How to Spruce Up and Market your Outdoor Dining for the Upcoming Spring and Summer Seasons

As the weather starts to warm up, outdoor dining becomes a popular choice for customers who want to enjoy their meals in the fresh air and sunshine. For restaurants, this presents an opportunity to increase revenue and attract new customers. Here are some ways to promote outdoor dining options for restaurants in the spring and summer seasons.

Use Social Media

Social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook are excellent tools for promoting your restaurant's outdoor dining options. Use social media to showcase your outdoor dining space to potential customers. Use high-quality photos and videos to show off your outdoor seating area and the ambiance it provides. Make sure to include images of your restaurant's outdoor decor, lighting, and other features that make the space inviting. In addition, you could highlight your restaurant's menu items on social media to entice customers to dine outside. Post photos of your dishes and drinks to show off your menu's range of options. Consider creating seasonal dishes or drinks that are specific to your outdoor dining space to attract customers.

However, just posting on social media won’t always attract new customers. Hashtags are a great way to increase the reach of your social media posts. Use hashtags that are relevant to your outdoor dining space, such as #outdoordining, #patiodining, or #(your restaurant name)dining. This will help your posts appear in search results for those keywords and increase your visibility. Encourage your customers to take photos and share their experience dining outside at your restaurant, utilizing the hashtags whenever they post their photos. You can also repost customer photos on your social media accounts, which can help to build a sense of community around your outdoor dining space.

If you are up for spending some money on social media advertising you can either pay platforms to boost your posts or even partner with local influencers in your area to help promote your restaurant's outdoor dining options. Find influencers who have a following in your area and invite them to dine at your restaurant. In exchange, they can share their experience on their social media accounts, which can help attract new customers.

Engaging with your customers on social media by responding to comments, direct messages, and reviews can help to build a relationship with your customers and create a sense of community around your outdoor dining space. Also, make sure to respond promptly and address any concerns or questions that customers may have.

Offer Special Deals

Offer special deals to encourage customers to try your outdoor dining options. These types of promotions can be an excellent way to attract new customers and encourage repeat business. One of the most effective ways to promote your outdoor dining space is by offering discounts to customers who choose to dine outside. This can be done in a number of ways, such as offering a percentage discount on the total bill or a fixed dollar amount off the bill for outdoor diners. Make sure to promote the discount on your website and social media accounts to ensure that customers are aware of it.

Another way to promote your outdoor dining space is by offering free appetizers or desserts to customers who choose to dine outside. This can be a great way to entice customers to try your outdoor seating area and to showcase some of your most popular menu items. Make sure to promote this special deal on your social media accounts and in your restaurant to attract customers. Happy hour specials are a great way to attract customers to your outdoor dining space during the afternoon and early evening hours. Consider offering discounted drinks and appetizers during this time to entice customers to choose your restaurant for their outdoor dining experience.

Another effective method to promote your outdoor dining space is by offering meal bundles. This can be done by creating a special menu that includes an appetizer, entrée, and dessert at a discounted price. Also loyalty programs are a great way to incentivize customers to return to your restaurant and to promote your outdoor dining space. Consider offering rewards to customers who dine outside a certain number of times or who refer new customers to your restaurant. This can help to build a loyal customer base and increase revenue.

Spruce Up your Outdoor Space

If you want to take your outdoor dining options for restaurants to the next level, consider adding some unique and eye-catching outdoor decorations that will make your restaurant stand out from the competition. Some creative ideas include art, floral additions, natural themed decor and lighting. 

Consider adding outdoor art installations such as sculptures or murals that will create a unique and visually interesting atmosphere for your customers. Hire local artists and muralists to create beautiful custom work that you can proudly display and make “Instagrammable.” This way you can showcase your involvement in the local community and promote the artists within it as well. 

A great way to add some greenery to your outdoor dining area is by installing vertical gardens. These are essentially vertical structures that are covered in plants and flowers, adding a touch of nature to your space. Some even add greenery to larger structures such as a canopy or patio ceiling to provide a more vibrant atmosphere.

Rustic decor is an incredibly popular theme for its adaptability and timeless look. For a more natural and rustic look, consider adding some wooden accents, such as benches or tables, or using natural materials such as stone or gravel to create walkways or seating areas.

Outdoor lighting is just as crucial to your restaurant’s ambiance as is your indoor lighting. To create a warm and inviting ambiance in the evening, consider adding outdoor lighting such as string lights or lanterns that will create a cozy and intimate atmosphere for your customers. Other unique outdoor lighting ideas include fire pits and places, stone ovens, torches, and candles (fake or real).