North American’s love the “patio season.” As the temperatures climb and the chills of winter release their hold, the first weekend spent on the patio with drinks and appetizers in hand is an experience like no other. A quick search of the hashtag, #patioseason on Instagram yields over 160,000 results as people share images of their evening out, spent with friends and family. Restaurant owners love this time of year as well as customers emerge from hibernation and are back to socializing, but how can everyone enjoy the patio-experience all year round?
Maximize Potential
Imagine watching the snow fall or enjoying the cityscape on a crisp and clear winter night, all while enjoying dinner and drinks in a warm and toasty enclosed patio space. For many patrons of larger restaurant chains, this is now an option! Canopies, partial enclosures, or full enclosures composed of glass and paired with patio heating systems, are allowing restaurants to extend their patio season all year round. Customers can dine without being exposed to harsh weather and frigid temperatures like what North America has experienced over the past few weeks, and businesses can grow during what is, for many, typically a slow season.
Gain Recognition
While larger restaurant chains such as Boston Pizza, The Keg, and Moxies are jumping on this trend and customizing their outdoor patio spaces to serve customers all year long, smaller restaurants have been finding ways to maximize sales, earn recognition amongst other dining establishments, and catch the attention of customers. Restaurants are even being acknowledged by foodies for how they have transformed their outdoor patio space to operate all year round. Word of mouth plays a huge role in attracting customers, so what better way to gain clients by ensuring that you can accommodate more customers, any time of the year, in a space that has been designed for them?
Create an “Experience”
We all know that contributing to the bottom line is the end goal. North American’s, while determined to survive the winter months with class and style, tend to hibernate when temperatures decrease and snow abounds. Along with redecorating to create more of a winterscape atmosphere that complements the season or changing their drink menus to entice people to leave their homes, restaurants are creating an “experience” to remain relevant during the cold season. In cities across Canada specifically, “changing the mindset” of customers has been the sole goal in getting them to continue to dine out when the weather causes people to want to stay in. By focusing on the entire experience, restaurants are finding ways to generate business while becoming known for how they are working to engage with customers and their changing needs.
Winter comes around every year, and every year restaurants pack up their patio chairs and decor because they cannot accommodate their guests. Let this be the last year your business misses out on the chance to serve customers and meet their needs, by transforming your patio space to handle every season.
Please note: Heater shown is NOT approved for any indoor residential applications. The ETS does not require venting, and is approved for outdoor applications only. If in doubt of your application, consult your local fire marshal or gas authority having jurisdiction. INDOOR SPACES INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO: ATTACHED GARAGES, SOLARIUMS, LIVING QUARTERS ETC.
