Restaurants

Restaurant Electrical Services

Powering Chicago’s Kitchens and Dining Spaces — Clean, Safe, and Code-Compliant

At Ampworks Electric, we understand that restaurant electrical systems are unique. Every kitchen load, hood fan, light fixture, and outlet placement matters.
Our team delivers reliable, efficient installations for new restaurants, remodels, and service calls — always on time and up to code.

Whether you’re building from scratch, upgrading an older space, or troubleshooting issues, we provide complete restaurant electrical solutions that keep your business running and your guests comfortable.

🧰 Maintenance & Emergency Service

Restaurants operate long hours — electrical problems can’t wait until morning.
Ampworks provides ongoing maintenance programs and fast-response service calls for:

  • Breaker tripping or overloads

  • Lighting outages

  • Equipment circuit failures

  • Hood or exhaust fan electrical issues

  • Power quality problems or surges

We work around your operating hours to minimize disruption — nights, weekends, and off-hours as needed.

🍽️ New Construction & Buildouts

We partner with general contractors, architects, and owners to design and install complete electrical systems for new restaurants and bars.

Services include:

  • Full electrical design and load calculations

  • Main service installation (400A to 1000A and beyond)

  • Switchgear, distribution, and subpanels

  • Feeder conduit, grounding, and bonding

  • Equipment circuiting and power drops

  • Lighting design and installation

  • Dedicated kitchen power for commercial appliances

  • Rough-in and finish for front and back of house

We coordinate seamlessly with plumbing, HVAC, and fire suppression teams — ensuring all penetrations, clearances, and code requirements are handled right the first time.

🌆 Why Restaurants Choose Ampworks Electric

  • Licensed, insured commercial electricians

  • Experienced with Chicago restaurant permitting and inspection process

  • Coordination with GC, architects, and health inspectors

  • Clean installs, labeled panels, and documented circuits

  • Fast response and efficient scheduling

We don’t waste time — we get the job done right and keep your business powered.

🔌 Kitchen & Equipment Power

Commercial kitchens demand clean, stable power. Ampworks Electric installs and maintains electrical systems built to handle the load.

Equipment we regularly power:

  • Ovens, fryers, and grills

  • Refrigeration and walk-in coolers

  • Exhaust and make-up air units (CaptiveAire and similar systems)

  • Food prep equipment and dishwashers

  • Beverage systems, ice machines, and espresso bars

  • Sump pumps, booster pumps, and water heaters

We handle dedicated circuits, GFCI protection, and coordination with gas/electric hybrid setups — all installed to NEC and local Chicago code standards.

💡 Lighting Design & Controls

Lighting is critical for both ambiance and safety. Ampworks Electric provides full lighting packages for restaurants, including front-of-house and back-of-house systems.

Lighting options:

  • Dining room and accent lighting

  • Kitchen task lighting

  • Exterior façade and signage lighting

  • Emergency and exit lighting

  • LED retrofits and energy-efficient upgrades

  • Smart and dimmable control systems

We balance design intent with function — wiring for beauty and performance.

🔥 Safety & Compliance

Restaurant electrical systems must meet specific safety standards for wet environments, heat exposure, and heavy load use.
We ensure your installation meets or exceeds:

  • NEC (National Electrical Code) standards

  • Chicago Department of Buildings code

  • Health department and fire marshal requirements

We also handle:

  • Emergency lighting and backup systems

  • GFCI/AFCI protection

  • Ground fault and arc fault testing

  • Fire suppression system wiring and interlocks

⚙️ Service Upgrades & Distribution

Older buildings and repurposed retail spaces often need heavier service to support kitchen loads. We provide:

  • 400A, 600A, 800A, and 1000A service installations

  • Meter stack configurations for multi-tenant buildings

  • Panel replacements and labeling

  • Transformer installations

  • Load balancing and circuit management

Our team coordinates directly with ComEd for new service feeds, CT cabinet setups, and inspections.