Providing guests with an outdoor dining experience helps them connect with your brand. One way to do this is by designing a unique menu that customers can hold and read. A day of patio dining and Jack London Square bowling offers an ideal blend of leisure and excitement. In this guide, we’ll walk you through planning a memorable day filled with mouthwatering meals and strikes aplenty. Get ready for a fun-filled adventure that you and your loved ones won’t soon forget.
Pick the Right Restaurant
The first step in enjoying a fun patio dining experience is to pick the right restaurant. Choose a place that offers delicious food and drinks in an inviting atmosphere.
Once you’ve found the perfect spot, make a reservation. This will ensure you sit at a table with plenty of space for everyone to spread out and relax. Additionally, it will give the restaurant a better idea of how many people they’ll need to accommodate and allow them to prepare accordingly.
When choosing a restaurant for outdoor dining, make sure to consider their amenities and whether or not they can accommodate large groups. For instance, if you’re dining at a restaurant with a patio, they may have a few large tables for groups of diners or offer to bring extra chairs out. They might also have an ash urn or trash receptacles nearby, so you can easily dispose of dirty napkins and other waste.
Lastly, make sure to invest in quality outdoor furnishings. Cheap or outdated furniture will not only look out of place but it could also damage the customer experience. Choose furniture that matches your restaurant’s branding and is easy to clean. Make sure to include some seating options, as well as non-leaky overhead coverage and umbrellas that don’t mold after being stored for a long time.
Make a Reservation
Restaurants have a unique opportunity to bring their brands outdoors and enhance the experience with outdoor dining. Taking the time to design and furnish a great patio area makes a difference in the restaurant experience and contributes to sales. Patio furniture should always complement the restaurant branding and be comfortable to sit in for long periods.
Patios can be a wonderful dining destination for families, but they can also be difficult to accommodate larger groups. To ensure that everyone has a seat, restaurants should consider making reservations. This is especially important for restaurants that are popular or have limited seating. Restaurants can also promote their reservations to encourage customers to book ahead.
Bring Your Own Food
The sand, salt, and sun on your guests’ clothes can make silverware and glassware slip and slide more easily than expected. Consider investing in patio table covers to keep diners comfortable and can help prevent replacement costs. Opt for durable and machine-washable linens. If you want to allow your patrons to lounge comfortably, invest in high-quality chair cushions that are weatherproof and easy to clean. If you have a large patio and the weather looks promising, add throw pillows to create a relaxing environment where guests can comfortably spend time enjoying dinner and drinks.
If your patio’s ambiance is still being prepared for a full-on redesign, try adding an accent wall to make it pop. This simple and inexpensive design element can instantly change the mood of your dining area and can be used to display menu items or special promotions.
If your patio allows it, bring in local musicians to play music that complements the vibe of your restaurant. This is a great way to encourage social interaction among your diners and support the local music scene. You can even pair the music with a menu item for added intrigue.
Bring Your Own Drinks
Some restaurants that do not have liquor licenses will allow you to bring your own wine or beer. This is an excellent option if you plan on spending a lot of time outside and want to save money by not paying the corkage fee. Call the restaurant and ask about their policy on bringing your beverages.
Some restaurant patios are visually stunning and can transport your guests to another world. This can be done by incorporating lighting into the design or using string lights to create an enchanting atmosphere for your guests. You can also hire local musicians to provide live music while your customers enjoy their meals on the patio. This is a great way to add a memorable customer experience and support the local music scene.
Whether your patio is small or large, it is important to have an outdoor bar that offers a variety of drinks. This will ensure that everyone can find something they like to drink and will encourage your guests to interact with one another while they are enjoying your patio. If you need more budget to stock a full bar, consider offering a limited selection of popular cocktails and some non-alcoholic options.
Bring Your Kids
If you have kids in tow, don’t let a restaurant’s patio rules prevent you from enjoying the food and atmosphere. Many restaurants are family-friendly and offer amenities that make it easy for diners of all ages to enjoy themselves. Look for a spacious, open setting with lots of room to maneuver strollers, or choose a table with plenty of space for kids to spread out. To help the kids stay engaged, lay brown craft paper across the table as a fun and simple tablecloth and let them write and draw. This trick also makes for a super-easy cleanup.
