I have an ally in my war against loud music in restaurants and other commercial venues. Saith Nigel Rodgers at the DM :
The introduction of the smoking ban enabled us to shop, eat and drink in a smoke-free environment, so why does uncontrollable, inescapable background music linger in these spaces like cigarette smoke once did?
Unwanted ‘muzac’ (NB. ‘Muzak’ with a ‘k’ is a tradename these days) easily becomes a noise, and noise is the forgotten pollutant. Sometimes you can’t hear yourself think, let alone hear the person you’re with.
You can’t read, you can’t listen to your music on headphones. No, you’re trapped, beholden to a dreadful cacophony.
I wrote about this ghastly nonsense back in 2018, and if anything, I’ve become less tolerant in the intervening years. Not long ago I ordered my food in a place which played loud music, and then about ten minutes later I got up and left, apologizing to the restaurant manager on my way out, saying that my tinnitus was causing me extreme pain and I would not be able to enjoy the meal because of the noise. I went back a couple nights later, walked in, and walked straight back out again, motioning to the manager about the loud music. I never went back.
The hell with them, and all the other places. Nigel, old buddy, I’m right there with you.