Guides / Industry Guides
LED displays for restaurants and cafés in Nepal
6 min read · Updated October 2026
Restaurants and cafés in Nepal use screens for three distinct jobs: an outdoor or street-facing LED screen that draws people in, an indoor screen or LED wall for sports and events, and digital menu boards at the counter. A street-facing screen typically suits an outdoor pitch around P4 with IP65 sealing front and rear; a sports wall suits an indoor pitch sized to the room; menu boards are usually best as LCD signage. Decide which job matters most to your business first, because one screen rarely does all three well.
Which screen should a restaurant buy first?
Buy first for the job that brings the most customers through the door. For a restaurant on a busy street that is usually a street-facing screen; for a sports bar it is the indoor wall; for a quick-service café it is the menu board.
Each job has its own specification. A street screen fights daylight and rain, an indoor sports wall needs size and smooth motion, and a menu board needs crisp text at a metre or two. Trying to make one screen do all three usually means it does none of them well.
If you plan to add more later, choose a content system that can run all of them, so that menus, promotions and match schedules come from one place.
What specification suits a street-facing restaurant screen?
A street-facing restaurant screen usually needs an outdoor pitch around P4, brightness of 5,000 nits or more, and IP65 sealing front and rear. Passers-by read it from a few metres away, so it needs a finer pitch than a highway billboard.
Many of our restaurant installations use P4 for this reason. Coffee Break restaurant in Pokhara has an outdoor P4 screen of around 11 m²; Maccha Ghar in Lazimpat, Vesper and Vine in Boudha, Auranex at Town Planning and Purwanchal Cafe in Itahari also use P4 screens. In Bhaktapur, Gwakhancha Restro & Bar in Taumadhi uses a finer 2.5 mm screen.
Plan night brightness as carefully as day brightness. A screen that is readable at noon will dazzle diners and neighbours at night, so automatic dimming is part of a good installation, not an extra.
Is an LED wall better than a projector for sports screenings?
An LED wall is better than a projector wherever the room has daylight or lights on, which is most restaurants. Projectors look washed out in normal lighting; LED stays bright and punchy.
Size the wall so diners at the back tables can follow the ball, and choose an indoor pitch matched to the distance from the nearest tables. A refresh rate of 3,840 Hz or higher keeps fast motion smooth and avoids flicker when guests film the big moment on their phones.
Check the terms for showing broadcasts in a commercial venue with your broadcaster or service provider. The screen is only half of a successful match night; the right to show the match is the other.
What about rooftop and terrace screens?
Rooftop and terrace screens are outdoor screens and need full outdoor specification, even if they sit under a canopy. In Nepal’s monsoon, wind-driven rain reaches under awnings, and humidity reaches everywhere.
Specify IP65 front and rear, an engineered structure fixed for wind and earthquake loads, and a power supply protected against surges. On rooftops in Thamel, Lakeside or the valley’s older districts, getting the cabinets up narrow stairs or by crane is part of the planning, so the survey should check access.
Signage and screen requirements vary by municipality and change. Check with your municipality or ward office before committing to a street- or roof-facing screen.
Should menu boards be LED or LCD?
Indoor menu boards are usually best as LCD digital signage, because customers read small text from close range. LED becomes the better choice only for very large or outdoor drive-through style boards.
Digital menus let you change prices, specials and breakfast or dinner menus on a schedule without reprinting. Keep the design simple: large prices, clear categories and short animations at most. Our digital menu boards guide covers layout and scheduling in detail.
Kitchen-adjacent counters bring heat, steam and grease. Mount screens away from direct steam and clean them only with approved methods, because degreasers can damage screen coatings.
What content works on restaurant screens?
The best restaurant content is short, appetising and timed: dish photos and short videos, today’s special, happy hour, live music nights and match schedules. People glance at a screen for a few seconds, not minutes.
Schedule content by time of day so the street screen shows breakfast in the morning and the evening menu after dark. For Dashain, Tihar and the New Year, plan festival offers in advance and load them as scheduled campaigns.
Use real photos of your own food. Stock images look generic on a large screen, and customers notice. If you want help planning a first screen, we survey restaurant sites free of charge.
The short version
- Buy the screen that serves your main job first: street attraction, sports or menus.
- Street-facing restaurant screens commonly use outdoor P4 with IP65 front and rear.
- LED walls outperform projectors in rooms with daylight or normal lighting.
- Rooftop and terrace screens need full outdoor specification, even under a canopy.
- Indoor menu boards are usually best as LCD signage.
- Automatic night dimming keeps street screens considerate and readable.
Common questions
Which LED screen is best for a restaurant in Kathmandu?
For a street-facing screen read from a few metres away, an outdoor LED around P4 with 5,000+ nits and IP65 sealing front and rear is a common choice. For indoor sports viewing, an indoor LED wall sized to the room works best. Menu boards are usually LCD signage.
Is an LED screen better than a projector for a sports bar?
Yes, in most restaurants. Projectors wash out in daylight and normal room lighting, while an LED wall stays bright and clear. Choose a refresh rate of 3,840 Hz or higher for smooth motion.
Can I put an LED screen on my restaurant’s rooftop or terrace?
Yes, with outdoor-grade hardware sealed to IP65 front and rear and an engineered structure. Requirements vary by municipality, so check with your municipality or ward office first.
Should a café use LED or LCD for its menu board?
An indoor menu board read from close range is usually best as LCD digital signage, which shows small text sharply. LED suits large or outdoor menu boards.
How do I stop my restaurant’s LED screen being too bright at night?
Specify automatic dimming, using a schedule or an ambient light sensor, so the screen is bright enough for daylight and comfortable after dark. This also reduces power use and extends the life of the LEDs.
What should I show on my restaurant LED screen?
Short, appetising content: real photos of your dishes, today’s special, events and match schedules. Schedule it by time of day and plan festival offers in advance.
Where to go next
More in Industry Guides
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