Alfresco dining can boost summer sales, but it also can increase work load, especially on days when the weather is less than perfect. The outdoor dining area at Back Bay Brewing Company in Boston is packed with customers during the summer months. Simplicity is key to making it work. Tables are set with the same utensils, plates and glasses that are used inside the restaurant. Extra staffing ensures that service levels are maintained.
Weather is the wild card.
If it starts to rain, large table umbrellas can keep customers dry for the most part. Sometimes if the umbrellas are up, people don't mind staying outside. In Chicago, dining outdoors year-round might seem impossible. Nevertheless, Meritage Cafe and Wine Bar offers modified outdoor dining throughout the year. We have a solarium room which has a tent for year-round dining.