Best Practices for Outdoor Dining All Year Long

Outdoor dining is still top of mind as owners want to keep employees and customers safe and have questions about maintaining  outdoor spaces in inclement weather. Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine  reached out to Rick Camac, dean of restaurant and hospitality management, at Institute of Culinary Education, for his expert advice.

Tips for dealing with inclement weather: Try to tent your area and not rely solely on umbrellas, which are not useful and potentially dangerous in wind and heavy rain. If allowable by law, run gas to the area to fuel heaters. If propane is acceptable, use that as a second option.   Have clear sheets, with vents, that can be rolled down to protect from wind and rain while allowing for some ventilation. Build a platform beneath your area if it’s not almost perfectly flat. ​Many sidewalks slant out toward the street. That's fine for sidewalks but not very conducive to outdoor dining, including keeping tables leveled. If your area…