SAN FRANCISCO—Restaurants are re-thinking real estate in theslow-reopening phase of the pandemic recovery, driven by a 50 to75% reduction on interior customer capacity that will last monthslonger than many had expected. One trend, the push to allow tableservice on more outdoor sidewalks, plazas and even streets, islikely to be more permanent, according to Linda Gates, co-founderof Gates + Associates landscape architects.

"With the pandemic forcing a lot of the reasons and demand forchange, we are seeing cities and public agencies speed up approvalsfor utilizing outdoor spaces, creating new parklets, and givingbusinesses more options to thrive amid challenging times," Gatestells GlobeSt.com. "And we think it will have lasting impact onneighborhood retail and shopping center design."

With 3% of the nation's restaurants already permanently closedand 11% expecting to close, according to the National RestaurantAssociation, the "creative energy for solutions is palpable," sheadds.