic Panels for Restaurants

Poor acoustics remain one of the most common customer complaints in restaurants. Hard surfaces like concrete, glass, timber, and tiles create reverberation that makes conversations difficult, amplifies background noise and leads to an environment that feels busy, loud and tiring.

The right restaurant acoustic panels dramatically reduce echo, improve speech clarity and creates a calm, enjoyable dining experience. Below, we explain why acoustics matter in hospitality settings and review the best acoustic products for restaurants in the UK, all tried, tested and installed by Resonics.

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Why are Acoustics so Important in Restaurants?

Restaurants are full of reflective materials, energetic service, clattering cutlery and overlapping conversations. Without acoustic treatment, sound bounces freely around the room, creating:

  • High reverberation levels
  • Poor speech intelligibility
  • Loud, chaotic dining environments
  • Increased stress for staff
  • Reduced accessibility for diners with hearing difficulties

 

By installing high-performance, Class A absorption acoustic panels, you can:

  • Reduce echo and noise build-up
  • Reduce sound transfer between tables
  • Enhance ambience and customer comfort
  • Support staff wellbeing
  • Boost repeat business

The Best Acoustic Panels for Restaurants

Ecophon Solo

Ecophon Solo is one of the most effective and visually clean acoustic solutions for restaurants. The free-hanging ceiling panels are Class A absorbers, making them particularly effective in controlling reverberation in lively dining rooms. Available in multiple shapes and colours, Solo integrates seamlessly into modern hospitality interiors without disrupting lighting or ventilation.
Key Benefits:
  • Class A sound absorption
  • Modern, minimalist design
  • Flexible layout and suspension options
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Ecophon Solo acoustic panels were installed in a restaurant to improve speech clarity and create a serene dining atmosphere.

Tenso Wall

The Tenso Wall system is a premium stretched-fabric acoustic wall solution built on-site for a seamless, tailored finish. It sits flush against the wall, offering high absorption while maintaining a clean architectural aesthetic. In restaurants, it’s ideal for areas where sound reflects strongly.
Key Benefits:
  • Sleek, seamless finish
  • Class A acoustic performance
  • Durable, fire-rated, impact-resistant
  • Optional custom-printed designs to match branding
Stretched fabric acoustic panels were installed in the Portland Restaurant to reduce noise levels, creating a comfortable dining experience.
Tenso Wall installed in Brasserie Blanc's dinning room to improve acoustic comfort

Tenso Ceiling 

Tenso Ceiling provides high-performance acoustic absorption across large areas while maintaining a flawless, uninterrupted aesthetic. This system is ideal for restaurants aiming for a clean, contemporary look while achieving Class A absorption.

Key Benefits:

  • Seamless, monolithic ceiling finish
  • Class A acoustic absorption
  • Durable, fire-rated, impact-resistant
Tenso Ceiling, one of the best acoustic panels for restaurants, installed in a busy restaurant to improve diner comfort.
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Autex Frontier Baffles 

Autex Frontier is a modular baffle system offering both excellent acoustic control and striking visual impact. The vertical orientation of the baffles maximises absorption and provides a sculptural element ideal for contemporary restaurants and bars. It’s ideal for restaurants with high or open ceilings needing both design and performance. 

Key Benefits:
  • High-performance sound absorption
  • Highly customisable shapes and layouts
  • Strong visual design element
  • Lightweight and suitable for exposed ceilings
Busy restaurant with acoustic baffles on ceiling
Cafe in theatre with acoustic baffle ceiling

Autex Horizon 

Autex Horizon panels are engineered from 100% polyester fibre and deliver high levels of absorption. The panels can be easily mounted on ceilings with minimal space, thanks to the adjustable hanging system or used to create a floating effect. With a variety of colours available, mix and match panels to create a unique ceiling feature.

Key Benefits:

  • Carbon-neutral product and zero-carbon manufacturing
  • Flexible layout options
  • Customisable colours and finishes
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How to Choose the Right Acoustic Products for Your Restaurant

Start with the ceiling.

Restaurants typically need 50–60% ceiling coverage using Class A absorbers to control reverberation effectively.

 

Check the absorption rating.
Look for Class A panels or products with an NRC (Noise Reduction Coefficient) of 0.90 or higher to ensure excellent reverberation control.

 

Consider durability and cleanability
Hospitality spaces require fire-rated, safe, and easy-to-maintain materials.

 

Match panels to your design vision 

Acoustic products should improve ambience without compromising your interior aesthetic. The products in this list offer flexible finishes, colours, and installation styles.

 

Use an acoustic survey

Every restaurant is different. Resonics offers free acoustic surveys and tailored proposals to ensure you get the most effective solution for your space.

Conclusion

Acoustics play a crucial role in your restaurant’s success — influencing comfort, atmosphere, repeat business, and overall customer satisfaction. Installing proven solutions like Ecophon Solo, Tenso Wall, Tenso Ceiling, Autex Horizon and Autex Frontier Baffles can dramatically improve the dining experience, creating a calm, welcoming environment where voices carry clearly and guests feel relaxed.

Resonics has delivered acoustic treatments for hundreds of hospitality venues across the UK. Each of the products listed here is chosen for its exceptional performance, durability, and design versatility.

Want to see the results for yourself? Explore our case studies to discover how these acoustic products have transformed restaurants.