I've heard a lot of talk about restaurant owners not wanting to offer outdoor dining offering excuses from it's too hot out or they'll just wait until local ordinances allow them to increase indoor dining capacity or simply, it's just too much trouble.
In my opinion, this is a BIG mistake. Here's the simple reason why.
There are a lot of folks out there who simply will not set foot inside a restaurant ...for a long time! They are uncomfortable with the idea of indoor dining and shopping and no amount of marketing or discounts will get them inside. That doesn't mean they don't crave the dining experience and wouldn't avail themselves of open-air dining, especially if you go the extra mile to help them feel safe.
Your knee jerk response might be that this cautious customer will continue to order curbside or delivery. Perhaps. However, the in-person experience offers a better opportunity to foster loyalty and increase check size through upselling and alcohol sales.
By offering an outdoor option, you not only increase seating capacity, you have a better chance to grab some new customers and gain market share. Plus, by fashioning a fun outdoor ambiance, you will create a lot of buzz in your community.
So broaden your view of what restaurant dining looks like. It doesn’t have to be indoors. The Europeans have been dining alfresco for years! You have a choice. You can throw a couple of tables outside and see what happens, or you can create a wonderful - even magical- outdoor dining experience. Even better, gather some of your neighbor restaurants and join together to make dining outside in your center something customers wish was available year ‘round!
Here are some tips and ideas for making outdoor dining appealing and efficient.
Space
Delineate your new “dining room” with planters, fencing, flower boxes, astro turf or plants to make it cozy and welcoming. Tents, umbrellas, fans and misters are also options to keep guests cool and protected from the elements.
Create ambiance with hanging outdoor lighting and candles. Consider outdoor speakers for music or bringing in live entertainment.
Dress the tables so they are welcoming
Put a sign at your entry that welcomes customers and outlines safety precautions your restaurant is taking.
Really important – be sure the chairs are comfortable! If you’re using metal chairs, provide pillows.
Menu
Adapt/simplify your menu to accommodate longer running times for orders.
To increase sales, offer 2-3 course menus, flights or other bundled options.
Service and safety
Use QR codes so customers can access menus online. This is more sanitary and saves money on disposable menus.
Put self-service water bottles on each table to eliminate need for additional contact and glass handling.
Instruct waitstaff to take entire order at one time. People will understand and this will make your kitchen more efficient.
Offer sanitizer gel at the hostess stand and on each individual table
Set out rolled utensils.
Offer serving utensils in dishes that are meant to be shared so customers won’t be tempted to use their own forks and spoons.
Put trash cans and sanitizer inside and right outside the restrooms.
Of course, make sure your staff and guests all abide by all social distancing and mask mandates.
Branding and Marketing
Look for opportunities to promote your brand. Logos on fencing or facemasks are fun. Encourage employees to bring extra shirts so they always look cool, crisp and clean. (If it’s really hot, give them extra breaks to cool down.)
Once you’ve gotten it all together, let the world know through every channel available to you, including letting your neighbors know. If your new space looks great, send a photo to the local newspaper for additional publicity.
When times are difficult, use the opportunity to take advantage of every resource you have. Right now, for restaurants, the path to increased revenue is right outside their doors!
Until next time remember,
You can do this!
Angel