CRAI

CRAI is short for “Café and Restaurant Acoustical Index”, and is a rating system for eating venues in New Zealand according to their acoustic environment.

Restaurants and Cafés are engaged in a perpetual competition for good reviews. Most reviews focus on food and service, but seldom mention noise. The CRAI rating system aims to provide the public with the ability to match the type of eating experience they want with the acoustic environment.

If you're heading out on a Friday night with a few mates for a nosh up with a couple of beers, you probably want a fairly boisterous venue. Come Sunday evening, when you're celebrating your wedding anniversary over a candlelit banquet with an expensive bottle of red, your requirements are somewhat different.

Everyone can rate a restaurant they have visited. The submitted data is analysed to give a star rating for each restaurant we've had feedback on. In much the same way as cuisine ratings, a 5 star restaurant is quieter and more subdued than a 1 star venue.

The more feedback, the more reliable the star rating is, so we particularly appreciate receiving ratings on venues that already appear on the list. And, if you find one on the list that no longer exists, or has been refurbished or renamed, please let us know.We encourage you to get every person at your table to rate the venue.