Best Lighting Tips for Restaurants

Attract hungry customers and boost your business with these lighting tips.

Did you know that according to research, 74% of people stay in a room longer because the lighting made them feel more at ease? This is why lighting in restaurants is key for getting new patrons and retaining them. Aside from excellent customer service and good food, lighting and ambiance are very important and should be invested in.

If you own a restaurant and need to recover from the losses brought upon by the pandemic, consider following these tips:

Illuminate the entrance with an open sign.

LED open signs are so bright, making them the ideal sign to install right on your restaurant’s entrance. And because these signs usually come in red LEDs, they give just the right warmth to the area. A LED sign is still visible and illuminating during the daytime, so it’s very important to have one at your entrance.

Highlight areas with lighting fixtures.

One way to attract customers after reopening after a temporary closure is a whole new look. Highlight areas where people spend most of their time, like the tables. For example, you can install a pendant light with warm brightness above each table. As for the bar, you can place a series of pendant lights above the table and spotlights for the drinks. You can also add lighting accents to the bar table with some LED strips.

Set the mood with the right lights.

The lights’ brightness can help set different moods in your restaurant. During the cold months, brighter lighting is recommended to keep the place feel warm. On the other hand, less brightness is perfect for the warm months, and when it’s daytime, you can opt to use natural lighting. That is why the pendant lights that you will use for each table should be programmable, so you can adjust them depending on the weather or time of day.

Guide your customers with lighting.

Lighting pathways and hallways make an aesthetic guide for your customers inside your restaurant. This is because lighting can draw attention to key areas like the tables, the restroom, the bar, and perhaps, the smoking area. In this case, accent lighting fixtures are used, like LED strips or small LED bulbs. 

Consider your customers’ comfort.

As mentioned earlier, a person stays longer in a particular place if the lighting makes them feel at ease and at home. The lights should make your customers feel comfortable and allow them to clearly read your menu. Avoid glare by installing lighting out of the natural field of vision. That is why pendant lights are the best type of lighting for restaurant tables.