One of the ways those in the restaurant industry responded to the COVID lockdown was to shift more of their emphasis to the outdoors.
Given that outdoor social interaction is considered somewhat safer than being indoors, the value of sidewalk café opportunities or outdoor patios increased substantially. But while they might work well today, what happens later in the week when the temperature drops sharply?
That is the idea behind a growing movement in North America towards extended use of outdoor settings such as patios. Four season decks are being championed as a way restaurants that have seen their indoor capacity restricted by COVID can fight back by offering outdoor seating, even in the dead of winter.
Chefs may have to tinker with menus to come up with items compatible with a Prairie winter sitting but most adult beverages are consumed ice cold anyway. After all, the thousands who sat in the stands at Grey Cup game when it was a billion below didn’t find it out of the ordinary to enjoy it with a beer and a hot dog.
