Whether you’re living in warm weather year-round or you’re looking to take advantage of the recent spring sunshine, consider transforming your unused or winter-themed space outdoors into a profitable patio for customers to enjoy. Outdoor dining spaces can range from simple sidewalks to fancy bars by a pool. To make the most of the nice weather, consider revamping your current outdoor dining situation to provide guests with some real outdoor dining options. Consider a few of the following patio ideas and other considerations to help transform your space into a profitable addition to your café or restaurant. Read on to learn much more!

Check Your Local Restaurant Patio Laws and Regulations

Before you begin designing the patio of your dreams, it is important to take into consideration any state, local, or federal regulations about patios at any bars and restaurants. Since permits and guidelines can depend on the state or county you’re in, get in touch with your local government to learn which permits you must receive before you start service outside. There are a few regulatory problems to learn about while opening up your patio. These include:

• Can you make the patio friendly for pets?
• Is smoking not permitted?
• Are you allowed to serve alcohol or provide guests with BYOB services?
• Which permits are needed to add electricity and plumbing to your outdoor patio?
• What are the noise ordinances around the restaurant?

Designing Your Patio Layout

Before you go crazy with designing the patio with furniture and other decorations, you will have to account for how you want to use the space. The restaurant patio can strictly be for seating and dining, or you can get creative with additions designed to make an interactive and inviting space. Consider transforming a part of your patio into a comfortable lounge space with fire pits and cushioned couches. If you’re looking to offer live entertainment, consider designating a space for house bands, karaoke, or DJs. While adding more atmospheric elements to your restaurant patio will reduce the amount of people you can seat comfortably, it does create a very memorable experience, so guests will want to come back. A small seating section will also create a feeling of true exclusivity. Consider adding a bar outside along with a few tables to serve some of your most popular dishes as well.

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At H.C. Walterhoefer, we have over 5,000 products ranging from paper goods to cleaning supplies to meet your personal or business needs. If you want something that we do not offer in our store, just ask us for it, and we will do our best to get it for you. Our store has everything you need! Stop by today to get supplies for your next event, all your restaurant needs, and the best cleaning products at the best prices. We even deliver! So call us today at 410-368-5070. We are located at 2331 Washington Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21230, and we are open from Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+ to stay up to date with everything H.C. Walterhoefer.