Over the last 18 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, restaurant owners around the globe have continuously suffered over the past year- especially small, independent establishments. If there’s one glimmer of hope that many of them have experienced, as public health guidelines continue to evolve, it’s that many cities have relaxed their policies and allowed restaurants to construct temporary shelters on sidewalks and in streets as a means to keep their businesses afloat. But in life after the pandemic, how should we address these setups? Should we turn them into something more permanent and allow outdoor dining to stay?
Outdoor dining is hardly new but was another trend that was accelerated almost overnight as a result of the pandemic. Almost as fast as the workforce adopted working from home, restaurants evolved, set up tables outside, and the entire way we used the streets was changed. There is something that feels very European about the al fresco dining experience that many people in cities have been enjoying. Most of these temporary shelters feel more permanent, with igloos, pods, and roofed stands complete with air conditioning, heating units, televisions, cozy furniture, and electrical charging outlets, they almost feel like the indoors, but just on the sidewalk.
There are some downsides to this way of dining, and they have city dwellers and policymakers wondering what needs to be done to ensure that issues like safety, health, and public transit are accounted for, along with the profitability of the restaurants. All of this confusion and loose interpretation of the “rules” comes from the minimal federal and state regulations on how these setups should look and perform. After all, if there are four walls and a roof- is it really outdoor dining?
While urban designers and architects are finding themselves busy creating innovative and modular designs for these outdoor spaces, engaging in competitions, all while reimagining the future of outdoor spaces, others are pushing back. While the restaurants gained areas for additional seating, what the public lost was parking spaces, loading areas, and many sidewalks. As pedestrians navigate the streets while diners sit at tables and waiters dash in and out, it’s created a significant safety hazard. Many of these pop-ups are also located right in the street, exposing them to vehicular accidents as traffic builds up. All of this makes city life harder for people who are disabled, and those who want to reclaim their public spaces which were never intended for private use.
Some cities like Seattle, New York City, Los Angeles, Boston, Tampa, and Cincinnati, are already moving towards more permanent solutions that will benefit everyone. Some municipalities are examining who has to pay for these shelters, and who is also responsible for their maintenance. They’re also looking to understand if there needs to be a baseline for design aspects and safety regulations- a sort of abbreviated building code for these structures that makes them safe and accessible. Another aspect to consider is if these shelters can be taxed, and if so, where do those collected taxes go?
But for now, especially as summer winds down, most people are in agreement that outdoor dining is something that should stay. And while the solutions that are in place aren’t perfect, it’s enough to allow diners to enjoy the warm weather, and keep their favorite restaurants in business.
