Which lighting is suitable for a restaurant?

What factors should be taken into account?

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 greatly influence their tastes. This means that not every type of lighting and atmosphere in a 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. Light that tends toward pink, for example, has a more positive effect on the human sense of taste than green light.

Safety

The lighting should be safe and comply with applicable regulations. be installed to prevent accidents and fire hazards in your restaurant.

Glare

Bright lights can cause an unpleasant and disruptive 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 restaurant.

Budget

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

Lighting options for different types of restaurants

It makes sense for the lighting to complement the overall style of the restaurant. Adjustments can be made in many different ways through interior design.

In general,LED light bulbstend tocreate a more modern and contemporary atmosphere, while incandescent bulbs 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, as well as pendant lights and table lamps, can complement each other and create a pleasant atmosphere in your restaurant.

Fast food restaurants

In this case, high brightness and good visibility are more important than a romantic atmosphere. Bright ceiling lights are therefore generally used to illuminate the entire restaurant evenly.

Bar and lounge area

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

How can the lighting be as flexible as possible?

Flexibility should also be taken into account when it comes to lighting. The lighting should therefore be chosen in such a way that the rooms can be adapted to different occasions and activities.

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

Dimmers and color change options make flexible lighting possible and can also be installed retrospectively. In addition, movable arms or lampshades give guests the freedom to adjust the light beam to suit their preferences or their choice of seating.

If a light cannot be manually adjusted due to its design, track systems are an option to provide more flexibility.

By attaching it to a , lights can be easily moved and replaced as needed. Motion sensors are another option. They can be used to automatically switch the lighting on and off, depending on whether or not anyone is in the area. This not only makes the lighting more flexible, but can also reduce electricity costs in the long term.

Casual dining restaurants

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

One idea, for example, would be the s.luce Cruet glass pendant light. It stands out for its elegance and countless design possibilities. It is available in three different colors—the smoky gray lamp suits a modern interior style, while the amber version exudes coziness. 

However, the lamp really comes into its own when the colors and shapes are combined to create a multi-light pendant lamp.

Outdoor

Wall lights, garden lights, table lamps, and lanterns are a good choice for outdoor areas. However, before making a final decision, you need to decide what kind of atmosphere you want to create in your outdoor area.

Where can lighting be used in restaurants?

Lighting can be used in various places in restaurants to influence the atmosphere and mood and improve the overall experience for guests. However, different areas have different lighting requirements.

Here are some recommendations:

General lighting

General basic lighting is important for creating a welcoming atmosphere in the restaurant. This can be achieved by using ceiling lights or pendant lights that provide even lighting throughout the room.

One example of this is thes.luce Hexa LED ceiling light. It stands out thanks to its simple yet appealing design. This means it fits into almost any room, as it can be a beautiful addition anywhere.

Accent lighting

Accent lighting can be used to highlight 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 cozier atmosphere at the tables. The use of small lamps or other decorative lights also creates a romantic mood.

Colored lighting

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

There are basically no limits to creativity here—all colors, shapes, and lengths are possible. Be inspired by the versatile possibilities in the skapetze® online shop.

Entrance area

Inviting and bright lighting is a good way to make the restaurant entrance eye-catching and thus leave a friendly first impression on guests.

Bar area

Atmospheric lighting with targeted light accents is ideal for creating a relaxed atmosphere and drawing attention to the bar and its drinks. If you would like to read more about this topic, we discuss bar lighting in more detail in this article.

Dining area

Pleasant, warm lighting should create a relaxed and cozy atmosphere here. Too bright light tends to scare guests away.

Restroom area

Bright, clear lighting is important here to create a clean and inviting atmosphere and ensure guest safety.

Overall, well-designed lighting in a restaurant can help create an inviting atmosphere and enhance the overall guest experience. It can significantly influence the ambiance of a restaurant and contribute to guest satisfaction.

"When planning the lighting for your restaurant, consider the placement of the tables (and therefore the position of the lights), the time of day your guests will be dining, and the atmosphere you want to create for each visit. A small, quaint café that is only open during the day requires completely different lighting than a large, elegant restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner."

How bright should the lights 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 ambiance, and the type of activities that take place in the different areas of the restaurant.

However, two terms should be clarified in advance:

Illuminance indicates how much light from a light source hits a specific surface. Illuminance is measured in "lux." However, this unit is not meaningful if the distance is not known.

That is why the unit "lumen" is also used. It stands for the total perceived 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 guideline can be provided.

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 learn more about this, we explain the Kelvin light color in more detail in this article.

Dining area

This area should have 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.

Kitchen

The kitchen requires bright and uniform lighting to ensure safety and hygiene when preparing food. A guideline value here is approximately 300 lumens per square meter.

Restroom

Sanitary facilities should have sufficient lighting, also to enable good hygiene. An illuminance of around 250 lumens per square meter is ideal here.

Generally speaking, warm color temperatures of 2700-3000K are recommended for a cozy atmosphere in restaurants. For areas such as the kitchen and restroom, 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 optimal brightness and color temperature for the restaurant areas and ensure that the lighting meets the needs of guests and employees.

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

Conclusion on restaurant lighting

Lighting in a restaurant plays an important role in creating the right atmosphere and can significantly influence the guest experience. Choosing the right lighting depends on various factors, such as the type of restaurant, the target audience, the ambiance, and the desired style.

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

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

By the way, restaurant customers receive a 10% discount on the entire range at skapetze® – just ask our B2B team!

You are also welcome to visit us at our lighting studio in Simbach am Inn.

If you already have a specific idea of what the lighting in your restaurant should look like, we can help you turn that idea into reality – our Our in-house workshop makes it possible.