Fine Dining

I can't remember the last time I did any. Fine dining to me means tablecloths, cloth napkins, and enough quiet that you can hear silverware clinking, not to mention the person seated across the table from you. I eat out frequently, meeting friends for breakfast or lunch, and with my husband on the weekends. I stick to moderately price places so I can do it as often as I like. But for quite a few years now, I've noticed that no matter what type of restaurant it is, the noise level has increased until it's difficult, if not impossible, to have a normal conversation. All possible sound-absorbing fabrics have been removed. There are no curtains, tablecloths, or carpeting. I know this makes cleaning easier, but it takes its toll. The background music has ramped up so much that it is the front-and-center attraction. Obviously, this means that the level of conversation goes from quiet talk to practically shouting to be heard. Many of these places still have good food, sometimes great food, but I've gotten headaches from the reverberations all around me. I assumed this was my advanced age giving me trouble with today's world again, but I asked some younger people and they said they hate it too. Is it unreasonable for me to ask, Why? Who decided this was a good idea? Who is enjoying it? I suppose it's possible that someone thought that making the music a little louder would put some energy into the room and, like so many things, it got out of hand. I suppose. There are a few restaurants where we can still eat comfortably if we avoid their busy times. There's one place with a table around a bend that is perfect as long as we don't have to fight someone for it. And our server doesn't forget we're there. But I'm afraid that if word about them gets out, they'll become as miserable as all the others, so I'm not going to tell where they are. Unless you ask nicely.