For you chefs and restaurant owners out there- do you intentionally attempt to create a specific atmosphere in your restaurant (or in your kitchen) through music, lighting, or art? Which is most important, in your opinion? What have you tried that was unsuccessful in the past? What have you kept?

I'm not an owner or manager of a restaurant, but I will never forget what I was taught about atmosphere when I first started out in the hospitality field. The owner of a fine French restaurant explained that when people go out to eat, and spend as much as they would in his establishment, the atmosphere should be one of luxury, and relaxation. The lighting, artwork, music, and the gracious manner of the staff, tells the customer that this is going to be a really special experience. Because nothing was pre-cooked, it took 30-40 minutes to prepare each dish. The worst thing he did was to add a little drinking lounge behind the bar, for people to wait out the half hour. Some people got too relaxed and either passed out, or got sick. This frequently happened on busy Saturday nites. The lounge got the "ax".