Which lighting is suitable for a restaurant?

Which factors should be considered?

Before you decide on a lighting system for your restaurant, you should consider a few basic aspects:

Target group

The age and income of the target group can strongly influence their tastes. This means that not every type of lighting and atmosphere in the restaurant is suitable for every target group.

Color temperature and color rendering

The color temperature and color rendering of the light can influence the perception of colors and textures of the food. For example, light that tends towards pink has a more positive effect on the human sense of taste than green light.

Safety

Lighting should be installed safely and in accordance with the applicable regulations in order to avoid accidents and fire hazards.

Glare

Glaring light can cause an unpleasant and disturbing experience for guests and employees. It is therefore important to ensure that the lighting does not cause glare, but distributes the light evenly throughout the room.

Budget

The budget should also be taken into account during the planning stage to avoid planning an unrealistic project. After all, it is not only the price of the lighting that is important, but also the subsequent costs for installation, operation and maintenance.

Lighting options for different types of restaurants.

It makes sense for the lighting to match the rest of the style of the restaurant underlines the style of the restaurant. Customization can be achieved through the interior design in many different ways.

Generally speaking LED light sources tend to create a modern and contemporary atmosphere, while light bulbs create an almost nostalgic atmosphere create an almost nostalgic mood.

Fine Dining Restaurants

A subdued and cozy atmosphere is required. A combination of warm colors and dimmed lighting works well wall- and ceiling lights and pendant lights and table lamps can complement each other to create a pleasant ambience.

Fast food restaurants

In this case, high brightness and good visibility are more important than a romantic ambience. As a rule, bright ceiling lights are therefore used to illuminate the entire room evenly.

Bar and lounge area

Here too, the aim is to create a soft and warm atmosphere that invites people to relax and linger. The easiest way to achieve this is by combining different, perhaps somewhat unusual light sources, such as luminous seating cubes or luminous bottle coolers.

How can the lighting be as flexible as possible?

When it comes to lighting, the flexibility should also be taken into account. The lighting should therefore be selected in such a way that the rooms can be adapted to different occasions and activities. 

After all, it depends on whether the guests are ordering breakfast, lunch or dinner. In addition, the cleaning staff, for example, need different lighting than a celebrating wedding party.

Dimmer and color change options make flexible lighting possible and can also be installed at a later date. In addition movable arms or lampshades give guests the freedom to direct the beam of light in a way that suits their preferences or their choice of seating. 

If a luminaire cannot always be aligned manually due to its design, then track systems an option to provide more flexibility for more flexibility.

The attachment to a rail luminaires can be easily moved and replaced if necessary. Another option is Motion sensors. They can be used to switch the lighting on and off automatically - depending on whether or not someone is in the area in question. Not only does this make the lighting more flexible, but in the long term it can even reduce the reduce electricity costs.

Casual dining restaurants

Restaurants such as pizzerias and cafés need bright, activating lighting to create an inviting and friendly atmosphere. Ceiling lamps, pendant luminaires and wall lighting can be used here. 

One idea, for example, would be the s.luce Cruet glass pendant luminaire . It is characterized by its elegance and countless design options. It is available in three different colors - the smoky grey luminaire suits a modern furnishing style, while the amber-colored version radiates coziness. 

However, the light is particularly effective when the colors and shapes are combined to create a multi-flame pendant light.

Outdoor area

Wall lightsgarden lights, table lamps and lanterns are a good choice for the outdoor area. For the final decision, however, it must be clear what mood is to be achieved in the outdoor area.

Where can light be used in restaurants?

Light can be used in different places in restaurants to influence the atmosphere and mood and enhance the overall guest experience. However, different areas have different lighting requirements.

Here are some recommendations:

General lighting

General ambient lighting is important to create a welcoming atmosphere in the restaurant. This can be achieved by using ceiling lights or pendants that provide even lighting throughout the room. 

An example of this is the s.luce Hexa LED ceiling light . It is characterized by its simple yet appealing design. This makes it suitable for almost any room, as it can be a beautiful addition anywhere.

Accent lighting

Accent lighting can be used to emphasize certain areas of the restaurant, such as artwork on the walls or the reception area.

Table lighting

Table lamps can be chosen if you want to create a cozy atmosphere at the tables. The use of small lamps or other decorative lights also creates a romantic atmosphere.

Colored lighting

Colored lighting can be used to emphasize a modern furnishing style. Colorful lighting is available, for example, in the form of a LED stripwhich can be attached to the underside of a counter or bench. 

However, there are basically no limits to creativity here - all colors, shapes and lengths are possible. Let the skapetze® online store to be inspired by the wide range of possibilities.

Entrance area

Inviting and bright lighting is a good way to make the entrance to the restaurant stand out and leave a friendly first impression on guests.

Bar area

Atmospheric lighting with targeted lighting accents is suitable for creating a relaxed atmosphere and drawing the focus to the bar and its drinks. If you would like to read more about this topic: in this article, we take a closer look at bar lighting.

Dining area

Pleasant, warm lighting should create a relaxed and cozy atmosphere here. Light that is too bright tends to put guests off.

WC area

Bright and clear lighting is important here to create a clean and inviting atmosphere and ensure the safety of guests.

Overall, a well thought-out lighting in the restaurant help to create a welcoming atmosphere and enhance the overall guest experience. It can have a significant impact on the ambience of a restaurant and contribute to the guest satisfaction satisfaction.

"As you plan the lighting for your restaurant, think about the placement of the tables (and therefore the position of the lights), the time of day your guests will be eating and the atmosphere you want to create with each visit. A small, fancy café that is only open during the day will require completely different lighting than a large, elegant restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner."

How bright should the luminaires be and what color temperature should the light have?

The brightness of the lights and the color temperature of the light depend on various factors, such as the style of the restaurant, the desired ambience and the type of activities taking place in the various areas of the restaurant.

However, two terms should be clarified beforehand:

The illuminance indicates how much light from a light source strikes a certain surface. Illuminance is measured in the unit "lux". However, the unit is not meaningful if no distance specification is known.

This is why the unit "lumen". It stands for the total perceptible brightness. 1 lux corresponds to 1 lumen per square meter. This means that the total brightness depends on the size of the room and the beam angle of the luminaire. It is therefore difficult to give you a specific recommendation for your restaurant - only a rough guide value can be used.

The color temperature indicates the light color of a light source. It is measured in the unit "Kelvin". The higher the Kelvin number, the colder or bluer the light color.

If you would like to find out more about this - in this article we explain the light color Kelvin in more detail.

Dining area

This area should be of medium brightness. Approximately 100-150 lumens per square meter are appropriate here.

Counter / bar

This area can be lit a little brighter to create a dynamic atmosphere. The illuminance should therefore be around 200 lumens per square meter per square meter.

Kitchen

The kitchen requires bright and homogeneous lighting to ensure safety and hygiene when preparing food. Orientation values here are approximately 300 lumens per square meter.

WC

Sanitary rooms should have sufficient lighting, also to ensure good hygiene. An illuminance level of approx. 250 lumens per square meter is ideal here.

Generally speaking, for a cozy atmosphere in the restaurant warm color temperatures of 2700-3000K are recommended. For areas such as the kitchen and WC, a cooler color temperature of around 4000-5000K can be used to achieve better visibility and stronger contrasts.

A professional lighting designer can help you find the optimum brightness and color temperature for the restaurant areas and ensure that the lighting meets the needs of guests and staff.

Lighting design and lighting concepts are also part of the service provided by skapetze® and can be requested online at any time.

Conclusion on restaurant lighting

The lighting in a restaurant plays an important role in creating the right atmosphere and can have a significant impact on the guest experience. The choice of the right lighting depends on various factors, such as the type of restaurant, the target group, the ambience and the desired style.

Appropriate lighting can make the restaurant more attractive and inviting, while poor lighting can be unpleasant and off-putting. It is therefore important to right combination of light sources.

If you are still undecided about how you want to implement the lighting in your restaurant, arrange an appointment with the lighting professionals from skapetze®, for a personal consultation and the development of an individual lighting concept.

Gastronomy customers receive skapetze® by the way 10% off the entire range - just ask our B2B team after!

You are also welcome to visit us on site in Simbach am Inn in our light studio come and visit us.

If you already have a concrete idea of what the lights in your restaurant should look like, we can help you turn this idea into reality - our in-house workshop makes it possible.