Patios - Carpe Diem
By: Andrew Coppolino
It is a very simple few syllables that can send pale-skinned, winter-bitten Canadians into rapture and ecstasy: patio.
It seems always in reach and ever so tantalizingly close; and just as we think it is within grasp, a nasty (and nastily timed) late blast of winter snatches it away for a bit longer and reminds us of who we are—and where we are.
Location Rules
While the patio-season (one can only wonder where else that term is used so fondly?) can be a short one, it can also be a lucrative one for restaurateurs and the food and beverage industry.
Michael Miner, territory manager at Flanagan Foodservice, says there are a few points to consider, citing among the most important ones an appropriate real estate bromide: location, location, location.
Too often restaurateurs fail to sell their establishment with their primary resource: that “picture” painted by a group of customers enjoying a restaurant. In any situation, seating customers at window tables to announce to passersby that there’s energy and quality inside is vital.
“That applies to patios especially well,” says Miner. “And I think it really applies whenever you have a situation where your patio can be highly visible. People attract people. So having people on an attractive, busy patio is key.”
Themes Are Fun but People are Patio Savvy
Miner also notes that people are attracted to fun and want to escape in some sort of fashion. Without sending it too far down the kitsch-path, themed patios such as tropical or jungle themes can excite customers’ imaginations by creating an ambiance that translates into playfulness and fun to soothe and relax guests. That in turn, says Miner, can translate it a healthier patio bottom line.
Yet diners and patio customers are patio-savvy. Given tougher economic circumstances, which has certainly gotten restaurant customers thinking a bit more cautiously about how they are spending their dining-out dollars, people are looking for quality experiences.
What they are sitting on and eating off of, as well as the environment in which they doing it, has become a more and more important consideration. Weathered, flimsy resin chairs—that ubiquitous patio furniture—seemingly on the verge of collapsing likely won’t appeal to most restaurant-patio customers looking for a better outdoor dining experience.
“When people have only one meal a week that they are going out for, I think it matters to them that they sit on nice furniture. They are looking for something a little more upscale and are striving to do up their visit right,” Miner says.
He adds to that an inexpensive broken chair that causes a fall, or ripped clothing, is not what you want your customer to experience.
“You could be on the hook for that,” he added.
Turn Up the Heat
When it comes to restaurant patios in spring, the early bird can catch the diner—but that can mean some chilly late afternoons and evenings. While Miner counsels casting a critical aesthetic eye on patio heaters to ensure that they do not detract from the ambiance and décor of your patio, he acknowledges that they can extend a patio’s shelf life at both ends of the season.
“Try to find one that matches the look of your patio and doesn’t stick out too much.”
One possible source is Brantford-based Crown Verity, a company specializing in outdoor and portable cooking equipment including barbecues, grills and even steamers and fryers, whose products are available at Flanagan’s.
Stephen Phippen, who oversees the company’s Ontario foodservice and hospitality market, says that patio heaters can translate into getting a jump on your competition.
“Very simply, patio heaters allow you to open up a month or two early and have your patio open longer at summer’s end.”
Their heaters come in stainless steel, antique bronze, and silver-veined to give an aesthetic range that fits into your patio décor. Heat radiation can cover a circle of heat from between 12- to 20-feet and are equipped with casters for easy portability and strategic patio placement.
At the same time, they have a heavy base so they can’t be knocked over. Safety aspects of quality equipment like Crown Verity’s include an anti-tilt feature which will shut down the heater if it is bumped severely.
“Propane units have a standard 20-pound tank or 30-pound cylinder, or you can get natural gas,” Phippen says. “The propane tanks can be moved around quite easily and that’s a good selling feature. A 20-pound tank can last 12 to 15 hours on a relatively low setting.”
Burners are double-walled for energy efficiency and deliver 45,000 BTUs per hour with units featuring electronic ignition systems.
Service Remains Key
However, all of these amenities are mere baubles and trappings if outdoor service is mediocre. The patio experience must be heightened in order for it to work to its full potential, according to Miner.
“Patio service should be fun. Throw beer and wine in a bucket and have some fun with it to create that backyard feel,” Miner suggests. “In fact, I think service has to be a little bit better on a patio and more attentive.
“But also, afternoon guests in a hot sun may be coming out for some drinks and need to be attended to carefully. It might be a good idea to send out a platter of nachos, or something, just to be cautious.”
So, as the days grow longer once again, and we come out of hibernation in the spring, patios with good ambiance, accoutrements, and furniture can offer a good opportunity to kick off the summer season in an energetic and lucrative way.
Take advantage—and gather ye increased patio cheque-averages while ye may!