Get guests to linger - and spend more - by creating the perfect dining atmosphere with e-conolight LED fixtures. Setting the mood for diners can be tricky as there are many areas of the restaurant that need to work together to strike the proper ambiance. Our indoor LED fixtures can provide enough brightness in the kitchen for food prep while delivering a softer, more comfortable glow for patrons in the dining room. Create consistency for the interior and exterior of the restaurant by enhancing its look and feel with our outdoor LED fixtures. Our LED fixtures will provide you with the energy and cost savings needed to ensure the food is the most talked-about aspect of the night.
What Unique Lighting Needs Do Restaurants Have?
Restaurant lighting is crucial to creating the perfect atmosphere for your patrons. A restaurant's lighting should be warm and inviting yet bright enough for people to safely get to where they're going. The lighting in the kitchen and bathrooms should also differ from the main dining area. With all this in mind and many options available on the market, it can be particularly challenging to pick the perfect lighting fixtures for your restaurant or bar. Learn more about the types of lighting each room needs below.
Kitchen Lighting
We recommend using an LED lighting fixture that diffuses a cool white light in the kitchen and other working areas. A well-lit room is necessary for creating a comfortable and safe working environment for every employee. Lighting also directly impacts focus and performance on the job. In the kitchen, the natural color of food items must be visible to keep quality standards high and help ensure food safety.
In other working areas, lighting with cooler light temperatures can help employees with tasks such as reading orders, operating the POS system, and preparing drinks. Be sure to use concentrated lighting in these areas to ensure they do not interfere with the atmosphere you are trying to create in the dining area. Many LED lighting fixtures give users additional controls to help limit the spread of light into other areas.
Dining Room Lighting
Color temperature plays a key role in crafting the perfect dining experience for your guests. Many restaurants use lighting fixtures with warmer color temperatures to create a cozy and pleasant atmosphere because cooler temperatures can be too harsh for the dining room.
Exterior Lighting
Quality exterior lighting is crucial for any business, but restaurants with outdoor dining areas have more factors to consider. Exterior lighting can attract more customers by making your front-door signage stand out to people passing by. Proper outdoor lighting in parking lots and sidewalks is also vital for customer and employee safety after dark.
Another component for many restaurants to consider is how their terrace and outdoor dining areas appear to guests and passersby. Canopy LED light fixtures with warmer color temperatures can create a cozy atmosphere for guests dining outdoors and entice prospective customers to walk through the door. Stylish post lights also create a fashionable backdrop for outdoor spaces.
What Are the Main Types of Restaurant Lighting?
The three primary types of restaurant lighting include decorative, ambient, and outdoor. Every light in a restaurant serves a different purpose and contributes to the atmosphere and overall feel of the establishment.
Decorative Lighting
Decorative lights, or accent lighting, are not critical for completing tasks, but they play an important role in creating a welcoming atmosphere for guests. Decorative LED lights can grab their attention and direct them to key areas or highlight signage and special menus. LED under cabinet lighting can highlight drink options at the bar, while wall sconces and LED track lighting can help guide guests down hallways and stairs in style.
Ambient Lighting
The primary source of light in a room is ambient lighting. In restaurants, ambient lighting enables customers and employees to navigate and move comfortably within the building. Ambient light sources can either originate naturally from large windows or artificially using overhead light fixtures, such as LED downlights or troffer lights.
Outdoor Lighting
Outdoor lighting refers to an array of outdoor LED light fixtures that help improve an establishment’s safety and appearance. LED landscape lighting fixtures come in many styles and designs to fit any restaurant’s decor and overall aesthetic. Using outdoor wall-mounted LED lights for security lighting can improve safety by helping business owners ward off trespassers during off-hours and illuminate any areas that might become safety hazards for employees and guests in the dark.
What Are the Benefits of LED Restaurant Lighting?
The benefits of LED lighting in restaurants include cutting down on energy consumption and maintenance costs. Installing LED lights in your restaurant can improve light performance and enhance the overall atmosphere of your establishment. Learn more about the benefits of using LED restaurant lighting below.
Energy efficiency
Swapping out traditional lights for LED restaurant lights can lead to substantial energy savings. Halogen bulbs and other antiquated light sources cost more money to operate, while LED light fixtures typically require less than wattage to perform well. Over time, LED lighting fixtures can help restaurants save significant amounts of money.
Reduced maintenance
Not only do LED restaurant lights help you reduce your overhead, but they also reduce maintenance costs over time. Unlike their traditional counterparts, LED products degrade very slowly over time. An LED bulb can last over 100,000 hours, significantly longer than an incandescent or halogen bulb. LED fixtures require replacing less often, meaning you will save a fortune on maintenance and labor costs.
How Do You Choose the Right Restaurant Lighting?
Choosing the correct lighting for your restaurant largely depends on the layout of the building. For more help with selecting the perfect lighting for your restaurant, check out our indoor lighting layout tool and outdoor lighting layout tool.
Type of restaurant
The type of cuisine your establishment serves is a crucial aspect to account for when choosing the appropriate LED lighting to help with presentation. If your menu consists primarily of lighter options like salads and sandwiches, it would be suitable to opt for brighter and more natural lighting to create a weightless and airy atmosphere. Conversely, if your restaurant serves denser items like steaks and pasta, it would be appropriate to choose more robust lighting that highlights the characteristics of the plate.
Restaurant Size
The size of a restaurant plays a significant role in determining the lighting for the space. A smaller restaurant might benefit from a cozier and more intimate atmosphere. This means using lower lighting levels, warm color temperatures, and smaller fixtures.
On the other hand, a larger restaurant might require more widespread lighting to ensure every space is well-lit and customers feel comfortable moving around the establishment. Larger restaurants may need to consider the placement of lighting fixtures so that they do not obstruct the view of customers or block any architectural features.
Time of Day
It is also crucial to consider how the lighting needs of your establishment change throughout the day. Take into account your operating hours and the type of business you run. For example, a café or pâtisserie typically experiences heavy foot traffic during the morning rush hour and would not require the same lighting as a romantic restaurant. If your establishment serves customers at different times, such as breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner, it may be necessary to adjust the lighting accordingly.
Desired Mood
Lighting has a significant impact on a restaurant’s atmosphere and feel. Different lighting levels and styles can evoke many emotions, from excitement and energy to calmness and relaxation. Bright lighting can make a space feel energetic and lively, while dimmed lighting can set a relaxing and intimate tone.
The color temperature of the lighting can also affect the mood of a space; directional flood lights with warm tones can create a moody atmosphere, while LED cable strip lighting with cool tones can provide a bar with a modern vibe. Carefully selecting and adjusting the lighting in a restaurant makes it possible to create an atmosphere that enhances the overall dining experience for customers.
