Maybe it’s the sun on our face or the birds chirping in the distance, but whatever the reason is — there’s nothing more enjoyable than dining al fresco.
That’s why our recent remodel of nearly 10 Fazoli’s restaurants wasn’t just confined to what’s within our four walls. Recently, we decided to venture out into the great outdoors and offer patio dining at many of our locations. In addition to being a big crowd pleaser that guests love taking advantage of, there were many reasons why we decided to make the move outside.
The Benefits of Outdoor Dining
It Draws a Crowd
More and more franchisees are using their outdoor patio as a way to “energize” previously stagnant entryways. After all, nothing entices passersby to come into your restaurant quite like a group of happy guests enjoying delicious-looking food.
It Makes Fiscal Sense
Most simply put, more tables mean more guests, and more guests mean greater profits! You’ll now have the ability to sit dozens more guests without having to increase the size of your restaurant or kitchen space.
It’s Relatively Inexpensive to Add
Though we currently maintain a checklist of location requirements restaurants must meet (like a drive-thru window, a minimum space requirement of 2,400 square feet, and a suburban or city surrounding) we consider our outdoor patio to be the “cherry on top” of an already great restaurant.
While we encourage many franchisees to consider locations with existing patio space already available, we have great news for current franchisees who are looking to increase their seating options: patios can be easily added to almost any existing location! “If the brand is attempting to include a patio for a Fazoli’s site that doesn’t currently have one, we can simply create it,” says Perry Pelton, director of real estate at Fazoli’s. In most cases, creating an outdoor patio is as simple as converting two or three parking spaces. Best of all, they can be included in a variety of different restaurant locations, “…including freestanding or an end-cap with drive-thru space.”
