Post-recession dining has evolved in many ways whether it be the source of the food or drink we consume, how it was prepared, and the fact that more Millennials dine out more often than any other age group. A study conducted by Bankrate.com says that the millennial generation prefers spending money by dining out rather than eating in. Moreover, almost half of the entire generation will do research on the places and products they will visit and spend money, including the places they eat and drink.

The data shows that 29% of Millenials buy brewed coffee at least three times per week, 51% go to a bar at least once a week, and 54% eat out at least three times a week or more–often with a group. Regardless of which generation, someone was born into, nothing beats being able to enjoy a good meal and a cold drink with family and friends on a sunny day outside. Summer provides ample opportunities to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air, and if you’re a restaurant owner and don’t have a patio or deck for your customers to dine on, you are missing out on seasonal profits for your business.

Patios are a great way to increase the footprint of a restaurant, cafe, or bar, even if it’s a temporary set-up on the main street sidewalk. But while increasing the size of a space is important to some, the most crucial reason to have an outdoor patio is the opportunity to increase your profits and have a new marketing tool. The great outdoors can be leveraged to help push your sales and give your customers a change of scenery.

VSAG, a hospitality consulting firm, did a business study on a restaurant patio and found that investing in a $200K patio addition projected a resulting gain of $500k in additional sales during the outdoor dining season. This increase in sales isn’t necessarily coming solely from outdoor dining, it’s the exposure of the restaurant’s food, staff, and customers to a passerby who may have never stepped inside the establishment. They now have a connection to the food and service with their own eyes, ears, and nose. A patio addition is essentially free publicity.

$200k patio addition projected a result in $500k in additional sales

Patios can come in a variety of shapes and sizes depending on how much space a building or city sidewalk can spare. Rooftop patios with overhanging lights and uniquely designed canopies continue to be a hot spot for multilevel buildings. But some ground level patios with enough surrounding space can be a great opportunity to create a well-planned garden or landscape design for your customers and community. Landscape architecture for businesses isn’t just for the beautification of a property. Many businesses, including restaurants, will hire landscape architects to create schemes that increase the privacy of customers and decrease noise pollution. Added vegetation can also reduce the air temperature around dining areas and provide shade.

Many new developments would do well to look into how a landscape architect can assist them in their business. Apart from adding vegetation to a property, landscape architects focus on developing the surrounding area into a scenic, safe, and easily accessible location for people to visit. Ease of access ultimately affects how you can convert potential visitors to your establishment.

Owning a piece of property in a prime location isn’t enough to have a flourishing business. Millennials are currently the largest group of people spending the most amount of money on dining out options, and outdoor ambiance is often looked into when choosing where to get dinner and drinks with friends and family.

Contact Designhaus Architecture to create the next best patio dining experience in your city.

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