The Cut Calories, Turn Down The Lights

Of course, it could be that diners simply can’t find their forks, but researchers at Cornell University’s Food and Brand Lab are attributing their latest finding to mood, not eyesight. The professors report that after a recent makeover of a fast-food restaurant, softer music and lighting led diners to eat 175 fewer calories and enjoy it more. A Cornell news release reports that, curiously, the lighting and music didn’t change what people ordered, but it did compel them to eat 18 percent less of it— 775 calories instead of 949. Find a pdf of the study here.