Restaurant and Bar LED Screen: Cost, Pitch and Low Light

Quick answer

A restaurant or bar LED screen typically costs US$588–US$1,098 per m² (US$55–US$102 per sq ft) at the P3.076–P1.95 pitches used indoors. For example, a 3.20 × 0.96 m (10.5 × 3.1 ft) menu board above the counter costs about US$1,806–US$2,657 for the screen, a 3.00 × 1.50 m (9.8 × 4.9 ft) wall behind the bar US$3,240–US$4,941, and a 6 × 2 m (19.7 × 6.6 ft) live-music backdrop US$9,600–US$11,448. Choose the pitch from the closest table or bar stool, save a low brightness preset for evening service, and decide who updates menus, specials and sports.

Sources used: EA250WH5 specs; EA640H1 specs; Conference LED Screen Guide: 2026; EA1000H8 specs; EA640F2 specs

Decide first whether each screen is permanent (menu board, bar wall, feature wall) or must move and be reconfigured (stage backdrop for events). That decides the cabinet.

Restaurant and bar LED screen price by use

Reference ex-factory prices from the EagerLED Aug 2026 price list, in USD, for the standard configuration; final pricing is subject to a formal quotation. They exclude the media player or processor, mounting, trim, freight and installation. The indoor LED screen price guide lists every indoor pitch.

Three restaurant and bar examples

Menu board, 3.20 × 0.96 m (10.5 × 3.1 ft). Ten EA640F2 cabinets, 5 across and 2 high, cover 3.07 m² (33.1 sq ft). EA640F2 has magnetic front access to modules, power supplies and receiving cards, 60 mm deep and 7.5 kg per cabinet.

A wide, short board suits a single row of menu panels; ask your content designer to lay out the menu at the board’s native resolution.

Bar wall, 3.00 × 1.50 m (9.8 × 4.9 ft). Nine EA250WH5 cabinets of 1000 × 500 mm cover 4.5 m² (48.4 sq ft) and weigh about 95 kg. The 30 mm cabinet sits almost flush with the back-bar shelving.

The 2:1 canvas shows a 16:9 game or video with space alongside for scores, drinks promotions or the bar’s logo.

Live-music backdrop, 6 × 2 m (19.7 × 6.6 ft). Twenty-four EA1000H8 rental cabinets, 12 across and 2 high, cover 12 m² and weigh about 259 kg. They cost US$9,600 at P2.97 or US$11,448 at P2.6 GOB, and can be taken down and stored when the room is used for dining. At P2.6 the backdrop shows 2304 × 768 pixels.

Match pitch to the closest table, bar stool or stage position

Use the closest viewing position and the smallest on-screen text, not the room’s average distance. In a restaurant the closest viewer is often at the nearest table or a bar stool directly below the screen; for a menu board, it is the customer at the counter. Test the smallest menu item, price or caption from there. EagerLED’s conference screen guide advises using the closest and farthest seats to judge whether text stays readable.

EagerLED places EA250WH5 P1.25–P1.95 GOB for spaces watched from about 2 m and P2.5–P3.91 from about 3 m; EA640H1 P1.25–P1.86 for about 2–3 m and P2 or P2.5 for about 3–4 m. A common rule of thumb gives 2–3 m of comfortable viewing per millimetre of pitch. The pixel pitch and viewing distance guide explains the test.

Low light: set the evening preset

Restaurants and bars dim their lights in the evening, and an LED screen at full brightness then dominates the room and makes diners squint. EA250WH5 lists 600 cd/m² at P1.25–P1.56 and 750 cd/m² from P1.95 to P3.91; EA640H1 600, 700 or 800 cd/m² by pitch; EA640F2 600–800 cd/m². In practice the screen runs far below that. Ask the supplier to save brightness presets for lunch, evening service and late night, and to show smooth dark scenes and even colour at the evening level. Schedule the presets so staff do not have to change them by hand.

Keep in mind food photography: diners photograph dishes in front of the screen, and a bright screen behind a table spoils the shot. Place screens so they light the room’s walls, not the tables.

Content zones and frequent updates

Restaurants change content often: daily specials, happy-hour prices, seasonal menus, events and live sport. Split the screen into zones in the content system (menu, promotions, live TV or sport) so a sports feed does not hide the menu. Ask:

• who updates menus and prices, and from which device;
• whether the menu board links to the point-of-sale system so prices change automatically;
• how live TV or streaming feeds reach the screen and how sound is handled;
• what the screen shows when the media player fails or the bar closes.

EagerLED’s conference guide advises calculating the pixel dimensions before approving the design and validating the complete signal path, including inputs, switching and failover. For outdoor ordering screens, see outdoor LED drive-thru menu board.

Service access, hygiene and heat

Bar and restaurant walls are close to customers and exposed to grease, steam and spills. EA250WH5 modules, power supplies and control components are reached from the front with a suction tool, so no maintenance aisle is needed behind the wall; EA640H1 modules come out from the viewing side with a vacuum tool; EA640F2 has magnetic front access. Choose GOB modules (P1.25–P2 on EA640F2 and EA640H1, P1.25–P1.95 on EA250WH5) where people can touch the screen or where it is near the kitchen pass, and agree the approved cleaning method with the supplier.

Keep screens away from fryers, ovens and steam outlets, and leave ventilation clearance. The EA250WH5 P2.5 lists 95 W/m² average, so the 4.5 m² bar wall averages about 0.43 kW, roughly 5 kWh over a 12-hour day. Running costs are covered in LED screen running cost, power, spares and shipping.

Sizing the screen for the room

Size the screen from the room and the content, not the largest wall available. A menu board must show every item at a readable size from the counter, so count the items and the smallest price before choosing the width. A bar wall showing sport should be big enough to follow the game from the far end of the bar, but not so big that diners at nearby tables feel the screen is on top of them. In a small restaurant, two smaller screens on different walls often work better than one large one, because every table can see a screen without turning round.

Check sightlines from the seats that matter most: the bar stools, the booths and the tables with the best view. Mark the screen’s outline on the wall with tape and look at it from those seats before ordering.

Sport, sound and live TV in a sports bar

A sports bar’s screen is only as good as its feeds. Plan the sources (satellite or cable receivers, streaming boxes, a PC for multiview), how many games are shown at once, and how the processor splits the wall. A 2:1 or wider wall can show two games side by side; ask whether the processor can switch layouts quickly when a big match starts. For a four-sided screen hung above the bar, see the mini jumbotron guide.

Sound needs its own plan: a separate audio system, often with zones, so commentary plays where fans watch and background music elsewhere. Check broadcast licensing for public showing of sport in your country; it is separate from the screen purchase.

Terraces, windows and outdoor screens

A screen facing a street-side window or on a covered terrace sees daylight and weather that indoor cabinets are not designed for. Behind glass, a standard indoor wall at 600–800 cd/m² looks washed out in sunshine, so use a high-brightness or outdoor-rated cabinet for window displays, and an IP65 outdoor cabinet on a terrace, even under an awning. The outdoor ranges are covered in the outdoor LED screen price guide.

Fixed or rental screens

EA1000H8 combines front and rear service, magnetic 250 × 250 mm modules, a detachable power box and 3,840 Hz refresh, and suits a stage that is built and struck regularly. For venues that turn into clubs, see nightclub and live music LED screen.

Quote scope

Ask every supplier for the exact model, pitch and cabinet layout; the media player or processor and content software; the mounting frame and trim; power and data; spares; installation; and training for staff who update content. Price each as its own line, and compare offers on the same rows.

Restaurant and bar checklist

• Decide fixed or rental for each screen, and its position relative to tables and the bar.
• Test the smallest menu text from the closest table, stool or counter.
• Save and schedule brightness presets for lunch, evening and late night.
• Split content into zones and decide who updates menus and prices.
• Choose GOB or a protected surface near customers and the kitchen.
• Plan ventilation away from heat and steam.
• Mark the screen outline on the wall and check it from the most important seats before ordering.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a restaurant LED screen cost?

A 3.20 × 0.96 m LED menu board costs about US$1,806–US$2,657 for the screen, a 3.00 × 1.50 m bar wall US$3,240–US$4,941, and a 6 × 2 m event backdrop US$9,600–US$11,448.

What pixel pitch is best for a restaurant or bar?

P2.5–P3.076 for menu boards and walls read from 3 m or more, and P1.86–P1.95 for screens beside tables or bar stools.

Is an LED screen too bright for a restaurant?

Only if it runs at full brightness. Save a low evening preset and schedule it, so the screen sits comfortably in a dimmed room.

Can an LED menu board update prices automatically?

Yes, if the content system links to your point-of-sale or menu software. Ask the supplier to confirm the integration.

Can a bar LED wall show live sport?

Yes, through a media player or processor input. A 2:1 wall shows a 16:9 feed with space beside it for scores or promotions.

Should a restaurant buy one large screen or several small ones?

In a small or L-shaped room, several smaller screens let every table see one without turning round. In a sports bar, one large wall gives a shared view and can split into several games.

Can an LED screen go on a restaurant terrace?

Only an outdoor-rated cabinet, IP65 on its exposed faces, with outdoor brightness. Indoor cabinets are not protected against rain or condensation, even under an awning.

How do I keep a restaurant LED screen clean?

Choose GOB modules near customers or the kitchen, keep it away from steam and grease, and use the cleaning method approved by the supplier.

Share your floor plan, seating and menu content to request a quote.