Noise competes with speech
Background noise makes hearing harder because speech has to be separated from competing sound. Even people with normal hearing can struggle in a loud room, but hearing changes can make the task much more demanding.
That is why a person may seem fine in a quiet kitchen and lost in a restaurant. The setting changes the difficulty.
The pattern is useful information
If noisy places are consistently hard, write down which ones: restaurants, family gatherings, worship services, meetings, or stores. Also notice whether one-on-one conversations in quiet rooms are easier.
Those details can help a hearing professional understand what kind of support may be needed.
Practical ways to reduce the load
Sit away from speakers and kitchen noise, face the person you want to hear, choose quieter times, and ask for one conversation at a time. If the pattern keeps limiting life, consider a hearing evaluation.
A restaurant plan
Choose a quieter table, sit with your back to a wall when possible, face the person you most want to hear, and avoid peak noise times when the conversation matters.
If you use hearing aids, ask whether there are settings or programs for noise. If you do not, repeated restaurant difficulty can be a useful reason to get hearing checked.