Will Outdoor Dining Disappear This Winter Season?
By Kristen Conti
September 13, 2020
The seasonal transition from the warm, playful months of summer to the brisk winter stretch is highly anticipated by those involved in the hospitality industry, especially restaurants.
Now that restaurants have seemingly gotten the hang of “pandemic life,” as they have separated tables six feet apart to abide by social distancing mandates, urged take-out and delivery, as well as offered options of sitting outdoors, things are again subject to adjustment.
“We are talking about it because it’s coming really fast,” said Madi Taylor, manager of Huckleberry, a restaurant off Main Street in New Paltz, NY. “There was a lot of brainstorming as to what style of service would be the safest.”
In Duchess County specifically, outdoor seating became the go-to strategy as the weather seemed to cooperate with 85-degree days of sun, with the occasional summer shower. However, as the Game of Thrones fanbase would claim, “Winter is coming!” and for restaurants, that is not exactly good news.
The popular luxury of the summer might be impractical for the icy months ahead because sitting outdoors tends to be winter-goers worst nightmare. However, restaurants seem to be planning for it anyway. “We want to have the outdoor vibe in case it’s something people are still interested in,” said Taylor.
“We’re just really lucky with our outdoor space,” said Taylor of Huckleberry in New Paltz. “With other places it is so much more challenging; like Murphy’s and P&G’s, where you had to create this outdoor space.”
However, indoor seating regulations are feasible with limited capacity, so restaurants are not solely relying on the outdoors, but people still seem to be reluctant to gather inside with fears of the virus’ contagiousness. “We have limited dining inside, but a lot of people aren’t delighted to come inside yet, so we have to be mindful of that,” said Garvan McCloskey, owner of Garvan’s Gastropub in New Paltz. “With the winter, we are trying to make it as safe and distanced as possible for people to enjoy themselves.”
The beautiful fine-dining eatery lies off the beaten path, away from the heart of New Paltz’ busy college town and with its immense outdoor space, Garvan plans on extending outdoor seating until the end of October by adding patio heaters and possibly walls and heaters to tents. By the middle of November, he anticipates indoors to be the only option.Huckleberry is also planning on adopting similar approaches with space heaters and multiple fire pits. Similarly, just 30 miles Northeast in Rhinebeck, restaurants like Terrapin and The Amsterdam are utilizing tents, heaters, and fire pits to stay outdoors as long as they can.
“I encourage them to be as creative as possible, given the guidelines the state has put in place,” when it comes to the winter, said Rich Kleban, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Duchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Having one of the largest spaces in Rhinebeck has posed as an advantage to The Amsterdam restaurant. Even after opening six weeks later than most restaurants around the quaint town, for safety reasons, the restaurant still manages to boom every night, making locals and visitors excited to dine.
However, restaurants still have to consider the potential for re-closings with the anticipation of the second wave of the virus, as well as the possibility of a frigid winter causing outdoor seating to be an anomaly. In essence, more closing mandates would be a decision of the state and not the county. Kleban and the rest of the Chamber of Commerce are essentially playing middle-man between the county and local businesses to hand off information. “Our restaurants are doing their best to adapt and pivot,” said Kleban, but it is not up to the businesses or the county, so all they can do is try to stay afloat in the meantime.
Nonetheless, at this point, with plans on hand and current success in their efforts, the restaurants around New Paltz and Rhinebeck don’t seem to be so worried.“We anticipate a smooth and safe option,” as winter ensues, said Howard Jacobs, the CEO and one of the founders of The Amsterdam restaurant.
Competitors or not, these restaurants are attempting to thrive, or stay open at the very least, and with that comes the community-factor we see in Rhinebeck and New Paltz. “I don’t wish ill on any restaurants [because] it is a difficult time around here,” said McCloskey of Garvan’s Gastropub. “I don’t want to be better than anyone else.” At this point, eateries just hope to survive.
Binding together as a community, the restaurateur district of Duchess County anticipates a fruitful winter season, with of course a sprinkle of apprehension.“All the restaurants are working together,” said Christen Wagner, brand manager of Terrapin Restaurant. “Rhinebeck set up a committee to make survival possible.”
Luckily, with college kids swarming and locals supporting, “Rhinebeck benefits from a very strong following of people who love restaurants and great food,” said Jacobs of The Amsterdam. “There are upwards of 30 restaurants, and our hope and expectation are that they will succeed and make it through this very difficult time, and we are rooting for them.”
