Background

Chipotle locations are designed with a very intentional look and feel. The ambience has to be warm, inviting, and consistent from one restaurant to another. At the Huntington Beach store, the team wanted lighting that could support their brand aesthetic while also keeping day-to-day operations simple for staff. 

Restaurants move quickly. Lights need to come on at the right levels before opening, shift smoothly through peak hours, and support a clean and relaxed environment toward closing. The existing setup required a lot of manual adjustments, and the team wanted a smarter way to handle it. 

Objectives

• Introduce easy lighting control for dining, prep, and service zones 

• Maintain the restaurant’s signature ambience at all times 

• Support staff with simple interfaces and automated routines 

• Improve energy use where possible without altering lighting quality

Challenges:

Unlike office spaces or outdoor environments, a restaurant like Chipotle needs lighting that not only performs well but also looks good all day long. Brightness that feels harsh can change the customer experience, and lights that are too dim can make workstations uncomfortable for employees. 

Another challenge was the pace of the environment. Staff members do not have time to adjust multiple switches or correct lighting manually in the middle of a rush. The system had to feel invisible, reliable, and extremely easy to use. 

And, as with many restaurants, there are different areas with different requirements—dining, assembly line, kitchen prep spaces, and storage zones—all needing a lighting setup that operates consistently without extra effort. 

Solutions

To give the restaurant flexible control without overwhelming the staff, we introduced a mix of powerful controllers and simple user devices. 

The Radiar AF10, a two-channel 0–10V fixture controller with an inbuilt relay, allowed the team to manage multiple lighting zones with clean dimming transitions. It ensured the dining area kept the warm, balanced lighting customers expect while giving the back-of-house areas brighter, more functional illumination. 

For individual room-level control, the PSC-WCM-450-BLE-WS provided single-channel dimming in areas where straightforward switching worked best. Both controllers handled the restaurant’s varied lighting needs smoothly. 

The Cyrus AP motion and light sensor helped automate lights in operational spaces like storage rooms or hallways, reducing the burden on staff while preserving optimal visibility. 

When manual control was needed, the team could use the PSC-DM-I-WS-100-BLE-WS, a wireless motion-sensor dimmer switch, or the PSC-DM-WS-100-BLE-WS, a one-button mesh wall controller. These made it easy to adjust lighting instantly without navigating complicated panels. 

At the center of everything was Enor E, the gateway responsible for scheduling, remote access, and time-based adjustments. Its real-time clock and astronomical scheduling kept opening and closing routines consistent without requiring manual intervention.

Result

The lighting across the Huntington Beach store became easier to manage and far more reliable. Staff no longer had to worry about whether dining lights matched the mood or if back-of-house lighting was bright enough for prep work. They could make quick adjustments when needed, and the system handled the rest. 

The restaurant maintained its signature atmosphere throughout the day while quietly improving energy use in areas that benefited from automation. Most importantly, the lighting now supports the flow of the restaurant rather than interrupting it. 

About Lumos Controls

Lumos Controls creates smart lighting ecosystems that adapt to how people use a space. Whether it is a restaurant, office, or large commercial building, our products help teams simplify control, enhance comfort, and run lighting more intelligently. 

Looking to modernize lighting in your space? Connect with us now.  Let’s talk