The Best Restaurant Lighting

The longer they stay, the more they spend. If you understand the psychology of lighting, you can help boost sales for your restaurant customers.

In this Article:

• The psychology of lighting
• Turning patrons into regulars
• The right balance of light and shade
• Lighting for day to night

In restaurants, cafes and bars, lighting is so much more than illumination for patrons to see what they’re eating and drinking. Lighting seriously affects how consumers feel and, in turn, how they shop, what they buy and how much time they spend in an establishment. Which means electrical contractors who understand the psychology of lighting can have a serious business impact for their service-industry customers. Here’s how to use lighting to make sure customers eat and drink their way past a restaurant’s bottom line.

Relaxed customers spend more

When people visit restaurants, the first objective for the business is to keep them relaxed and in there for as long as is reasonably possible. After all, the longer they’re there, the more they order and the more they spend. Having the right lighting can help keep them in a relaxed state of mind.  

The second objective is for them to return. And if guests feel uncomfortable in any way, they’re not likely to come back.

In a series of studies by the US-based Kellogg School of Management, researchers manipulated light levels to see how people’s preferences changed when they were offered a practical, utilitarian product versus a more enjoyable, hedonic product. The results showed that people were more likely to choose enjoyable products under dimmer lighting and practical products under brighter lights. 

So, it’s not surprising to learn that lighting in restaurants tends to be softer to help diners relax and feel comfortable ordering that second — or third — round of drinks. 

Getting the lighting balance right

Of course, you need the right amount of light to read the menu and see your food — and your companions — with ease. And the contrast is crucial. The lighting needs to be balanced with surrounding surfaces and colours, to avoid glare and eye strain. Eye discomfort and headaches can be caused by our pupils adjusting between surfaces, and that’s certainly not the desired effect when customers are visiting a restaurant or bar to relax. 

And, for restaurants that open from morning to night, different lighting will be required at different times of the day. For example, the lighting needed at breakfast will be different to that needed for an evening meal. Breakfast is a higher-paced meal, and there’ll be some natural light to complement too. So lighting that is adjustable and versatile is the order of the day. 

“People are more likely to choose enjoyable products under dimmer lighting, and practical products under brighter lights.”

Fast food lighting

Fast-food restaurants, of course, are a different proposition altogether. The business is built on low spend, high turnover, so bright lighting creates a fast-moving environment in which people aren’t really encouraged to hang about.