At a time when restaurant and bar owners are scrambling to keep their doors open and continue serving their customers, any and every idea is worth consideration. While curbside pickup and 3rd party food delivery has been a saving grace for many foodservice operators, the initiative to fill their outdoor patio spaces is an ongoing effort. But what happens when summer days and comfortable nights transition to falling leaves and cooler temperatures?
When keeping customers comfortable is just as important as the meals they are served, restaurant owners are looking at a variety of patio heating options that will allow them to extend their patio season as a means to increase revenue and profits. As luck would have it, there are a number of heating options – electric, natural gas and propane – available to help boost the bottom line.
Regardless of region your customers hail from, it’s hard to look past the rustic ambiance of a traditional fire pit. Conveniently positioned in the middle of your patio space or strategically located in every corner, fire pits – whether connected by gas or fed with wood logs – instantly draws the attention of customers gathering for a meal or socializing over outdoor cocktails.
While less atmospheric, but significantly more functional and pragmatic, the mushroom and glass tube style of patio heaters are what many restaurant owners consider adding to their patio spaces first. These freestanding heaters are easy to move around and position where extra heat is needed the most. They provide an increased level of comfort and greater return on investment when thoughtfully placed near individual (or grouping of) dinner tables.
Depending on the arrangement of your patio space, there are also a variety of mountable heating options that are designed to better direct heat toward a specific area. Additionally, because these units are often permanently affixed to adjacent walls or hung from the ceiling, they free up valuable floor space to accommodate for more seating and table options; giving restaurant owners an opportunity to invite a greater number of guests to enjoy their outdoor space.
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