Outdoor dining quickly emerged as a way to keep restaurants operational during the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the increasing popularity of eatin02g outdoors and lingering pandemic concerns, many restaurants will continue offering outdoor dining options in the short and long term.
Despite widespread acceptance, temporary and permanent outdoor dining areas carry a unique set of risks for restaurant owners to consider. Offering outdoor dining without proper precautions and safety procedures poses risks for employees and customers, and it could lead to unforeseen legal complications.
There are several outdoor dining risks for your restaurant to consider. No matter which outdoor dining structures your establishment uses—whether it’s tents, yurts, plastic pods, decks or patios—the primary concerns remain the same. The location of your outdoor dining area, fire hazards and severe weather are all serious risks to consider. Here are the primary hazards associated with outdoor dining and how to best mitigate them.