Ten ways your restaurant can make the most of patio season

minute read

Spring is in the air, which spells good news for both restaurants and their diners: Outdoor dining season is about to begin.

Canadians have a big appetite for outdoor dining. Case in point: OpenTable compiles more than 1.1 million diner reviews each year to highlight the nation’s most sought-after spots for outdoor dining, whether they’re scenic waterfront patios, lush roof-top gardens, or cozy, screened-in, heated seating areas. These venues reflect a strong demand for al fresco eating.

Given the popularity of outdoor dining and its potential to boost revenue, let's explore 10 ways your restaurant can prepare for patio season.

Prepare for patio season

These tips will help your restaurant get ready to welcome outdoor diners.

1. Get a permit

Whether you're interested in setting up a patio on the sidewalk, curbside, or another area of your restaurant property, you'll need to apply for a permit.

Each city has its own application process, so research how to apply in your area. Your municipality may lay out specific application requirements. For instance, they may ask for a copy of your business licence, a site plan drawing, proof of insurance, photos of your location, and more.

Your municipality may also stipulate specific rules and regulations you must follow. For example, they may restrict the times of the year when you can open your patio and require a certain amount of pedestrian clearance between the patio and roadways as well as certain barrier types.

Before designing your dream patio, make note of whether you can serve alcohol, allow pets, play music, and more.

2. Look into contactless dining options

In a Hospitality Technology survey, 45% of Canadian diners said mobile payment options are important. Two-thirds wanted the ability to preview menus and nutritional information, 51% appreciated an easy online reservation process, and 49% favoured cashless tipping options.

If possible, adopt an integrated point-of-sale system that allows customers to order directly from their phones and work with a payment processor that offers contactless payment options. Also, consider installing a system that lets diners summon their servers via a phone app or contactless pager.

Reservation and waitlist
The customer uses their phone to make an online reservation or to add their name to an online waitlist.
Menu
The customer scans a QR code with their phone camera, which redirects them to the restaurant's contactless menu.
Ordering
The customer selects the items they wish to order. The order is automatically processed through the restaurant's point-of-sale system, then it goes directly to the kitchen.
Service
The customer can summon a server to the table using a smartphone app or pager.
Payment
The customer uses their mobile device to complete payment using a contactless payment terminal, a digital wallet, or another contactless method.

3. Shield diners from street and sidewalk traffic

Once you have your permit, it's time to create a safe, comfortable, and welcoming space for outdoor diners. For street-side patios, consider adding barriers, lattice, or landscaping to shield customers from street traffic and separate them from pedestrians. Make sure any barriers you use meet the specific by-laws in your municipality.

4. Incorporate plants and flowers

Plants and flowers are a great way to boost your patio's design and your overall aesthetic. Consider both hanging baskets and planters. While green foliage has a calming presence, guests also respond well to red, yellow, and orange. Fragrant plants, such as lavender, rosemary, and citronella, can serve the practical function of repelling flying insects. Or get creative and add sand to your patio for a beach feel.

5. Create mood lighting

Diners who enjoy savouring their meals and chatting with friends may want to stick around after the sun sets. Install appropriate lighting so that they can see their food and each other while enjoying a festive ambiance. Outdoor lighting options include lanterns, tea lights, twinkly string lights, and more. If you want to create a rustic or romantic ambiance, opt for warmer tones of yellow and orange light. Choose cooler blue tones of light if you're going for a modern vibe. Either way, consider dimmable fixtures so you can adjust the light as it gets darker outside.

6. Feature fresh, seasonal, shareable food and beverages that help people beat the heat

Patio season presents the perfect opportunity to optimize your menu for the warmer months. In the summer, many diners may prefer multiple smaller, shareable dishes. They also may desire less rich and heavy dishes and go for food that's salty, refreshing, and light. Consider barbecued protein dishes, seafood, and flavourful salads. Lighter beverages may also sell better in the summer.

7. Rotate employees

Make sure the same servers aren't always on patio duty. Working in the heat can be tiring. Because restaurants are fast-paced, rotating your servers will ensure upbeat, energetic patio service and keep employees from feeling worn down by the outdoor elements. Diners also may linger on patios longer than when eating inside. Less table turnover means fewer tips, so your servers may appreciate working an indoor rotation.

8. Prepare for weather

Rain or shine, guests should feel comfortable sitting on your patio. Consider setting up canopies, tents, awnings, shade sails, retractable covers, or umbrellas to offer shade to help patrons beat the heat and cover in case it rains.

9. Warm up the space

During the summer, it can get cool in the evenings. Make sure guests feel comfortable by setting up heat lamps, heaters, or fire pits to warm the space. Fire can keep diners toasty and add to the ambiance of your patio. Check with your municipality to see if you can include fire pits in your design. If you decide to add them, be sure to follow best practices (PDF) for safe commercial fire pit design.

10. Offer live music or host events to draw more guests

Want to boost sales and foot traffic on slower nights? Give people a reason to visit your patio! Whether you host a musician, band, speed dating event, trivia night, open mic night, or tastings, customers will come — and order drinks, meals, and appetizers while they enjoy the event.

Conclusion

Patio season is a reason for both restaurant owners and customers to celebrate. Prepare your restaurant's patio by getting a permit, creating a warm and welcoming space, and providing contactless options for menu browsing and payment. By taking these steps, you'll lay the foundation for a successful patio season and provide an outdoor dining experience that customers will want to return to again and again.

Sources

Connect with us

We’ll help you set up the right payment solution for your business. Call us at 1-866-490-5347.

Let's get started