Greet Your Customers With The Right Lighting

With ease in restrictions, restaurants are getting ready to welcome people who are stepping out into the new normal world. From the aroma of your delicacies to the centerpieces on the table, we are sure you have it all down to a T. However, you also need to make sure that people see the work you have put into your restaurant.

A lot of foodservice operators overlook lighting. However, lighting is the one element that can make or break the ambience of your space. Npower conducted a survey across the UK in which they interviewed 1500 people. They found out that one-third of the respondents had admitted to walking out of the restaurant because of bad lighting.

So even if it seems like a trivial thing, you can use lighting to your advantage to attract potential customers. Let us help you strike the right balance.

Give a cohesive look to your restaurant by setting different layers of light. Start with ambient lighting as it is going to be the main source of light. Opt for fixtures or make the most of natural light, but make sure it lends a relaxing atmosphere to your space. For concentrated light, task lighting is ideal for making sure your staff can do their chores with ease.  You can employ table lamps and fluorescent lights. If you want to draw attention to a particular feature of your restaurants, like a menu or an artwork, go for accent lighting. Feel free to browse through our range of pendant lights.

The right kind of lighting can hold the entire space together. You can experiment, but having too many different kinds of lights can be a little confusing. The same principle should be applied while choosing the colors of the lights. Just be careful not to overdo it and attune it to the overall theme of your restaurant. Moreover, the positioning of lights should be at different heights so that they do not clash with each other.

You can create a different ambience by just controlling the intensity of light. If your restaurant is operating throughout the day, then it is important to turn the mood according to the clock. Bright light for breakfast is perfect because it replicates the appearance of natural light. Moderate lighting works for the relaxed atmosphere during lunchtime. Lastly, to set up an intimate ambience during dinner, dim lighting or any light of lower intensity is the right fit. Dimmable lights or dimmable panels are the most convenient way to achieve the effect of mood lighting with ease.

The lights will serve to accentuate the decor of your establishment. But, we are here to remind you of its most fundamental role, which is to offer a more relaxing experience to the customers. You can have a delightful little lamp set on the table, and your clients will have a more brightly lit space with a cosy ambience. Your staff should have easy access to task lighting so that they can ensure the smooth functioning of their daily tasks without straining their eyes.

The food is the soul of your restaurant. After having cooked it to perfection and serving it in the most appetising way, you do not want bad lighting to ruin it, right? Under bad lighting, food can look bland, plain and the customer might miss seeing the fine details that went into preparing a wholesome meal. But remember that too much lighting will fail to highlight the real color of your food and drinks.

When you have to make a choice between functionality and aesthetics, the answer is always functionality. Do not just pick lights because they look visually appealing. You should narrow down your lighting needs based on your restaurant and buy the ones that serve the purpose they are designed for.

If your establishment is blessed with big windows and panels, then it is time to draw out its potential for natural light. It is absolutely free of cost and an energy-efficient alternative. You simply need to track the position of the sun during the day. Customers who will sit facing the east or west direction will be most exposed to the sunlight during sunset and sunrise. However, compared to the advantages of natural light, this poses a small problem that can easily be solved by tinted windows, curtains, or blinds.

LED lights are dominantly being used within the hospitality industry, especially restaurants. Despite being an expensive lighting product, LED lights to compensate for their initial cost by saving energy. This is why many people prefer to buy these over incandescent bulbs. With a life span of 50,000 hours, they last significantly longer than any other lighting products. You are saving more money in the long run.

A lot of people fail to see the importance of lighting within the design of a restaurant. Starting from the visual appeal to the variety of lights which are offered, a foodservice operator has to consider a lot of factors. We hope this guide has helped and inspired you to design the right ambience for your restaurant.