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A patio or deck covering for a restaurant instantly improves the establishment, and in more ways than you might think! The bottom line is that it greatly improves the bottom line – but that’s not all. In this article we look at why not having an outdoor covering is killing your business, the type of covering you should consider – especially if you’re only renting – and four benefits of a restaurant or pool deck covering.
4 ways not having a covering is killing your business
- You are limiting your capacity
Capacity is king to any restaurant, since more patrons in chairs means more orders and more bill payments and more revenue. Without having a covering over your restaurant’s deck or patio, your capacity will inevitable shrink when the weather turns ugly. - Guests can’t enjoy the outdoors
Providing your patrons the choice of sitting outside to enjoy the fresh air while they explore your culinary wares is a big deal. This is especially true for people who have children, who feel claustrophobic indoors when a restaurant is busy, or who are smokers. - You can’t control the elements
Nobody can control the weather, but the weather can’t control you when your restaurant has a patio or deck covering! With one in place, you can seat people on your deck come rain, hail, scorching sun or falling snow (if they’re brave enough). - Your outdoor furniture will suffer
Does your restaurant have deck furniture that remains outdoors pretty much permanently? Without a patio or deck covering for your restaurant, this furniture is probably taking a beating from the elements – causing damage and reducing its lifespan of usability.
What does a covering look like?
Restaurant patio or deck coverings are predominantly custom structures since no two restaurant decks are the same size or shape. These coverings don’t have to be permanent structures, and can become aesthetic attractions themselves if they’re made from stretched material and anchored in a way that leaves the area with a visually-appealing overall aesthetic.
Patio coverings that need to span large areas might require central support polls, which could interfere with seating plans, but this isn’t true for all restaurant patio coverings. It really does depend on your restaurant, your outdoor seating arrangements, and the available outdoor space.
– How to choose a marquee manufacturer
4 benefits of a restaurant patio or deck covering
- More seating, more income
The first and most appealing reason restaurants arrange coverings over their outdoor dining spaces is to permanently increase their seating capacity. This means that more patrons can be accommodated, regardless of the weather, at all times. In turn, this means grater chances of generating more income. - Enhanced customer experiences
Not all restaurant frequenters will enjoy being seated within the confines of your restaurant’s four walls – especially not when it’s super busy. Giving patrons the option to sit outdoors, under a covering, means they can enjoy their experience without feeling cramped, claustrophobic, or uncomfortable in other ways. - Make your offering super versatile
An outdoor covering immediately makes your restaurant a more versatile establishment. It opens your establishment up to the possibility of hosting events like music shows and sports events (where people can watch the game outdoors and have a smoke with their drink). - Control the outdoor environment
Finally, your restaurant will also benefit from having a deck or patio covering because you can control the outdoor environment. Before a deck covering, the outdoor environment could be ruined by the elements because of sun damage, waterlogging, and the like. With a covering, these negative impacts disappear immediately.
Get a quote on covering your restaurant patio or deck
If you’d like to erect a covering for your restaurant’s patio, deck or outdoor area, we are the people to speak to. MTT Structures International is the manufacturer of Africa’s premier tented structures, used by thousands upon thousands of people across the African continent and beyond. Contact us to get an assessment, or click on one of our resources below to find out more:
