Since opening its doors in June 1992, Matt’s Hot Dogs has been a Seattle original. From the very beginning, music has been part of his brand experience. In the early days, Jones relied on a simple portable radio tuned to a local jazz station — chosen less for its genre and more for the fact that it played without commercials. When done right, music creates an emotional backdrop customers may not consciously notice but always feel. Custom Channels was able to amplify that experience by shaping the sound Jones wanted... no portable radio needed.
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“Music sets the tone the second someone walks through the door,” Jones said. “It tells people what kind of place they’re in.” Jones tastes leaned toward rock. He wanted room for deeper cuts and unexpected artists — from Van Morrison to Ennio Morricone, Brad Mehldau, or Neil Diamond — all blended in a way that felt intentional and distinctly his own.
What he didn’t want was a generic, one-size-fits-all playlist. That search led him to Custom Channels. “I finally had something that let me shape the sound of my restaurant,” Jones said. Wondering how far customization could go, he explored managing every aspect of the playlist himself. When that became too much to manage, he reached out to Jeremy Bookman, director of sales at Custom Channels wondering if he could build a playlist based solely on the songs he wanted.
Bookman’s answer was immediate. “Absolutely.”
What Jones realized is something many independent restaurant owners learn over time: Great music is both emotional and technical. It’s not just about song selection; it’s also about how tracks are curated, balanced, normalized, and maintained over time. Custom Channels helped Jones, pairing his vision with professional music management — ensuring access to the artists he wanted, consistent audio levels, and a seamless in-store experience.
Bookman said Jones' experience is far more common than many independent restaurant owners realize. “A lot of business owners come to us initially thinking Custom Channels is just about better playlists,” he said. “What they often don’t see right away is that we offer a full suite of business music capabilities designed specifically for commercial environments and not consumer listening.”
Bookman explained that Custom Channels combines deep music customization with the technical and operational backbone businesses need to deliver a consistent, professional experience. “We handle everything behind the scenes: full music licensing and compliance, professional curation, normalization, scheduling, and ongoing support,” he sais. “That means owners can focus on their brand and their customers, without worrying about volume jumps, missing artists, or whether they’re exposed to licensing risk.”
Beyond music selection, Bookman noted that Custom Channels gives businesses the ability to shape the in-store experience throughout the day. “Our platform allows for time-of-day scheduling, multi-zone control, and optional messaging — so the sound and feel of a space can evolve naturally from open to close,” he explained. “It’s not just what song is playing. It’s how the music supports the mood, the pace, and the customer journey.
“You don’t have to be a national chain to care deeply about your brand,” he said. “Whether you have one location or a thousand, music is part of how customers feel about your business. Our job is to make sure that experience is intentional, consistent, and unmistakably yours.”
Custom Channels works with global brands and single-location operators alike because customer experience doesn’t shrink with business size. “Music matters to every restaurant, no matter how big or small,” Jones added. “What matters is how people feel when they’re here.”
For Matt’s Hot Dogs, music reinforces everything the restaurant stands for: independence, authenticity, and attention to detail. With Custom Channels, Jones knows that experience is not only personal but professionally executed. “I couldn’t be happier,” he concluded.
