How To Make The Most Of Patio Season

Oh, beautiful, glorious June! It’s a month that the majority of Canadians look forward to all year long. Maybe, except for those in Newfoundland where there is currently snow on the ground! For most of us, June represents the official start of summer. For many others, it’s also the unofficial start of patio season!

Many restaurateurs have already had their patios open for weeks. With warm and sunny days come many opportunities for business owners of eateries to open up their outdoor spaces as places to sit, eat, drink and be merry for their customers. If you own a restaurant, you’ll definitely want to take advantage of the warm weather while it’s here!

How can you make most of patio season?

Don’t overstuff your patio area with furniture.

Most restaurant owners are keen on maximizing their patio spaces to seat as many customers as possible. It’s important, however, to not have a patio that is too crowded. Restaurant patrons expect comfortable eating environments. Don’t make it difficult for them to get to their seats. Providing ample walking space is just as important for your wait staff.

“Don’t stuff your patio with furniture,” advises Malik Kane of Lightspeed, “To make the most of the hot weather, clear up a defined path between tables for your waiters. They have more territory to cover, and if it becomes an obstacle course, they won’t be happy, and neither will the customer they bump into.”

Keep your patio up to date.

Don’t take your patio section for granted. Simply having a patio doesn’t necessarily mean that your customers will come flocking to your restaurant. It’s important that it is styled nicely, renovated when necessary, kept clean and has eye-catching signage. Your patio isn’t just a fun place to eat – it’s also an advertising space. Maximize the opportunities to grow your eatery’s patronage!

East Coast Chair & Barstool insists that you keep up with outdoor trends. “According to the National Restaurant Association, you should be updating your patio every five to seven years to keep it looking modern, similar to your dining room,” they inform on their website, “Your outdoor patio is an extension of your restaurant; don’t let the average passersby think otherwise.”

Let your customers pay at the table.

At Canadian POS Corporation, we proudly offer the Verifone VX 680 as our pay-at-table solution. It is the perfect terminal for any environment where you need to bring the point of payment to your customers. That includes table-service restaurants, curbside pick-up and nail/beauty salons.

Bringing the terminal to the cardholder improves the customer experience and cardholder security — the card is always in your customer’s control, helping ensure that cardholder data is never lost or stolen. The Verifone VX 680 supports a range of payment types including, credit, debit and gift cards. And it’s ready for acceptance of secure EMV “chip” cards, protecting you and your customers from counterfeit card fraud.

The Verifone VX 680 also has integrated Contactless technology that extends the convenience of “tap and go” payments and prepares you for the acceptance of mobile wallets.

For more information about this great pay-at-table solution, please don’t hesitate to call Canadian POS Corporation at 1-877-748-2884 or email us at info@localhost.