A great restaurant or bar must have good food and wine in order to continue to be great. And let’s not forget lighting. The right lighting makes all the difference. The lighting must set the mood for your customers’ dining experience.
With the right lighting color and brightness, your customers will keep coming back. If your customers come back, then your lighting has done the trick.
Before choosing the correct lighting, one of the questions you are probably asking yourself: “Is there the right color temperature for lighting?”
We all want the main room of our main room of restaurant must be cheery and inviting, no matter how simple the interior design is, and the way to accomplish that is the right color temperature of lights.
The right color temperature for your restaurant usually comes down to what effect you are after. If you offer fine dining, warm low indirect light for the effect of privacy and intimacy would be more appropriate. If you are in a fast-food business, bright lights would accommodate the fast pace environment much better.
Choosing the color temperature for your restaurant lighting
Having a well-lit restaurant is one thing and choosing the best color and temperature is another. This is because colors appeal to people’s moods and emotions.
Have you ever imagined going into a restaurant for dinner with a loved one, only to have bright dazzling lights in every corner? For sure, that ruins the romance and intimate aura.
As a restaurant owner, the right color temperature for any part of the day is as important as the intensity and as the fixture type. There is no detail too small when it comes to lighting for your restaurant.
Here are some of the best colors for your restaurant and how you can be able to achieve each of them.
| Commonly placed | Type of light | Lumens |
| Kitchen area | Bright white | 4,000K – 5,000K |
| Reception area | Warm white | 3,000K – 4,000K |
| Dining area | Soft white | 2,700K – 3,000K |
The kelvin temperature scale is used to measure the light given off by a bulb. On the different scales which are represented using numbers, the brighter and crisper colors are found on the highest scales while the warmest and reddish colors are located below the temperature scale.
So, what color temperature bulb should I use? The following list is varieties of different color temperatures that would help you to choose and also customize the mood of your restaurant:
2250K
These light bulbs which come in a rosy shade of white are designed to give off light like the incandescent light bulb. Normally, incandescent bulbs at full voltage light the area with soft, golden-white color but progressively becomes warmer as they are dimmed becoming more orange or red as you dim them lower and lower.
Fluorescent bulbs, however, do not change their color temperature when dimmed. Instead, they give off light at a more moderate intensity while maintaining that color temperature. As such if you regularly dim your incandescent bulbs and don’t want to lose the ambiance that comes with 2250k temperature, then go for 2250k fluorescent bulbs, they also save energy while maintaining ambiance.
2250k bulbs
These bulbs are recommended for restaurants that serve a lot of meat, steak, and beef. Accentuation of the color and juices of red meat comes from the rosy hue 2250k pink light bulbs. So you trust that your representation of cuisines will be improved in terms of appearance and appeal.
They are also perfect for dinner moments because of their ambiance.
2850K-3000K
Talking about halogen light bulbs which are whiter and brighter compared to incandescent light bulbs. Their brightness and intensity create a lively feeling for the customer’s engagement.
Recommended for use during morning and afternoon hours. However, there are fluorescent bulbs designed in the 2850k-3000k; they have this same feature and are whiter when compared to incandescent bulbs.
They also give the same efficiency and effect as undimmed halogen bulbs. It is essential to have bright white colors in your restaurant, they bring illuminance and accentuate colored food.
- They are essential for early mornings when customers need to walk in hastily grab a bite and head to work.
- Some customers that need to read newspapers in the morning also need bright white light.
- Fruits and vegetables garnished food, and classical bars need bright white lights to look more appetizing and accentuated for customers.
3500K-4100K
The last category of bulbs we talked about imitated halogen lamps that are not dimmed. Well in this category, we will speak of fluorescent light bulbs with kelvin temperatures of 3500k-4100k which are crisper and brighter.
They have much more dazzling light when compared to standard halogen lamps. They are even better for a restaurant with fast-paced quick services which allows customers to go over their food as quickly as possible.
The profitability of some restaurants lies within their rate of turnover, trying to serve all customers as quickly as possible. If you own such a restaurant, 3500k-4100k are recommended for you.
The cool white color of the 3500k-4100k
This color brings to light the architecture of the restaurant, making movement easy and much more facilitated. Not just the interior of your restaurant, the meats, fish, and sauce are accentuated because of the crisp white light of 3500k-4100k fluorescent bulbs.
Fluorescent bulbs are recommended because they can dim even without changing color. So despite their bright, crisp radiance, you can dim them when necessary to create an aura of relaxation in the restaurant. In the evenings, they are best for seafood and poultry meals.
Different lighting temperatures throughout the day
Since restaurant lighting temperature can Impact your customer’s mood, use different levels of lighting to adjust the atmosphere of your restaurant. These include low, bright, or lighting for different times of the day.
When choosing what types of lighting to use for your establishment ask yourself:
- What type of ambiance do you want to create during the day?
- What hours are your restaurant open?
This will help to determine if you should change the lighting for when you serve breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Breakfast
Bright cool lighting helps to wake your customers up for them to read the newspaper while sipping coffee. Lighting that is bright must be bright enough to see by without causing too much eye strain.
It is also more stimulating than low lighting, meaning that your customers are up and about and in top form.
Lunch
For those who eat lunch at your restaurant, moderate lighting in semi-warm tones works well. Whether you are a fast food joint or a café, this type of lighting will help to make the lunch meal service go by faster.
Dinner
If your restaurant does most of its business in the evening, then low warm relaxing lighting is just what is needed for the atmosphere of your place. This level of lighting can persuade your customers to stay a bit longer.
When your customers are relaxed, then they will be more inclined to buy more drinks, food, and dessert. Formal restaurants that cater to couples or lovers use warm low lighting to set a romantic mood.
Accent lighting with dimmers can help create this effect.
How color accents affect people in your restaurant
Did you notice that the color of the light can alter people’s moods and therefore their actions? Will people feel comfortable in your restaurant or not partially depends on the lighting temperature that you use:
Warm lighting solution (yellow-red)
In many restaurants we see warm lighting being used. The reason for this is that it creates a cozy and warm atmosphere (just as the name suggests).
This is the best lighting solution for fine dining as it encourages customers to stay longer. It creates the effect of romance and closeness by:
- Highlighting a person’s skin tones and making it pleasant to look at.
- Accents general looks and clothing.
- If you add a slight amber hue to your lighting, it will create an illusion of candlelight, making it ideal for couples.
Cold lighting solution (green-blue)
You can use cool white lighting if your restaurant is more casual (like fast food or take-out). This type of lighting is brighter and usually more cost-effective (if LED lights are being used).
Your restaurant will look cleaner and more exciting for your customers. Great for a fast pace environment as it encourages your client to stay for a shorter period of time. Interesting things to consider:
If you add a slightly blue hue to your lighting, you may trigger people to feel more hungry
You need dimmers to adjust the color temperature!
The next thing that we are going to talk about is – dimmers. Dimmers can change a soft 2700 K light, which is best for dinner meals, to a brighter K light for breakfast and it does not take any effort on your part!
Plus, if you want a more intimate atmosphere, dimming the light to 2200 K will keep your guests from noticing that the light effect is not caused by candles. Having established the fact that your restaurant’s light intensity and colors can vary depending on the time of the day.
Bright and dazzling lights are needed in the morning hours to enable people to navigate the restaurant space in the rush of the morning, moderate lighting in the noon, and warm lighting for evenings since most romantic dates are fixed in the evenings.
Several regulators and control panels are in place for changing the light intensity and color of lighting in your restaurant even remotely in the comfort of your phones. Here we will outline some of the best dimmer and light control brands that will do the best work in your restaurant.
There are some of the things you need to consider first before purchasing a LED dimmer Switch or control panel. It all depends on your preference, ease of use, budget, and overall design of your restaurant.
Single vs. multi-room
Various LED dimmer switches are designed to control lighting in a separate room or more than one room. Having the single lighting switch makes control and wiring less complicated but will require you to move to different locations in order to change the lighting.
The multi-dimmers though with sophisticated installation, let you control the light for several rooms easily.
Control
Advancement will always continue in all technological sectors. Dimmers can be sophisticated enough to let you control all the lighting from your mobile phone in the comfort of your office.
Some other people also prefer the traditional wall-mounted switch, which is somewhat reliable.
Smart features for your dimmers
Still, on the remote functionality, some dimmers can be connected to certain smart systems that include Amazon Alexa, Samsung SmartThings, Apple HomeKit, Google Home, etc. But this really depends on what kind of restaurant you own since these apps were designed basically for tranquil homes and offices.
In the following paragraph, we will uncover the 6 top LED dimmers for Restaurants.
1. Insteon SwitchLinc Remote Control Dimmer
When it comes to delivering atmospheric lighting, the Insteon SwitchLinc design is a lion in the jungle of LED Dimmers. It comes in a variety of colors that range from white, black, gray, and almond.
They can handle lighting systems of up to 600 watts and most interestingly integrate the wireless control method. This means that you can be able to control your lighting with remotes, your mobile phones, and your computer and can also apply different applications such as Amazon Alexa with the help of Insteon hub.
This is a feature that all customers talk about, expressing the joy of controlling the whole lighting system with a tablet. Insteon hub bears another intriguing feature that allows you to save lighting settings.
So all you have to do is run some preference tests and have them saved. Once it’s time, you just tap and have your preferred light intensity put in place.
If you are planning on getting this LED dimmer for your restaurant, you should make sure to get a technician who is conversant with Dual Band Technology or better still, hire an Amazon expert for the installation.
2. Philips Hue Smart Dimmer Switch
For budget-sensitive restaurants, the Philips Hue Dimmer Switch is the best bet if especially you want to go from old worn-out switches to remote control panels. The brand can function effectively with Amazon Alexa, Apple Homekit, and google assistant. Philip Hue dimmers are the best brands for neon, colored lights.
They come with high-end settings that allow users to set different preferences; for example, you can have your lights intensified at a first tap and have other colors turned on after a second tap. Philips allows these settings not just in the remote sector but also on the wall settings.
3. Lutron Maestro Companion Dimmer
Lutron has a lot of intriguing brands in this market niche. The Lutron Maestro Companion Dimmer switch is another budget-friendly brand of all the Lutron Dimmers.
It is way affordable and comes with a lot of high-end features for optimum performance. The Lutron Maestro is recommended for restaurants that want to control the lighting of several rooms from a spot. However, this brand is not limited to the multi-room setting.
A recommendation for better intensity and dimming effects, it is better you use this Lutron dimmer with other Lutron maestro products.
4. Lutron Caseta Wireless Smart Lighting Starter Kit
You might be wondering why we have another Lutron brand, well, you will still come across it again. When it comes to lighting and lighting systems, Lutron has made available varieties with different integrations for the best results.
This Lutron Caseta model has extended dimming features that will for sure be interesting for your restaurant lighting and can also be controlled using Alexa or an app such as Ecobee, Google Assistant, Nest, Logitech, and Samsung SmartThings, or Apple HomeKit that allow you to send Siri on ambient errands.
The Set up for Lutron is easy and would not take more than 15 minutes if your technician has basic electrical wiring knowledge.
5. Leviton Decora Smart LED Dimmer
One of the Wi-Fi-controlled dimmers that add elegance to your restaurant without the need for a separate space-eating hub. Leviton Decora Smart LED dimmer allows the use of high-end applications and remote access from mobile devices and tablets.
Settings such as raising and lowering of light are among the exciting auto adjust, auto shut off, and home or away feature that can allow you to have a theme color in your restaurant when closed.
6. Best Basic Dimmer: Lutron Skylark Dimmer
This is a spec and a prodigy in the series of manually controlled Light Dimmers. This dimmer is controlled using the manual method of lever sliding.
You slide up the lever to intensify and brighten the area while the opposite dims the light. Lutron Skylark Dimmer can be installed without prior electrical knowledge and can also be fixed to a ceiling fan, allowing easy access to cool air.
Take Advantage of Smart Lighting
More devices are being created every day that help you run your establishment, especially devices to help operate the lighting. You can choose different features depending on your choice of a lighting system.
Use these systems and their features to customize your shades and the man-made lighting sources based on when your restaurant is open and the quantity of natural light. Aside from better customer service, having a dimming panel will save you time and money overall.
Lighting is the most important feature of your restaurant. If the lighting is inadequate, it can ruin your customers’ experience. Good food is not enough anymore to compete in the restaurant business today. You must create an atmosphere that your customers will want to experience again and again.
Attention! This article is for informational purposes ONLY and is NOT a replacement for a professional advice! All statements, prices, contact information, recommendations, and reviews contained herein are based on the information we believe to be reliable, but the accuracy or completeness thereof is not guaranteed. You will need to visit company's website for details and updates, as well as consult your local specialist for appropriate solution to your problem..
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