Outdoor patios range from a simple sidewalk space to luxurious poolside bars. To make the most of the summer weather, refresh your current deck to provide customers with outdoor dining options.
In this post we want to give you ideas and some points to consider about the patio of your hotel establishment.
Transform your patio space into a profitable addition to your restaurant, bar or cafe. Well-designed outdoor dining spaces will add valuable seating and ambiance to your business.
Check the laws and regulations of patios for hospitality
Before starting to design the patio of your dreams, it is imperative to respect the patio ordinance of each city council for restaurants or bars. Be sure to contact your local council to find out what permits you must receive before starting service. A patio must maintain the harmony of the space it is occupying. City councils ensure this balance between public space and hotel activities through their ordinances.
Prepare the design of your patio
Before designing your patio and buying furniture and different decorative elements, you must take into account how you want to use the space. The patio of your restaurant or bar can be strictly for sitting and eating, or it can be a creative space with elements that produce a cozy atmosphere.
One idea may be to seek to offer live entertainment, you should designate a space to host house bands, DJs or monologue nights.
Adding atmospheric elements to your patio reduces the number of people who can sit, but instead creates a remarkable experience that keeps customers coming back. This reduction in seating can also create exclusivity. This can generate demand and excite customers and make it an Instagrammable space.
A great deck starts with a few key elements that will transform any outdoor space into a functional and comfortable space.
- Comfortable seats.
Not everyone goes to a patio to sit down and eat a full meal. Sometimes people want to have a drink or a small plate and relax in a comfortable environment. This is where outdoor sofas come into play. They are comfortable and spacious, and when paired with a low table, can be used for casual dining seating.
- Dining room and bar seating.
Includes many dining chairs or stools with tables. Whether you choose bar-height tables, dining-height tables, or a combination of the two, make sure your customers have a place to sit and enjoy a meal.
Implement a complete bar service on your patio
Creating an outdoor bar station to offer full bar service to customers on your patio is a great idea. While this can also take up seating space, cocktails can be a highly profitable menu item, perfect for enjoying on a warm summer night. If you don’t have the staff or space for a full bar, create a smaller station that makes serving drinks easier.
Placing a bar directly on your patio increases the demand for drinks. When customers can see handcrafted cocktails being prepared for other customers, it can drive impulse sales and increase dwell time.
With our glass coolers you can set up very colorful stations for your patio that will help you prepare your drinks.
Remember that an outside bar is a natural meeting point for customers and can be a good place to wait for a table or a meal.
Kitchen on the outdoor patio
If you have the space for it, put outdoor cooking equipment like grills, pizza ovens, and an outdoor smokehouse on your patio or deck. The enticing smell of barbecue grilling or pizza fresh from the oven will attract passing customers and encourage customers to spend more on food.
Cooking in front of customers also encourages transparency, a growing trend in restaurant business. Guests can see their prepared dishes in front of them, giving them visual confirmation that what they are receiving is fresh and contains healthy ingredients.
Prepare for inclement weather
No place is immune to inclement weather. Here are some tips for preparing your deck for weather that may not be conducive to outdoor dining:
Clean tables and chairs immediately after a storm
Equip your patio with heaters for cold summer nights or to extend your outdoor dining season
Provide plenty of shade using umbrellas or covers.
Place fans or misting systems along the ceiling line to increase airflow and keep guests cool
Prepare a backup plan in case of dangerous or extreme weather. Weather can be difficult to predict in the spring and summer months, so if you offer outdoor seating, you need to be prepared for every situation.
