As restaurants across the country attempt to adjust to the world of social distancing, many are opting to emphasize outdoor seating. Some restaurants are even electing to offer outdoor seating exclusively.

Did you know that outdoor seating can increase your revenue by 30%? (Fast Casual) If you have the space, pandemic or not, outdoor seating should absolutely become a priority for your restaurant.

Ready to get started? Here’s four ways to help succeed with outdoor seating, both during and after the pandemic is long gone.

Embrace Summer. As summer approaches, sitting outdoors is as appealing as it’s ever been. And with people looking to escape their troubles and enjoy themselves, embracing that fun summer spirit is the perfect way to help your customers feel more comfortable eating outside the house.

Embrace a taste of summer marketing with our handcrafted list of ideas for restaurants. Click here to check it out. From sizzlin’ specials to romantic engagements, there’s plenty to consider.

Nail The Atmosphere. There’s a lot that goes into crafting the perfect outdoor environment. If outdoor seating isn’t appealing, I’d personally consider going to a different restaurant. If you want customers to flock to your outdoor seating, you’ll want to have your bases covered.

Make sure you’ve got fans situated to help cool off hot customers. As dusk falls, you’ll need to make sure you’ve got proper lighting. And during the heat of the day, you’ll want to get your customers covered with some shade. Umbrellas can go a long way here. Decorations will really help liven up the environment. Stuff like flowers, candles, and decor themed after your restaurant’s brand. Try to consider how you can improve every element of the outdoor experience and you’ll be sure to succeed.

Oh, and if you want to improve outdoor seating? Improve the seating. Comfortable seating is a must.

Pump The Music. Music is powerful. It can liven up the environment of even the emptiest restaurant. While practicing social distancing, music can help leave the impression that customers are in a more active environment than they really are.

To use music effectively, try to make sure your speaker system is heard effectively throughout your outdoor seating setup. If you just have a single speaker at a central point, then some of your customers might feel removed from the experience.

Frequent Table Visits. I’m not pointing any fingers here, but when it comes to outdoor seating, I’ve found that many restaurants don’t give as frequent service as they would for those sitting indoors. That’s not to say the service was particularly poor, but you can tell when the staff is stretched a little thin and busy with the indoor crowd.

Remember, summer is here. It’s hot out there. Customers want their refills. Make sure you encourage your staff to service the outdoor customers. And make sure you’re staffed appropriately to handle that. Considering you’re probably operating at reduced capacity, that shouldn’t be an issue at the moment. But as business ramps up, it’s certainly a factor to consider.

Thrive With CoGoBuzz

With CoGoBuzz, we’re here to help your restaurant succeed as it moves forward from the pandemic. Our state-of-the-art digital marketing service can help your restaurant build and maintain a strong base of loyal customers, which will ultimately help your restaurant survive.

Our service directly promotes your services to customer mobile devices. Leveraging advanced WiFi, SMS, and Email solutions, CoGoBuzz promotes your restaurant both in-store and out. It comes packed with a fully digital, text-based loyalty program, allowing you to let your customers know what services you’re offering – all with just a simple text. Click here to learn more about CoGoBuzz.

Whether you’re one of our current customers, or you’re interested in joining the CoGoBuzz family, we’re committed to helping businesses affected by COVID-19.

For current customers, we’re providing free text message service, allowing you to send a link to order online, purchase gift cards, and/or notify customers of new hours.

For new customers, we’re offering our hardware at cost, donating our services, time, and covering shipping costs. Prepare for the future with CoGoWiFi Free to collect your customers’ phone numbers. There are no contracts or monthly fees, and we offer unlimited customer data storage.

Message from our CEO

“From pricing to packaging, our mission has always been to provide customers with unbeatable value. That’s why, in response to the coronavirus pandemic, we are seeking to provide the most aggressive offers to help suffering restaurants survive. We believe that half of small restaurants will fail in the year after operations return to normal. The restaurants that survive and thrive will be the ones that win loyalty and focus on bringing customers back over the following year.”

– Steve Gould, CEO

Click here for more details on how we’re handling the crisis.

Does your restaurant offer outdoor seating? Let us know in the comments.