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Hearing Loss and Restaurants—Here’s How You Can Cope

by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.

Many hard of hearing people (including myself) often have difficulty conversing in restaurants. This spoils the dining experience. However, if you think about your needs, and plan ahead, there are a number of things you can do to greatly improve your chances of hearing in such situations.

One of my favorite coping strategies is to dine during off hours—either before or after the crowds. This way the restaurant is relatively empty. As a result, the noise level is much lower, In addition, I can request a seat in a low-noise area rather than having to take the only table available.

The noisiest areas in restaurants are typically near the kitchen doors or wherever the busboys collect the dirty dishes, near the cashier, and any high traffic areas–such as near the main entrance or near the restrooms.

Another strategy I use, if I have a choice, is to request a booth rather than a table. This is because booths tend to be quieter and often have a wall on one side that blocks any sound from that direction. In addition, with a booth, the waiter/waitress can’t stand behind you and ask for your order. He/she has to stand at the end of the booth in your field of view so you can readily see to speechread.

Another effective strategy is to learn which restaurants have loud music playing and avoid them. Find those that have soft background music. If the music is too loud, request that the volume be turned down. Some will do this for you, but in my experience, many refuse. I just don’t go back to them again.

Another strategy is to go to well-lighted restaurants, or sit by a window (if it is still light outside). This makes it easier to speechread.

Some restaurants are pretty dark because they turn down the lights for the ambience it gives. This makes speechreading anyone difficult. In such cases, I choose a table that is as well-lighted as possible. Look for one with the light directly over the table.

Classy restaurants may use candles as their main source of light. However, a romantic candle-lit dinner quickly looses its charm if you can’t hear your partner. If you find yourself in this situation all is not lost. There are two things you can do to help improve the situation. First, if the candles are in the center of the table, and between you and your partner, move them to one side or the other. This will make speechreading much easier as the light is no longer in your eyes. If this does not provide enough light, ask the waiter for some more candles. Line them up on both sides of your table and you should have adequate light without destroying the intimate atmosphere.

Each of these coping strategies can improve your dining experience, and best of all, they are all free!

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Hearing Loss Research & Resources

Free Visor Cards

Download your free Visor Cards for hard of hearing or deaf people here.

Loop Systems

Loop your home or meeting room. Discover how you can hear wonderfully clear sound again when listening to the TV/radio, etc, or when listening to a speaker at a meeting.

Loop systems are one of the best-kept secrets in town. To learn more about Loop Systems and what they can do for you, click here.

Take Control of Your Tinnitus—Here’s How

If your ears ring, buzz, chirp, hiss, click or roar, you know just how annoying tinnitus can be. You do not have to put up with this racket for the rest of your life. This book teaches you many things you can do to help bring your tinnitus under your control so it no longer bothers you.

Learn More | Add to Cart—Printed | Add to Cart—eBook

Sounds Now Too Loud for You?

Hypersensitive to Sound front coverIf some (or all) normal sounds seem so loud they “blow the top of your head off”, or make you wince or jump, or cause you headaches or ear pain, or affect your balance, or result in fear or annoyance of sounds so you feel you have to avoid these sounds, this book is for you!

Learn More | Add to Cart—Printed | Add to Cart—eBook

Hearing Phantom Sounds?

When hard of hearing people begin hearing phantom voices or music, they immediately worry they are going crazy. It never crosses their minds that they are sane and are just experiencing Musical Ear syndrome.

To learn more about the strange phantom sounds of Musical Ear syndrome and what you can do about them, click here to read a comprehensive article about Musical Ear Syndrome.

Or get the book—Learn More | Add to Cart—Printed | Add to Cart—eBook

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Center for Hearing Loss Help

Neil G. Bauman, Ph.D.

1013 Ridgeway Drive, Lynden,
WA 98264-1057 USA

Email: neil@hearinglosshelp.com

Phone: 360-778-1266 (M-F 9:00 AM-5:00 PM PST)

© 2025 Center for Hearing Loss Help – Help for your hearing loss, tinnitus and other ear conditions

"The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life [which also includes perfect hearing] through Jesus Christ our Lord." [Romans 6:23]

"But know this, in the last days perilous times will come" [2 Timothy 3:1]. "For there will be famines, pestilences, and [severe] earthquakes in various places" [Matthew 24:7], "distress of nations, the sea and the waves roaring"—tsunamis, hurricanes—Luke 21:25, but this is good news if you have put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, for "when these things begin to happen, lift up your heads [and rejoice] because your redemption draws near" [Luke 21:28].