4 Outdoor Restaurant Patio Ideas

As the weather warms up, the trend of outdoor dining kicks into high gear. Many guests love sitting outside to enjoy the scenery and fresh air while they eat, so incorporating an outdoor patio into your foodservice business’s concept can be a great way to add appeal and draw in customers. Below are 4 outdoor restaurant patio ideas that will kick off the summer.

Patio Design and Layout Ideas

Choosing the right commercial patio design and layout for your space can make or break a guest’s dining experience. Too much sunlight, wind or bugs and not enough space or shade can have your guests running for air-conditioned hills.

So here are a few restaurant patio ideas to help you find the right design and layout for your space:

• Plant Life – What better way to decorate an outdoor space than naturally with flowers, herbs and vines? But you have to be careful. Certain flowers aggravate allergies and attract bees, sometimes with deadly consequences. Flowers like chrysanthemums, marigolds and red lilies are all plants that produce little to no pollen. Better yet, kill two bees with one stone and plant herbs for your kitchen!


• Patio Infrastructure – For your restaurant patio design, you’ll want to build on a very slight grade to allow water to run off into the street and to keep your seating area clear of puddles and debris. Otherwise, you might get standing pools of smelly water or flooding that could force you to close the space.


• Spacing – If you’re dealing with a small patio space, don’t try to cram in tables. Overcrowding in restaurants is linked to a negative perception of service quality. Instead, buy smaller tables and use benches to maximize seating capacity without compromising customer experience.

Choose the Right Furniture

You want to balance durability, attractiveness and comfort. Furniture that will stand up to years of sun bleaching and weathering comes down to the type of material. Once you decide on material type, you can pick a furniture style and design that reflects your establishment’s unique theme. But first things first, choose from one of these 5 restaurant patio furniture and seating ideas:

• Wicker – Strong wicker makes a good choice, as it offers a relaxing place for guests to sit and can stand up against the elements.


• Metal – Aluminum or wrought iron patio furniture won’t blow away at the first strong storm. Since they’re not as comfortable, you can buy patio furniture cushions to ease the pressure points on your guest’s hips and back. After all, comfortable guests stay longer and spend more.


• Plastic – Plastic furniture is highly durable and lightweight. But there are a couple downsides. A lightweight design makes them easy to store and stack during the colder months, but it also makes them more likely to get a little carried away in a thunderstorm. Not only that, but they’re also susceptible to sun bleaching, which isn’t necessarily a problem, but it can make your establishment look rundown over time.


• Synthetic rattan – This material is the best of every world because it’s remarkably comfortable, weather-resistant and requires no maintenance. Not to mention, it’s an eye-pleaser.


• Wood – Wood patio furniture is another viable outdoor seating idea for restaurants because it’s heavier than plastic, making them sturdier and more earthbound in seasonal storms. The downside is they are higher maintenance, requiring frequent revarnishing.  

Decide on Fencing

One of the most significant benefits of having an outdoor patio is the chance to appeal to passersby. You can provide privacy and differentiate your space from the public thoroughfare with a small fence. Restaurant patio fence ideas are:

• Metal fencing – For metal patio fence ideas, you can select from steel, aluminum and wrought iron for that classic 19th-century design. For a modern take on wrought iron that requires less effort to keep up but still preserves its timeless look, try aluminum or steel.


• Vinyl fencing – Vinyl is a cheap, lightweight and versatile material that is easily moldable into any shape and size you need. It’s very low-maintenance, needing only an annual scrub-down.


• Ropes – Ropes and poles are another restaurant patio idea worth considering. Either drill them into the earth for a permanent solution or rest them on the ground for easy maneuverability. In particular, ropes look especially thematic next to river, lake or ocean-side venues and seafood restaurants.


• Patio barriers – Patio barriers offer a movable alternative to fencing. Just as practical they come in various dimensions, so you can fence off any size patio. Better yet, they’re easy to dismantle for off-seasons.


• Plant barriers – More aesthetically pleasing, plant barriers are an economical choice. Plant them with marigolds, chrysanthemums or another flower or herb that is happy in your patio’s sun exposure levels and attracts the eyes of passersby.

Look at Climate Control Options

Take into account the weather patterns of your city. Umbrellas will protect diners from the sun and gentle rain. At the same time, an awning or permanent cover will keep your investment safe and dry during severe weather conditions. Here are some restaurant patio cover ideas to help shed some light–and then some shade–on all your options:

Shaded Outdoor Patio Cover Ideas

• Patio umbrellas – Of course, you’ve already thought of shading your hungry guests with this restaurant patio cover idea, but have you thought about whether you should go with a patio, cantilever or even a rectangular umbrella? Can you tilt it? Is it wind resistant?


• Awning – Another restaurant patio cover idea requires about $2,000-$4,000. However, retractable awnings are highly convenient and provide the most coverage when the sun is beating down.


• Shade screens – Cheaper than awnings, you can still protect your customers from harmful UV rays and sunburns for a couple hundred instead of a couple thousand. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes and installation options: string them across your patio, lay them on top of the pergola or let them hang from the roof.

How Do I Winterize my Outdoor Patio?

You can winterize your outdoor patio space with heaters, fire pits, insulated curtains, pre-made enclosures or vinyl siding. Which one you decide on will largely depend on your region’s climate, budget and the design and layout of your outdoor patio.

Heated Outdoor Patio Cover Ideas

• Vinyl siding – Vinyl insulation is the most low-maintenance and budget-friendly option at about $5 per square foot. Better yet, vinyl is so easy to install, you can save money and do it yourself.


• Insulated curtains – If you’re living in a city with weather as finicky as your worst picky eater, then insulated curtains could be the way to go. All you need is a high-weight capacity rod to draw the curtains against those chilly seasonal nights.


• Enclosures – You can protect your patio space from the elements with a premade enclosure. However, they come with a $3,000-$40,000 price tag. Although expensive, enclosures are the best-looking full-coverage design, something higher-end restaurants and bars might want to consider.


• Heaters – Costing anywhere from a couple hundred to a couple thousand, you match the heaters to your budget. Get electric, propane gas, freestanding or mounted heaters to populate small or large outdoor spaces. FYI, high winds can knock standing heaters over, so just be sure to keep an eye on the weather forecast.


• Fire pits – Fire pits create more atmosphere than heaters, but they’re not always the most practical or space efficient. For restaurants or bars with limited outdoor seating, you should consider other options. However, having at least one moveable fire pit heightens the ambiance and gives drinkers a place to go.


• Dome dining – You’ve probably seen the bubbles popping outside city dining venues. They first gained popularity during the Covid-19 pandemic for their social distancing features, but they’re also surprisingly good at retaining heat.