Management & Operation, Seasonal

Winter Outdoor Dining Ideas for Restaurants

Last updated on Nov 12, 2023
Christine Potts

When winter arrives in a flurry of snow and cold temperatures, many restaurant owners transition from outdoor dining and focus on creating enticing seasonal menus and deciding whether to stay open during the holidays instead. However, don't abandon your outdoor dining area until spring. Winter outdoor dining advancements offer bars and restaurants options to overcome the seasonal slowdown and increase sales. Use our winter patio ideas to convert your outdoor dining space into a magical winter wonderland, complete with heaters, exclusive menu offerings, and charming rustic decor.

Shop All Outdoor Restaurant Furniture

Winter Patio Ideas for Restaurants

Most restaurant operators prepare their restaurants for winter by closing up their patios. Outperform your neighboring eateries by cold-proofing your patio with our winter patio ideas and make your outdoor dining space a year-round destination.

1. How to Warm Your Patio in Winter

restaurant terrace

Depending on the location of your restaurant, temperatures can dip below freezing. Keep your winter outdoor dining area warm for guests using patio heaters, an outdoor fireplace, or vinyl curtains.

  • Patio Heaters - Heating elements are vital to making your patio operational during the cold winter months. Patio heaters provide warmth throughout your outdoor space. Place standing heaters around your tables, while ceiling and wall-mounted options radiate heat from the perimeter of your patio.
  • Outdoor Fireplace - Add a rustic feel to your terrace with a firepit. Firepits add heat, sound, and light to create an inviting atmosphere for chilled guests. If you have a small patio, a fireplace may be the only element needed to generate sufficient heat.
  • Vinyl Curtains - To keep the heat that you generate within the confines of your terrace, it is best to have a makeshift enclosure. Transparent vinyl curtains can help your patio retain heat without obstructing your view.

2. How to Make Your Winter Patio Comfortable

Comfortable patio furniture

Entice your patrons to come outside when the weather is chilly by making your patio space comfortable and relaxing.

  • Patio Furniture - Providing an area with lounge-style patio furniture creates a casual environment that encourages guests to feel at home. With blankets and cushioned chairs for extra insulation, customers can bundle up and order food and drinks without being hindered by the cold.
  • Unscented Candles - Candles are cozy, add warmth, and set an intimate tone that draws guests into conversations. There is a type of candle available for every occasion, but we recommend unscented candles that won't interfere with the taste and aroma of your carefully crafted dishes. Plus, you can place your candles in candle holders for extra security. To eliminate fire hazards, use flameless candles.

3. Offer Exclusive Specials to Winter Patio Diners

girl holding glass of wine

If a cozy environment isn’t enough to draw your customers outside, offering exclusive menu items can lure patrons onto your winterized patio.

  • Special Appetizer and Drink Menu - Offering a menu of starters or unique seasonal cocktails exclusive to your outdoor guests will intrigue potential customers. Similarly, you can run promotions to welcome customers into your exterior space. Create a special happy hour menu for drinks ordered on the patio, or include a complimentary DIY s’mores maker with an entree purchase.
  • Warming Entrees - While space heaters and blankets are essential, you can also warm patrons by serving an exclusive menu of hearty dishes. Fondue is a great outdoor concept because the flame beneath the fondue pot keeps the cheese warm. For bowls of warmth, turn towards ramen or pho, curry, minestrone, and gumbo. For other entree ideas, offer straight-from-the-stove fajitas, lasagnas, risotto, chicken pot pie, beef stroganoff, and eggplant parmesan.
  • Add Spice - Spicy foods are naturally warming. Keep customers comfortable by making your meals subtly spicy and serving them on warm plates.

4. Privatize Your Winter Patio

private dining bubble

Creating a more intimate dining setting with completely closed-off walls keeps the heat in and cold air out. Outdoor restaurant tents will help retain heat. Stock your outdoor restaurant tent with blankets and pillows to increase the cozy atmosphere. If you can ventilate the restaurant pod, use space heaters and candles to generate extra warmth. Whether you choose an elegant plexiglass greenhouse or a durable plastic igloo strung with fairy lights, guests will love the private setting for intimate conversations between parties of two to six.

  • Restaurant Pods - When COVID-19 ravaged the foodservice industry, restaurant owners developed creative ways to stay afloat while keeping their guests and employees healthy. Operators turned to outdoor restaurant tents to provide a safe, private outdoor dining experience without the hassle of renting out entire rooms and turning the reservation into a catered event.

5. Create a Winter Dining Experience

Patio with pretty lights

Your outdoor space should provide a memorable experience that guests will seek. Whether you entice your customers with homey decor, unique menu items, or the chance to watch the snowfall, you can easily leverage this outdoor experience with appealing patio lighting and music.

  • Patio Music - Try hiring musicians for live entertainment on your terrace. This addition attracts customers who enjoy music while differentiating the ambiance of your outdoor space from indoors. If live music isn't an option, install surround sound speakers and play acoustic or holiday music in the appropriate season.
  • Patio Lighting - You can coordinate your lighting with the atmosphere you want your patio to have. If you keep the lighting low, this encourages your customers to look outside at the wintry sights.

Why Should I Keep My Patio Open This Winter?

Your patio is a valuable part of your restaurant dining space. It is an area that you own or lease, so winter-proofing your patio allows you to generate more income year-round. Winter outdoor dining provides more space for potential customers and sets your business apart from other eateries that can’t offer an outdoor winter dining experience.

Instead of storing your patio furniture until spring, contemplate a fresh approach to embrace winter outdoor dining. While your staff delivers orders to your patio throughout the colder months, take charge of the indoor climate in your restaurant by utilizing an air curtain. By incorporating heating, seasonal decorations, and a selection of enticing promotions, your establishment can provide a delightful experience for outdoor winter dining.

The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. Please refer to our Content Policy for more details.
External Link

You are about to leave the security of WebstaurantStore.com.

We are not responsible for the privacy policy or any content, links or software, or any consequences from your access to or use of the technologies, websites, information and programs made available on this new site.

Do you want to proceed?

Related Resources

  • Winter Flavors

    For many, winter signifies falling into comfort, spending time with loved ones, and celebrating the holidays. That means a lot of cozy meals, warm baked goods, and fun holiday drinks. If you want to soak in all of the joyous feelings of winter, a great place to start is through food. We listed out the best winter flavors to use for emulating the season. 1. Hazelnut Hazelnuts are sweet, nutty, and creamy, so this rich ingredient is a great winter flavor. Hazelnuts pair well with winter fruits like pears, persimmons, and figs, as well as other flavors like toffee, nutmeg, and especially chocolate, which makes the iconic Nutella product. Hazelnuts can easily be added to seasonal drinks through the hazelnut liquor Frangelico. Otherwise, incorporate hazelnuts by toasting and sprinkling them on crunchy winter salads, or dragee hazelnuts (coat and cook in sugar) to top winter cake flavors or French pastries. Hazelnuts are also great with duck, turkey, and various kinds of cheese. 2. Pomegranate Pomegranate is the quintessential winter fruit. Tart and sweet mingle together seamlessly, bringing the bursting arils to life as soon as they are split open in the mouth. While pomegranates take some work to break open, the reward is well worth it every time. Chocolate, honey, clove, and specialty vanillas pair with pomegranate. As far as meats and cheeses go, lamb is a great protein contender, while goat cheese, brie, and feta make pomegranate taste its very best. If you’re looking for alcohol pairings, vodka, port, and tequila are best. 3. Toffee Often getting confused with butterscotch and caramel, toffee is its own character. Buttery with a brown sugar-sweetness, toffee is a beautiful winter flavor for the baking season. In England, toffee is used a lot during the cold months to make the iconic British dessert sticky toffee pudding. Toffee also pairs well with different types of brandy, coffee, rum, and robust red wines. As far as food goes, you’re safe to pair toffee with hazelnuts, pecans, different chocolates, and vanillas. 4. Roasted Chestnuts A holiday flavor so iconic, it'll leave Jack Frost nipping at your nose. Chestnuts lose their bitterness when they’re roasted and pick up a new note of buttery sweetness. If you don’t have an open fire, you can roast chestnuts in the oven to unlock their sweet potato-like taste. Roasted chestnuts are delicious when candied or covered in chocolate. They’re also unbeatable when pureed into soups or chopped into casseroles. For desserts, invest in chestnut flour for the ultimate winter cakes, cookies, and truffles. 5. Oranges While one may usually think of citruses for the summer, they’re actually in season during the winter! (But that doesn’t mean they don’t pair well with all of the tropical fruits!) Oranges pair extremely well with chocolate, as well as cinnamon, cloves, cranberry, coffee, mascarpone, beef, chicken, vodka, champagne, and tequila. The great thing about oranges is that you can utilize the entire fruit. Measure the juice for baking, cooking, or cocktail making. Zest the skin for added orange flavor. Or, slice the oranges and dehydrate them for a beautiful garnish or holiday ornamental garland decoration. 6. Rosemary If you’re looking for a savory winter flavor, rosemary is it. Rosemary has notes of pine, mint, sage, and pepper. If you’re using this ingredient in your winter cooking and baking, we highly recommend using fresh rosemary only. It makes a difference! Rosemary pairs well with other fresh herbs, like thyme, sage, oregano, parsley, and chives. Use these herb pairings when cooking vegetables, stews, fish, chicken, steak, lamb, and lentils. When using fresh rosemary in a drink, combine with rum, vodka, and different whiskies. 7. Peppermint Peppermint is one of the obvious Christmas flavors, but it goes far beyond candy canes. Peppermint is a type of mint hybrid that crosses the flavors of spearmint and watermint. While it may not be a great savory winter flavor choice, there are a ton of baking and cocktail uses for peppermint. Try pairing peppermint with white and dark chocolate, lavender, sage, vanilla, and coffee. For alcoholic drinks, try stouts and vodka. Make a great holiday punch using peppermint or fun holiday cocktails to attract customers to your bar in the winter. Peppermint also makes a great winter cake flavor when used with dark chocolate. 8. Clove Clove is a powerful spice, and a little bit goes a long way. Using this winter flavor sparingly, you can add an intense and warm flavor to your cooking. It also makes a great transitional flavor from fall to winter as it pairs well with many fall flavors. When pairing ingredients with clove, try using sweet flavors like oranges, apples, pears, and hazelnuts. You can also pair clove with other powerful ingredients, like Szechuan peppercorns, curry, star anise, coriander, nutmeg, and fennel. For alcohol, pair clove with hard cider, bourbon, brandy, and whiskey. 9. Praline Praline is a French confectionary that is a mixture of nuts (usually almond, hazelnut, and pecans) that is cooked with sugar, vanilla, and sometimes butter or cream. The mixture is ground into a paste to use as a filling, or, with some slight modifications to the ingredients, is used to make New Orleans-style pralines. Apples, chocolate, most nuts, sweet potatoes, cinnamon, honey, pumpkin spice, and caramel all pair exceptionally well with praline. Praline is mostly used for dessert making, like cheesecakes, cupcakes, macarons, truffles, and with feuilletine fillings for upscale pastries. Whatever dessert you make pralines with, serve a glass of sweet dessert wine alongside for the ultimate after-dinner drink and dessert pairing. 10. Nutmeg We saved the best for last. Nutmeg is the ultimate winter flavor. Warm, nutty, a little sweet, and a bit woodsy, nutmeg’s flavor is both bold and cozy. Nutmeg can come pre-ground or whole, but zesting off fresh nutmeg as needed is incomparable to the more convenient pre-ground solution. Nutmeg pairings are plentiful: cinnamon, clove, cardamom, ginger, allspice, and cumin, to name a few. Use nutmeg with your baked goods, roasted winter vegetables, or with chicken and lamb. Nutmeg is also exceptional in dairy-based recipes, such as a beautifully shingled potato gratin or Thanksgiving mac and cheese. Remember: a little bit goes a long way! Although it may not be everyone’s favorite season, utilizing winter flavors can make the weather feel so much more bearable. Embrace winter cooking and baking this year by trying a new recipe that uses these beautiful winter flavors. A nice winter beer goes a long way, too!

  • Winter Safety Tips for Sidewalks and Parking Lots

    For many businesses, the start of winter marks the beginning of a slow season with reduced sales. In many parts of the country, it also results in snowy and potentially dangerous conditions. Poor weather increases the risk of accidents, which can create a crisis for your business. To prevent any employees or customers from injuring themselves in your snowy parking lot, we’ve created a list of outdoor winter safety tips for the workplace. Winter Safety Tips Staying on top of the winter weather can help the season pass painlessly for your business, and turn your business into a safer winter destination for customers. Properly taking care of your property during the winter months helps avoid dangerous conditions such as an icy parking lot. Here are four helpful winter weather safety tips to ensure you have a safe winter season: 1. Know Who's Responsible for Clearing Your Parking Lot and Sidewalks Before inclement weather sets in, it’s important to know who is responsible for clearing your sidewalks and parking lots. If you own the property, this responsibility is likely yours. However, if you have a landlord, it’s up to them to coordinate clearing these areas out. Failure to clarify this information could result in slippery, dangerous conditions that leave you vulnerable to personal injury lawsuits. If you're unsure who is responsible for snow removal, check your business's lease agreement. 2. Hire a Contractor Although many small businesses choose to clear sidewalks themselves, a majority of large franchises and chains hire contractors to clear snow and ice. This step is essential for any business that has a large parking lot or an area that's prone to freezing over. When hiring a contractor, be sure to find a reputable, trustworthy company well before the first snowfall. By hiring an outside vendor to perform these duties, you can eliminate the stress of completing certain tasks, such as clearing out snow and salting the parking lot, before your business opens. As you hire a snow removal company, be sure to consider these tips: Check their credentials: Make sure the contractor presents a valid and current certificate of insurance and make photocopies for your records. Require Insurance: Ask the contractor to place your business on their general liability, automobile liability, and workers’ compensation insurance policies as a certificate holder. Outline your parking lot: Show the contractor the locations of all obstructions in the parking lot, including parking stops, speed bumps, curbs, poles, and water drains. This will prevent the destruction of your property and protect the contractor's equipment. Mark obstructions: Mark the obstructions listed above with bright sticks or flags so they stand out when covered in snow. Choose where to dispose of snow: Communicate with the contractor and agree on a safe place for excess snow to be dumped. 3. Follow Local Regulations Whether you're hiring a snow removal contractor or taking the task on yourself, you must know where excess snow can legally be piled. Snow removal regulations vary depending on the city, county, and state you live in, so check with your local government in advance. While regulations may vary, there are some general rules you should follow: Avoid foot traffic areas: Snow must be piled away from customer and vendor foot traffic areas, including sidewalks, loading docks, dumpsters, entrances, and exits. Also, avoid piling it near mailboxes, water drains, gas meters, and fire hydrants. Stay away from traffic: Snow piles should be positioned so that melted snow does not flow into high-traffic areas. If it does, it may freeze and form a sheet of ice. Maintain visibility: Snow piles should not inhibit the visibility of guests or vendor drivers as they enter or leave your parking lot. Target storm drains: Water should flow freely and storm drains should be free of any obstructions. Avoid obstructing other buildings: Snow should never be piled on the nearby property of residences or businesses. Transport snow correctly: Never push snow across a road without knowledge of your local ordinances. 4. Stock Up on Winter Storm Supplies When you operate any type of business, it’s important to be prepared for the worst-case scenario. If a storm rolls through that's larger than anticipated, the plow trucks are backed up, and snow starts falling in the middle of the day, you can be prepared by stocking safety supplies. We’ve provided a list of emergency supplies your business should have on hand in case of inclement weather: Keep a large supply of ice melt readily available. Invest in high-quality shovels to clean up snow or snowdrifts. Set out caution signs or cones in possible hazardous areas. Entranceways can often become slippery since foot traffic carries in snow and ice. Provide reflective safety vests to any employees shoveling your parking lot. Increased visibility reduces the risk of injury. Sidewalk and Parking Lot Winter Safety FAQ Below we answer the most common questions regarding keeping your sidewalks and parking lots safe for the winter: Should I Put Salt Down Before or After It Snows? Rock salt is intended to be used before snow falls. Pre-salting sidewalks and parking lots creates a layer of salt between the surface and the falling snow. This extra layer helps prevent snow from freezing to the ground, making it easier to shovel and remove snow. How to Prevent Ice on Sidewalks? One of the best ways to prevent ice buildup on sidewalks is by utilizing a combination of salt and sand before the snowstorm hits. The salt and sand act in different ways and complement each other, making ice easier to clear and surfaces less slippery. Additionally, clearing snow away as soon as possible before it sticks and freezes can also help prevent major ice buildup. How to Treat Icy Sidewalks? If ice has already set on your sidewalk or parking lot, rock salt is still able to be used as a de-icer. Although it may not be as effective as it would be if it were applied preemptively, salt still can melt ice. Utilizing other products like sand, wood chips, and clumping cat litter are also options to melt ice or add extra traction. Is It Better to Shovel Snow before Ice? If you’re expecting freezing rain or other forms of icy precipitation after a snowfall, then it's best to wait to shovel. While shoveling snow before it sets is normally the way to go, this isn’t the case with freezing rain and sleet. Freezing rain turns to ice immediately after making contact with a surface, so if snow is shoveled away, your parking lots and sidewalks will become exposed and accumulate a large amount of ice. It’s better to let the freezing rain fall on snow and form a top layer, allowing you to shovel both once precipitation stops. Why Shovel Your Driveway? Not shoveling your driveway, parking lot, or sidewalk creates a hazard for customers and employees, which could lead to falls or other accidents. Additionally, failing to shovel your parking lots and sidewalks can lead to major damage. As ice melts, water enters cracks and crevices in the ground. When this water refreezes, the ice expands and enlarges the cracks, causing more damage. To make sure your business gets through the winter season safely, start planning before the snow starts to fall. Be prepared to deal with excess snow and stock up on winter safety equipment like rock salt, safety apparel, and shovels. Teach your staff common safety acronyms so they understand how to communicate in high-risk situations. Once you have a winter safety plan in place, you can focus your attention on attracting customers with winter promotions.

  • The Best Winter Beers for 2024

    As the temperatures drop and the holiday season approaches, it's time to replace pumpkin beers and fall ciders with some delicious winter beers. These seasonal brews are perfect for capturing the cozy and festive spirit of the winter months. From rich and malty stouts to spiced and hoppy ales, there's a winter beer for every palate. Check out our top picks for the best seasonal beers of winter 2024. Shop All Beer Glasses Seasonal Winter Beers We've made a list of the most popular winter beers you can stock this season. Consider filling beer growlers so your guests can enjoy their favorite winter beers while staying cozy at home. 1. Scotch Ale (Wee Heavys) Scotch ales are top-fermenting brews that were originally served in small quantities (thus, the "wee heavy" nickname) for a few schillings in nineteenth-century Scotland. This style is boiled extensively in kettles, which creates toasty caramelization and sweet, full-bodied flavors. Many Scotch ales also offer higher alcohol by volume, making them perfect for cold winter days. Beer experts, also called cicerones, recommend serving these tasty brews with gamey meats, spicy foods, and creamy desserts. Give These Scotch Ales a Try: Founders Brewing Company: Dirty Bastard (Grand Rapids, MI) 8.5% ABV Einstok Beer Company: Icelandic Wee Heavy (Akureyri, Iceland) 8% ABV Jeremiah Johnson Brewing Company: Mountain Man Strong Ale (Whitefish, MT) 6.8% ABV Oskar Blues Grill and Brew: Old Chub (Lyons, CO) 8% ABV 2. Barleywine A barleywine is a style of strong ale that's typically characterized by high alcohol content, a bittersweet taste, and a rich mouthfeel. Despite the name, barleywines contain no actual wine. They earned the moniker due to their complexity of flavors. While American-style barleywines are intensely hopped for a more bitter and hop-forward taste, English varieties tend to offer a more balanced combination of malt and hops. Serve this winter beer style with a charcuterie board of cured meats and creamy cheeses. Give These Barleywines a Try: Sierra Nevada: Bigfoot Barleywine (Chico, CA) 9.6% ABV Revolution Brewing: Straight Jacket (Chicago, IL) 15% ABV Brasserie Dieu du Ciel: Solstice D'hiver (Montreal, Quebec) 10.2% ABV Firestone Walker Brewing Company: Sucaba (Pasa Robles, CA) 12.5% ABV 3. Russian Imperial Stout Often referred to as the king of stouts, Russian imperial stouts were created in the nineteenth century by brewers looking to curry favor with Catherine the Great of Russia. These beers are top-fermenting ales with high alcohol content, low levels of carbonation, and toasted, malty flavors. Most Russian imperial stouts also feature notes of dark fruit and little to no hop character. Try serving these hearty brews alongside oysters, chocolate, and soft cheeses. Give These Russian Imperial Stouts a Try: North Coast Brewing Company: Old Rasputin (Fort Bragg, CA) 9% ABV Firestone Walker Brewing Company: Parabola (Paso Robles, CA) 13% ABV Sierra Nevada Brewing Company: Narwhal Imperial Stout (Chico, CA) 10.2% ABV Great Lakes Brewing Company: Blackout Stout (Cleveland, OH) 9.9% ABV 4. Baltic Porter During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, many Western European brewers began creating strong, robust porters to be shipped across the North Sea to the Baltic regions. These beers were often supplemented by the addition of stale ales, which added an acidic flavor that beer drinkers loved. Baltic porters are top-fermenting ales that offer a smoky, roasted, malty character with a full-bodied mouthfeel. Consider serving them with barbecued meats, stews, and semi-hard cheeses. Give These Baltic Porters a Try: Jack's Abby Brewing: Barrel-Aged Framinghammer - Mapledoodle (Framingham, MA) 12% ABV Tree House Brewing Company: Cozy (Charlton, MA) 9.2% ABV Browar Fortuna: Komes Baltic Porter (Miloslaw, Poland) 9% ABV Threes Brewing: Voluntary Exile (Brooklyn, NY) 8% ABV 5. Doppelbock Bock beer is a German-style lager with a strong malt flavor. Doppelbock, which essentially means double bock, has even more malt and a fuller body than a standard bock. This beer was originally brewed by a group of monks called the Paulaners, who developed the style with extra malt for nourishment during times of fasting. You'll notice that many doppelbock beers have the suffix "-ator" in their name, like Troeg's Troegenator. The original doppelbock was named Salvator, and due to its popularity, it became common for other producers to imitate the name by adding the suffix. Enjoy your malty doppelbocks with red meat, pork, and sharp cheeses. Give These Doppelbocks a Try: Augustiner-Brau: Maximator (Munchen, Germany) 7.5% ABV Klosterbrauerei Andechs: Doppelbock Dunkel (Andechs, Germany) 7.1% ABV Bell's Brewery: Consecrator (Kalamazoo, MI) 8% ABV Troegs Brewing Company: Troegenator (Hershey, pA) 8.2% ABV 6. Barrel Aged Beer Barrel aged beers are aged in wooden barrels to impart unique flavors to the finished product. Any style of beer can be barrel aged, but the approach is best suited to beers with strong flavors that are complemented by notes of hickory, oak, or applewood. The use of whiskey barrels or brandy barrels adds a boozy flavor and hints of caramel, vanilla, and bourbon. Entice customers to your bar over the winter months by offering a selection of complex barrel aged beers paired with smoked foods, oysters, or a pan-seared steak. Choose a rich, chocolate cake to serve with barrel aged stouts or a hunk of sharp cheese to complement a barrel aged barleywine. Give These Barrel Aged Beers a Try: Boulevard Brewing Company: Bourbon Barrel Quad (Kansas City, MO) 12.2% ABV Dark Horse Brewing Company: Plead The 5th - Bourbon Barrel-Aged (Marshall, MI) 11% ABV Great Divide Brewing Company: Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout (Denver, CO) 9.5% ABV New Holland Brewing Company: Dragon's Milk Bourbon Barrel-Aged Stout (Holland, MI) 11% ABV 7. Winter Warmer Winter warmers are top-fermenting ales that offer plenty of malty, sweet flavors alongside a balanced hop character. Many winter warmers are blended with spices, which give the style its trademark warmth. Traditionally, English strong ales and spiced Wassail beers fall under the umbrella of winter warmers, so be sure to keep plenty of these brews on hand during the winter months. Consider serving them with poultry, baked goods, and seasonal winter fruits. Give These Winter Warmers a Try: Samuel Smith Old Brewery: Winter Welcome Ale (Tadcaster, England) 6% ABV Woodstock Inn Brewery: Wassail Ale (North Woodstock, NH) 8% ABV Deschutes Brewery: Jubelale (Bend, OR) 6.7% ABV Great Lakes Brewing Company: Christmas Ale (Cleveland, OH) 7.5% ABV It's time to trade in your fall beers and update your tap list with any of these highly-rated winter beers. Check out our beer glass guide to find the perfect glass to complement your holiday seasonal beers.