When setting up a restaurant or redesigning it, restaurant owners need to find a balance between creating a vibrant and dynamic space with their need for a space that is practical and conducive to business.
One often overlooked aspect of restaurant designing is the impact that the right lighting has in both shaping your establishment’s look and feel and impacting your guest experience.
Here are some facts that underlines the importance of getting your restaurant lighting spot on:
- Roughly 9 out of 10 diners say ambience is a key consideration in choosing a restaurant while more than 1 in 5 customers say ambience is the most important factor for them
- Lighting impacts dining experience more than many restaurant think. For example, a study reveals that dim light allows customers to relax and have a more intimate dining experience
- Lighting can also impact how people taste their food and wine. For example, in a survey conducted by German researchers participants rated their wine higher in red and blue light, while the same wine received lower rating in white and green light
As you can see, good lighting is critical for your restaurant. This is why it’s beneficial to understand how lighting influences a restaurant setting.
Obviously, there’s no-one-size-fits-all solution since no two restaurants are the same, so the best lighting design will vary from one type of restaurant to another. However, if you understand the lighting basics, it’s a great start, no matter whether yours is an upscale, intimate diner or a large, fast-casual establishment or any other type of restaurant.
This definitive guide touches upon various aspects of restaurant lighting so that you can give your patrons the dining experience they expect and deserve.
Key Takeaways:
- Lighting affects your customers’ mood, eating choices, and eating behaviour
- There are three main types of commercial lighting: task, accent, and ambient
- LEDs save energy, last a long time, and are environmentally friendly and so are the option for restaurant lighting
- Keeping the do’s and don’ts of restaurant lighting in mind helps you deliver great dining experience to your clientele
The way a restaurant looks and feels affects a diner’s mood
We’re going to let you in on two secrets: (1) Your restaurant’s ambience influences your patrons’ mood, and (2) How a plate of food looks influences how a customer perceives its taste.
In a study, researchers found that up to roughly 25% of diners are more likely to order healthy food in well-lit establishments. This is mainly because bright light makes a person’s senses sharper besides heightening emotions.
You might be wondering: That sounds great, but then why many restaurants opt for lower light levels?
Well, there’s a good reason for that. Customers feel more alert in bright light, whereas dim light creates a relaxing atmosphere. People dining at dimly lit tables are more likely to eat a leisurely pace and feel more satisfied with their dining experience.
Statistically speaking, while diners make slightly less healthy choices when the light is dim, their meal is more intimate, leading to better dining experience.
Now, that you know these trade secrets, the big question is: How can you take advantage of them?
Here are some useful tips:
- Alter the lighting for the time of day: Consumer have different dine-in behaviour during lunch and dinner. Lunch crowds are dining to get the fuel they need to ‘carry on’ and have limited time, usually not more than 45 minutes to an hour. A well-lit environment during lunch hours assist them in making healthier meal choices while preventing them from unintentionally stretching their lunch breaks. However, dinners are usually a more leisurely affair as the day’s work is done. Therefore, it’s a smart idea to lower the ambient lighting around 6:30 pm and rely on softer lighting sources like candles and lamps.
- Natural light can work to your advantage: If your restaurant has several windows, you can easily use natural light to your advantage. This simple yet effective lighting style keep diners alert while also helping increase their serotonin levels to maintain a happy, relaxed mood.
- In crafting experiences, psychology consistently plays a key role: To achieve an ambience that capitalizes on the advantages of both well-lit and softly illuminated spaces, strive to simulate the presence of both. One easy way to achieve this is by keeping the lighting consistent all day. Why not use candles on the tables to make sure diners’ faces are well-lit instead of cranking up the overhead light at night. This will just make the dining space cozier and create an illusion that it needs a little extra light, even though the room is already well-lit.
Types of Lighting for Restaurants
The restaurant lighting you opt for will help set both the mood and tone of your establishments. Broadly speaking, most restaurants use three main types of commercial lighting, no matter the size, demographic, clientele of their restaurant. These are ambient, task, and accent lighting. Each of them serves a particular purpose through general placement and fixture choice within the indoor space.
Ambient Lighting
Think of ambient lighting as the main source of lighting for your entire eatery. Typically, ambient lighting combines natural light, which skylights or windows provide, with overhead lighting fixtures.
No other type of lighting influences the mood of a commercial indoor space more than ambient light. It also allows customers to comfortably and easily move around an indoor space.
- A softly illuminated setting creates a cozy atmosphere that is perfect for high-end dining establishments, celebratory meals, as well as bar or lounge spaces
- Low ambient lighting encourages diners to unwind and linger, whereas brighter lighting is more conducive to swift customer turnover in busy establishments or high-traffic hours (like the lunch hours)
Task Lighting
The main purpose of task lighting in a dining establishment is to improve functionality. It helps both customers and your staff see better as they perform certain tasks, such as reading the restaurant menu or preparing food.
- Placing pendants above tables, using vibrant LED track lighting in the kitchen, and having a small lamp at the hostess stand all fulfil distinct functional purposes.
- Well-lit bathrooms, walkways, and bathrooms ensures the safety of everyone, particularly during busy hours
Accent Lighting
When it comes to adding visual appeal to your space and making it more decorative, nothing is as effective as accent lighting. Also called highlighting, accent lighting serves the purpose of drawing attention to specific features. It is used more for decorative purposes than functional.
- Use accent lighting for creating a focal point around the front-of-establishment area or highlighting architectural and designing elements like sculptures, paintings, and archways
- Recessed LEDs, directional LED track lights, and wall sconces that can light up a specific object, like an artefact, are practical examples of accent lighting for restaurants
LED Lighting for Restaurants
Without a doubt, the smartest lighting option for restaurants is LED. Thanks to its amazing versatility, creating the best lighting conditions for your establishments is easy.
What’s more, LEDs offer a lot of benefits that conventional lighting doesn’t:
- LED light bulbs consumes far less energy than traditional lighting (up to 60-80% less energy)
- LED lights last up to 25 times longer than traditional lighting options. In addition, their lumen quality is relatively consistent throughout
- LED lights are not only dimmable but also come in different colours, sizes, and designs, making them an ideal choice for fulfilling different lighting needs. With dimmable LEDs, achieving a soft-glow effect is a breeze
Do’s and Don’ts of Restaurant Lighting
- Know when and how to use low-lighting and bright lights
Low-lighting
As said earlier, low-lighting helps create a more relaxing, romantic, and intimate atmosphere in a restaurant space. LED lights that feature warmer colour temperatures and come equipped with dimming capabilities are perfect this purpose.
For creating a low lighting effect, consider installing overhead LED fixtures that are dimmable. Restaurant environments that use dim lighting should also include ample task lighting as part of the overall design. This helps clientele and staff to see properly and navigate safely around the areas that are lit dimly.
Bright Lighting
The thing about bright lighting is that it is more energising and stimulating. In a restaurant setting, it facilitates traffic movement and encourages customer turnover. Family-friendly diners, fast-casual cafes, and pizza parlours are just a few examples of establishments that can benefit a lot from bright lighting. That said, brighter lighting can be useful for any restaurant or similar establishment that does more business during midday or morning hours.
Large windows that lets in a lot of natural light through combined with LED overhead fixtures that perfectly complements daylight’s invigorating, crisp colour temperature can help you achieve the desired effect. Natural White LED bulbs (4000 Kelvin) are the best choice for emulating the warmth and clarity of natural daylight.
- Understand the movement and behavior of your clientele
When setting up the lighting for your restaurant, ensure that it complements the overall layout and ambiance of the space.
Here’s an example: For a buffet-providing restaurant, it's beneficial to have a well-lit area around the buffet area. This not only allows guests to see the available food but also subtly guides them to the buffet when they're ready to eat.
Another example could be using lighting strategically in your bar area to display your finest liquors and wines. Think of this as a branding strategy to gently influence your patrons’ purchasing behavior.
- Use quality LED bulbs
Here’s something you should know: Not all LED bulbs are created equal. When shopping for LEDs for your restaurant, opt for high-quality, dimmable, and high CRI-rated LED bulbs.
- Don’t Pair new LED bulbs with older dimmer switches
It is a common misconception that standard dimmer switches can be used for LED lights, but this is often not feasible. Existing dimmer switches typically feature a minimum power requirement of 50W. However, since LEDs have lower wattages compared to traditional bulbs, connecting an LED bulb to such a dimmer switch may result in failure to meet the minimum power threshold, causing confusion in the dimmer switch and leading to flickering, buzzing noise, or overheating of the lights.
LED lights require a dedicated dimmer switch in order to achieve optimal functionality and dimming capabilities.
- Don’t forget the exterior lighting
Don't forget, lighting up the outside of your building is just as crucial as lighting up the inside! Properly installed outdoor lighting can attract individuals to come inside, clearly indicating that the restaurant is open for business, particularly if it is located in a secluded area.
- Don’t use different types and colours of bulbs in the same fitting
This is a big turn off and can hurt your restaurant’s look. If you are not sure about how to choose the right lighting setup for your establishment, we recommend you rope in an expert. Since restaurant lighting can make or break customer experience, it’s one expense you should never skimp on.
Conclusion
When planning (or re-planning) your restaurant’s interior design, one key aspect to consider is lighting. It can help you deliver great customer experience and ensure your customers keep coming back and spread word of mouth for your business. Follow the tips and strategies discussed in this post to get your restaurant lighting picture perfect. In addition, switch to LEDs (if you have not done already) since they last longer, are more energy efficient, and come in different colour temperatures.
At LiquidLEDs, you’ll find a wide range of LED bulbs and accessories, all of which have been thoroughly tested for quality and come with a No Quibble Guarantee. By paying close attention to the lighting and using high-quality LED lights from LiquidLEDs, your diner could easily become the go-to spot for customers looking for a great dining experience.