自1978年改革开放以来，中国便开始面向世界，新思想的出现以及外国文化的进入改变了原有的商业环境。无论是80年代还是2005年后进入中国的国外快餐连锁店在本地都面临着激烈的竞争。
以位于美国肯塔基州路易斯维尔市的带Sander上校脸标快餐店为例，作为第一家以鸡肉为主的快餐店，于1987年进驻北京，到2011年，在中国已有3, 200家连锁店。随后，总部位于美国伊利诺斯州布鲁克市的、以汉堡为主的双黄色拱门标的快餐店于1990年10月进驻中国市场，并计划在2013年前拓展到2, 000家店铺。最后一个进入中国市场的是位于美国佛罗里达州迈阿密市的汉堡国王快餐店，到2013年3月为止共有63家店铺，少于之前的两家。
中国也有自己的、本土风味的快餐店，甚至有一家也进入了国际市场的中国快餐店，以功夫作为其象征性标志提供“健康的”中国式快餐，总部位于广东东莞，于1994年开业，至今已有400家连锁店。1995年，总部位于上海，以豆浆与油条为主的快餐店也发展起来，已有1000家连锁店，同时也提供其他中国菜式。1999年，来自内蒙古的小羊快餐店提供的“中速”火锅也以300家连锁店的规模发展起来，并走入国际市场，到2011年，可与Sander上校齐头并进。
无论是国外还是当地的快餐店都需要快速扩张，所以多处需要统一规范以便加速店铺扩张和管理。同样，效率与快速流动是优先考虑的因素。在快餐店中，照明是一个扮演最基本的功能性以及节能的角色，营造均匀的照明效果。有时会在餐桌上方安装一些装饰性灯具或是在天花或墙面嵌入一些凹槽型灯具。在这种环境中，照明很少用来做重点照明凸显某种特殊元素。
另一方面，如果餐厅业主希望顾客在定制化的餐厅中惬意的享受美食的话，照明便并成了商业成功的一个必要因素。让人在柔和的灯光及温暖的色调中得以放松是装饰性氛围照明的特点，在这类照明中，即使是功能性照明突出的地方如卫生间也与众不同。食物和其他的艺术品一样，通过高显指的重点照明呈现给顾客。
对于快餐而言，我更喜欢慢餐。然而考虑到食品的安全问题，我更喜欢在家中用自己买的食材（如在北京亮点设计中心的 十米店中买的的新季黑米）为自己或是客人烹饪而非去餐厅吃饭。你的选择是什么呢？
As the Chinese Economic Reform started from 1978 leading China on a path to an opening to the world, its business environment started changing with new ideas and acceptance of other cultures. Foreign fast food chains have entered China as early as in the 80’s and some as late as in 2005. But they also face local competition.
Based in Louisville, Kentucky, USA, the first Colonel Sander’s portrayed chicken based fast food store opened in Beijing in 1987 and by 2011 it had more than 3,200 stores across China. It was followed in October 1990 by the double yellow arches hamburger based fast food chain headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, USA with plans to open about 2,000 stores by 2013. The last to enter the Chinese market is the king of burgers headquartered in Miami, Florida, USA but with only 63 stores as of March 2013, it lags behind the other two.
China has also its own fast food catering local tastes, and one has even ventured outside China. Using an real kung fu actor’s as its emblematic logo, this chain serves “healthy-like” Chinese fast food dishes; it is headquartered in Dongwan, Guangdong, opened in 1994 and has opened more than 400 stores since. One year later started the king of soya bean milk and deep-fried dough sticks headquartered in Shanghai; it has now 1,000 stores opened with a menu which now includes other Chinese dishes. In 1999, a little sheep coming from Inner Mongolia serving “medium speed” hotpot food was brave enough with its 300 stores in China to venture beyond the middle kingdom; since 2011, it is a sister company of Colonel Sander.
All those foreign or local fast food chains grow to a pace that requires standardized elements in order to expedite store opening and operation. In the same manner, efficiency and quick turnover are priorities. In such environment, lighting is primarily a functional and energy efficient element providing mostly a uniform lighting effect. Sometime decorative pendant lights are found above tables or ambient cove lights on a ceiling or a wall. Rarely the lighting becomes a tool to bring accent to a special element in such environment.
On the other hand, when a restaurant owner intends to welcome guests who have time to appreciate food in a custom designed environment, lighting is also part of the elements that makes the business successful. Making people feel at ease with a subtle dimmable lighting or soft tone colors is the role of ambient and decorative lighting, even a functional spaces like toilets can become unique; food, just like other artwork, is well served and presented under accent lighting with high color rendering index.
I prefer slow food and avoid fast food. But under the light of food safety scandals, instead of eating out, I prefer cooking at home either for myself or for guests with ingredients that I buy, such as the new seasonal organic black rice found in the Ten Grain store in the Beijing Liang Dian Design Center. How about you?
