The general atmosphere of a dining space - from the decor to the choice of restaurant furniture - can play a significant role in helping to encourage customers to enjoy their experience.
When a diner feels that the space in which they are eating has been set up with some care and attention, they are almost certainly more likely to assume that the same level of love has been put into the food that is served to them.
In turn, this could be a useful first step towards cutting the number of complaints you receive - particularly if you often find food is sent back when there is nothing really wrong with it.
This is especially important in light of recent findings from Nationwide, which discovered that the British stereotype of keeping quiet when dissatisfied with a restaurant meal has gone out with the dishwater in the 21st century.
In fact, a massive 48% of Brits surveyed said they would send food back if they were unhappy - compared with just 20% of French diners, and only 14% in Italy.
Almost as many (47%) will go so far as to make a complaint to the restaurant, outranking any other country included in the survey.
And there's a further financial aspect to all of this as, while 35% of Germans would leave a tip even if dissatisfied, only 15% of Brits said that they would do so.
"Britons are traditionally seen as unwilling to complain, and would rather keep quiet than make a fuss," said Nationwide's head of current accounts Phil Smith. "However, this research has challenged that stereotype.
"In fact, we're more likely to stand up to bad service than our European counterparts."
All of this means that creating the right ambiance can be crucial to avoiding sent-back food and lost tips, affecting both your efficient use of ingredients and your real-terms staff wages.
Simply choose the best restaurant furniture you can find, and you've made a good start towards making a positive impression on diners when they first walk into your eatery.
Extend this to your choice of decor, including paint, lighting and any artwork you hang on your walls, and you give your food the best possible chance to shine.