Outdoor dining has become quite a trend recently, especially in the age of Covid 19, where social distancing has been followed. It could be a rooftop restaurant or just a simple restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating to accommodate more people. Either way, it brings several things into play. Lighting is one of the most essential aspects in business, so as an owner you should spend money on high-quality lights like outdoor led canopy lights because they are more energy-efficient and create exterior areas ambiance brighter.
Many restaurant owners give their outdoor lighting far less thought than they do their internal lighting. And that’s a grave error. The ambience of a dining experience is greatly influenced by the lighting. No matter if you’re eating a $10 casual burger or a $100 Porterhouse steak dinner for two, the atmosphere is just as crucial as the food and the service.
Now, you do not want your customers to struggle to see the dish served to them when it’s dark. This, however, is not a challenge during the daytime when the natural light brightens up the area. You have to make sure your restaurant is capable of being equally comfortable throughout the entire day.
An outdoor restaurant comes with a lot of lighting issues throughout the day. To block the blazing sun, trellises or umbrellas may be necessary. At night, those “ceilings” make excellent lighting options. An umbrella becomes a bright light source when it is uplit.
Safety First
Make sure you draw attention to curbs, ramps, and steps. Post-top lights, wall sconces, or rope lights can be hidden under the stairs and used to achieve this. Additionally, light can serve as a navigating aid and mark paths. Add plants and glow to them for better visibility to screen diners from streets, parking lots, or other tables. Ensure you are using lights approved for outdoor use if you don’t intend to move your lighting system inside during bad weather. Lights with PTFE film and sheets prove to be highly efficient in diffusing the reflection of UV rays making them an ideal form of outdoor lights.
Create A Focal Point
Whatever you use to divide people, make sure it’s well-lit. Whether they are curtains, walls, or plants, illuminate the vertical surfaces between your outdoor restaurant chairs and tables. Whatever you use to divide people, make sure it’s well-lit. Try hiding the light source behind a bench or plant to generate a gentler glow. A pleasant environment is threatened by glare. Natural focus points include firepits, fireplaces, and garden planters. To downlight the areas beneath trees, you can hang lights from their branches.
Use Warm Colors For Fireside Ambiance
Different hues are available for LED lighting. An outdoor LED lighting factory can be used to choose warm lighting to make people and their surroundings look their best. However, you should use intense colours with caution. Red or blue accents can be exciting but use them sparingly to prevent tainting food or causing a commotion. Fire is another element that produces a cozy fireside atmosphere. In addition to providing light, firepits can be used to help socially distant consumers. In cool climates, firepits or heat lamps can offer warmth and ambiance to expand the outdoor dining season. Additionally, candles on tables also emit light.
Be Creative With Your Lights
Lights come in a variety of shapes and sizes. You can get standard globes and globes that look like jelly jars or paper lanterns. Try selecting a form that accurately captures the personality of your restaurant. An alternative is to take floor lamps outside. Some even have a rating based on external usage. Hanging buckets and baskets above a standard store light will give it a more beautiful aspect. Several cord-hung lamps can be grouped to create a chandelier.
Use String Lights
String Lights are popular and simple to install. However, it would help if you tried utilizing them differently. What are you using as posts when you string lights across your area? A bucket filled with broomsticks can work, but so can other items. Consider one of the following substitutes.
Use concrete-based, 4×4 solid posts. After the concrete has dried, pour it into buckets and remove them. Any buckets you use that are loaded with sand should be skirted with the cloth to hide the unsightly bucket. You can use exciting objects, such as old wooden ladders, as string light anchors that are weighted with plants. There would be no need for a pole if string lights were attached to a building’s outer wall. Additionally, you may tie them to trees.
Conclusion
A successful restaurant must offer a warm, secure, and pleasant atmosphere, whether a casual eatery or a high-end fine dining establishment. The food must look good in addition to excellent taste.
Outdoor lighting is critical for every restaurant, aiming to stand out from others. Although it might be costly and complex, employing your imagination can help keep expenses down. Whatever you choose, remember that the magic of light can make dining outside just as enjoyable as it is inside.
