Restaurant-Retailers Think Outside the Box and Grab Outdoor Space

SAN FRANCISCO—Restaurants are re-thinking real estate in the slow-reopening phase of the pandemic recovery, driven by a 50 to 75% reduction on interior customer capacity that will last months longer than many had expected. One trend, the push to allow table service on more outdoor sidewalks, plazas and even streets, is likely to be more permanent, according to Linda Gates, co-founder of Gates + Associates landscape architects.

“With the pandemic forcing a lot of the reasons and demand for change, we are seeing cities and public agencies speed up approvals for utilizing outdoor spaces, creating new parklets, and giving businesses more options to thrive amid challenging times,” Gates tells GlobeSt.com. “And we think it will have lasting impact on neighborhood retail and shopping center design.”

With 3% of the nation’s restaurants already permanently closed and 11% expecting to close, according to the National Restaurant Association, the “creative energy for solutions is palpable,” she adds.

Cities from Atlanta to Philadelphia and even Tel Aviv have already approved measures allowing restaurants to expand service to sidewalks, and others including San Francisco and San Jose are poised to expand on the concept.

What’s likely to stick? Gates sees several changes already underway and others gaining attention, based on her firm’s 40-plus years of experience in creating commercial, retail, healthcare, park and public spaces.

First off, sidewalk tables are the low hanging fruit.

“In California and most everywhere, people love outdoor dining. Restaurants with sidewalk cafes the world over know those are the most popular tables. Using a cafe’s adjacent outdoor spaces makes sense, and a few tables or cordoned off square footage can be a world of difference for shop owners, right away,” she tells GlobeSt.com. “A lot of square footage is available, still thoughtfully planned to leave space for pedestrians and ADA access.”

Secondly, parklets can re-purpose a few parking spaces here and there for crucial, even temporary retail needs. The US parklet movement started in the Bay Area so it’s a known path for following existing guidelines.

“Car use has diminished under #WorkFromHome, and many cities like Oakland and San Francisco have increased full street closures,” Gates adds. “We’re getting used to fewer cars, and most storefront-retail café or coffeehouse-bookstore could really benefit from parklet space, even if for three to six months.”

Thirdly, some eateries are thinking even more outside the box.

“Retailers can re-use underutilized space such as nearby public plazas, backdoor or adjacent spaces or alleyways and other nooks and crannies,” she said.

Finally, more creative options may take hold, where restaurants may cluster or share space/costs to utilize outdoor and sidewalk spaces.

“For businesses already in proximity to each other, it may be a simple matter of non-contractual creative cooperation,” she said. “For example, there can be a number of outdoor tables used by multiple shops or establishments with different clientele and hours such as coffee/breakfast places, lunch places and evening restaurants or bars.”