The weather in California provides opportunities for restaurants of all types to provide outdoor seating and this idea has been increasing mor
e and more. What has changed however is the outdoor experience. Forget about just moving tables and chairs outside on the patio and hiring more wait staff to service the customer that prefers eating outdoors. The whole experience is becoming much more grand.
With the advent of outdoor space heaters, even on cool or cold days and nights, these heaters provide a certain comfort level and now instead of the mobile type of heater, vast improvements in design can provide even coverage of heated air that draws more and more customers to the outside. Even with the air being warmed, the air is fresher outdoors and the outdoor eating experience increases the chance for a changing view.
The restaurant business not unlike many other types of customer service are changing to make the experience itself as good as the food. Somewhere behind this thinking is Steve Jobs of Apple whose entire business life was about making your computing and communications experience extraordinary. And this model is not lost on real estate either. But that is a discussion for another time.
So how does a restaurant wanting to serve the public in more open space accomplish that extraordinary experience? The illustration photo above to answer it. Throw out everything you know serving food outdoors and think about the whole experience. The food will take care of itself so the concentration is about the experience. This is not an easy task. I equate it to wearing a pair of $500 shoes in the rain without any worry that they will get wet.
In some ways, the entire concept has to defy logic, provide for all weather conditions without making the customer aware of it. The photo below begins to show that tables and chairs alone is not the experience, but comfortable seating applied in different ways begins to show the way of creating atmosphere not associated with commercial eating establishments. Change the total environment creating a unique atmosphere, with attention to temperature, coverage for inclement weather, more relaxed seating for the casual diner, and lighting to create a warm and intimate atmosphere and we are getting closer to defining the outside dining experience coming to a restaurant near you!
Comments(17)