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In short:
People with hearing loss say it can be difficult to have a conversation at restaurants due to background noise.
Adelaide audiologist Laura Drexler has created a web app that rates restaurants on their ambience level, to help connect people with conversationally-friendly restaurants.
What's next?
Ms Drexler says she wants to expand the service nationally in 2025.
Have you ever struggled to hear a conversation over the din of a lively restaurant?
Stephen Morris began to experience significant hearing loss eight years ago and said dining out at restaurants with loud music and background noise was a regular challenge.
The 63-year-old retiree said he found it increasingly difficult to differentiate between music and speech, and at times felt like he was being "attacked" by noise.
"And it's even more annoying if you've taken the family out for dinner and you've spent hundreds of dollars on the family, and you can't talk with them because the so-called background music is turned up too loud," he said.
"Regardless of what age you are, it would be nice to go out for a meal and not have to shout at each other to have a conversation."
Adelaide audiologist Laura Drexler said the top complaint from her clients was not being able to hear speech over background noise in restaurants.
The former paramedic said open kitchens and minimalist furniture — features of many modern restaurants — may be friendly on the eyes, but not the ears.
"Once the background noise level gets to a point that you feel the need to raise your voice, that's when the sympathetic nervous system kicks in," Ms Drexler said.
"So ... increased heart rate, increased adrenaline, which can for people — if they think it's a negative sound — cause a lot of stress and anxiety."
Adelaide interior designer Marcus Syvertsen said hard surfaces like tiles, stone and glass cause sound to "bounce" and amplify.
He said simple elements like soft, absorbent wall and ceiling linings can help to improve dining experiences.
"By addressing all five senses, particularly hearing — often neglected in cafes, restaurants and hotels — we create environments where patrons feel comfortable and inclined to stay longer, which can significantly boost business revenue," Mr Syvertsen said.
Inspired by her clients' frustration — and discovering there were no quiet restaurant guides she could direct them to – Ms Drexler created her own.
The Ambient Menu, coined by her husband who lives with tinnitus, is a web app using crowd-sourced data from over 10,000 registered users to help people find restaurants that suit their listening needs.
Launched in South Australia in 2020, the app is also available in Queensland and allows users to rate and review restaurants using a four-tier system; quiet, low, moderate and lively.
The app also offers a search function to help users find restaurants with Auslan proficient staff – although only one Adelaide pub is currently listed.
Deaf Connect's general manager for support work services, Katrina Lancaster-Maggs, said everyday interactions for those in the Deaf community could be improved by greater awareness, especially for those in customer-facing roles.
"A lot of the time a Deaf person walks into a café, and when the staff realise that person is Deaf, they just freeze," she said.
But she said there were many ways to communicate.
"Whether that's writing down an order or pointing to what I want, it's important to treat Deaf people with the same respect as any other customer," she said.
As for the app, Ms Drexler hopes to secure sponsors to develop a smartphone version and expand the service nationally in 2025.
"We are not meant to be isolated as humans and if you go back through all the years, what do we do when we catch up?" she said.
"We catch up together and dine."