Restaurants are a staple in every community. Customers can find any type of restaurant to fit their needs, usually within blocks of each other. Many underestimate the importance of proper lighting. If you are a restaurant owner, here are six ways lighting can impact your business.
Lighting is key to setting your restaurant's mood. Making sure the light compliments the tone of the restaurant can add to the customer's dining experience. For a romantic, intimate feel, dim lighting like table top candles and lanterns are a great. For a quicker dining experience, such as a fast food restaurant, brighter lights are a better fit.
A similar reason lighting is important is it can change the customer's physical appearance. Written articles state when customers go on a date, underlighting (lower placed lighting) can be more flattering to facial features, while overlighting (above the head) fixtures cast shadows and accentuate flaws and shadows onto your face, drawing attention to wrinkles or signs of fatigue.
Lighting also can influence menu choices. Some studies indicate customers in well-lit restaurants have an increased alertness, encouraging healthier menu choices. When dining in softer-lit atmospheres, customers feel more relaxed. Dimly-lit restaurants usually have lingerers that enjoy the experience but consume less of their food opposed to brighter-lit places having a quicker customer turnaround.
Since social media's popularity increase, influencers have helped restaurants attract customers. Lighting is a key element of how social influencers showcase their plates and drinks online to attract clientele. It is said you eat first with your eyes, so keep photography lighting in mind and customers that use social media will flock to your restaurant.
Restaurant lighting is important for more than just aesthetics. When the chefs are cooking, the quality of food is determined by how well they can see. Poor lighting can cause health risks, like cuts or burns, while lights that are too bright can cause headaches for the chefs. In addition to food preparation safety, installing proper lighting can help during an emergency. If the restaurant has a blackout, backup lighting methods like lanterns and candles can be a temporary solution. Or, if there is a greater emergency, proper lighting can show customers the path to evacuate if necessary. Sensory lighting also can remedy break-ins during late night or morning hours by turning on when an intruder comes close to your business.
Restaurant themed lighting is an asset that many do not consider. With these six mentioned reasons highlighting the importance of proper lighting, restaurant owners can make adjustments and get back to focusing on their favorite part: the food.