Three easy tips for patio season

Three easy tips for summer patio season
Susan Evans, Beef Information Centre

Smart operators know that summer can be one of the most profitable seasons in a restaurateur’s year. Now is the time to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the warmer weather and your guest’s summer mood. For many restaurant operators, patio dining means the addition of exterior tables, increasing the capacity of your operation, and increasing your sales if you fill those seats.

Outdoor dining offers exactly what Canadians are looking for in a summer meal experience — sunshine, warmth, and the casual mood of the season. Combine this with menu options that showcase interesting, unusual, and seasonal flavours and you have a summertime winner. Follow these three tips for a successful patio season.

1. Stay consistent

Remember that patio menu shouldn’t be second class to what is served inside. Many times you see separate patio menus intended to expedite service. Things are served in a basket rather than a plate, etc. But the patio is an opportunity to expand your business in the summer, not alienate those who want to dine outside with a less appealing quick-serve menu.

2. Get your operations down

Although most people are relaxed and a little more patient on a glorious summer day, they can become irritable quite quickly if there are waiting too long for that ice-cold drink and menu to peruse. That is why it is critical to come with a plan to service your outdoor guests, not simply assign your current servers a few extra tables they would not normally have to cope with during the winter months.

One way you can reduce the steps a server takes is to set up efficient busing stations near patio, so that the staff are not constantly running to the back of house to get napkins, cutlery, glasses, water, condiments and other items. Taking fewer steps will allow them to get to their customers more quickly to take orders, deliver food, cheques and tidy tables.

3. Beef up your menu Of course, even if you have designed the best delivery system in the world, none of that will matter if the food you’re serving does not satisfy your customers. For meals served on a patio, your customers (not surprisingly) will lean toward items that reflect the summer season. The first place to start when considering patio menu design is with the grill. For most customers, the grill is a natural choice for summer meals. The reasons are obvious: the grill maximizes the flavour and freshness of seasonal summer fare; grilling is perceived by guests to be a healthier and lighter choice and it allows for food combinations with universal appeal. In grilling, a heat source from below the food infuses smoke and different flavors. Grilling adds a light smoky flavor to vegetables and meat. The intense heat sears the outside of food so it develops a crisp, savory crust. Along with the hot coals, wood (such as mesquite or hickory) can be added to incorporate flavor into the product Proteins like beef, chicken and fish are perfect for the grill. Now is the time to expand your menu options to include bolder, seasonal flavours and lighter options. Take one of your salad stand-bys and add slices of grilled beef or chicken across the top to create an entrée salad. Burgers are also hugely popular in the summer. Expand your burger menu with one of the popular beef source grinds like a prime rib burger or sirloin burger to create a premium burger offering. Try beef, chicken or salmon kebabs served with grilled vegetables. For example, a pair of balsamic and basil marinated beef kebabs could be grilled, and served with a saffron aioli and a bow-tie pasta salad with chilled, grilled summer vegetables. Sandwiches and other handheld foods are extremely popular this time of year – what is it about eating outside that makes us want to eat with our hands? Why not try a kicked up version with slices of barbecued beef or chicken piled on corn bread, drizzled with chipotle barbecue sauce and topped with thinly sliced sweet onions and sprigs of cilantro. Serve some jicama coleslaw alongside to round out this dish. The days may be long and lazy, but with careful planning and innovative offerings your patio business can be rocking. About the author: Susan Evans, trade communications manager at the Beef Information Centre. Visit: www.beefinfo.org

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