Columbus' outdoor seating program extended through November
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — After two months of success, the outdoor seating pilot program is being extended. Seven restaurants are currently doing right of way dining and 16 others have outdoor dining in parking lots with more applications pending.
Customers can now dine outside until the end of November on these "extended patios."
"We're hoping to sustain just through the winter," said Tasi Cafe owner Tasi Rigsby.
Rigsby's mindset matches that of many other restaurant owners as the temperatures start to dip.
"There are some people just not ready to dine inside no matter how safe you are. They’re just not comfortable," said Carla Epler, the chief operating officer of Schmidt’s Sausage Haus und Restaurant.
Schmidt's has expanded their outdoor seating into their parking lot and Epler says they've seen a lot of success so far.
"I don’t know if I could stress how important that is for us but even smaller properties that don't have the seating," Epler said. "Even at 50 percent capacity it really can make or break certain restaurants.
Dr. Jospeh Gastaldo is an infectious disease specialist at OhioHealth and he says when it comes to the spread of COVID-19, outdoors is always a better option for many activities including dining. But that's not the case once tempatures are too low.
"When you are outside with cooler temperatures and lower humidity, that is a friendlier environment for respiratory viruses, including the virus that causes COVID-19," Dr. Gastaldo said. "If you have a tent up with four walls, you might as well be indoor. When you’re outdoors in a tent, it can interfere with appropriate ventilation or air and regardless of what the temperature is, it’s going to be too cold to be outside soon."
For restaurants like Tasi Cafe in the Short North that have gone from 16 tables to eight because of social distancing, patio seating is maing it possible for them to get through these next few months.
"We just shrug our heads and hands and say, 'You know what we’ll do whatever it takes,'" Rigsby said.
Tasi, along with multiple other restaurants, have developed plans to keep customers comfortable this winter.
"The true test will be as it gets colder. We have heaters inside and trying to make it as toasty as possible," Epler said.
Small or large, local restaurant owners like Rigsby say they're surviving because of the support given by city officials.
"This little city is very special," Rigsby said. "Columbus wants to maintain the integrity of having quaint little restaurants and we do what we have to."
John Barker, president of the Ohio Restaurant Association, says these restaurants will soon see some relief from the CARES Act and he's hoping to see the paycheck protection program get approved soon at the federal level to further assist these businesses in the struggle during the colder months.
"The alternative is going to be these businesses are going to close down and if they close down, they lose all their revenue. The next thing you’ll hear about is bankruptcy," Barker said. "We don’t want these places to not make it through the winter."