Some gulls steal food right from the tables. If a customer starts throwing them scraps, it can turn into a real feeding frenzy.
Servers spend time shooing birds.
And keeping the outdoor dining areas free of bird debris is an ongoing chore. The problem is that once a flock has settled into a spot, it's very difficult to permanently relocate them, adds Bruce Donoho, owner of a Mission Viejo, Calif.-based manufacturer. In addition to the outdoor dining areas, birds also make themselves at home around air-conditioning units. You know you have a problem if you're cleaning up after birds on a daily basis. But for reasons of food safety and aesthetics, the fewer birds, the better.