First, consider this: Those with a patio, a truly nice patio, have already won. You have a big advantage over competitors who don’t have outdoor seating. Second, you automatically increase the number of customer seats during warm weather. Every additional seat you have outside is a cash register that won’t stop ringing until the bad weather comes. This point was not lost on Sondra Bernstein, who recently renovated the rustic, country French patio at Girl & the Fig in Sonoma, CA. During the renovation, she even went so far as to have a tree removed to open the space and create more seating and more profits.

The family-owned La Calle Doce in Oak Cliff, TX, also recently completed a renovation that significantly increased its patio size. In addition to creating more seats, including built-in wooden booths, it also installed an outside bar window that allows the waitstaff to place orders quickly. The patio, which now seats twice the number of customers, adjoins a back party room. That room now has better access to the patio via new French doors and, as a result, bookings for the party room have increased.  

La Calle Doce’s inclusion of a pass-through window from the patio to the bar is clever, but if you’ve got the space, do what The Shannon Rose Irish Pub did in Clifton, NJ. During a recent renovation it include more seating and an outdoor bar.

With a bar dedicated to serving the patio’s 26 tables, drinks not only get to alfresco customers quicker, it removes the burden of the inside bar serving both areas.

Creating more outdoor seating is smart, but what do you do when the chill outdoors is a bit too much for customers? You do what Michael Mina’s Bourbon Steak did in Washington, DC—you add gas-fed fire pits. Sitting on a patio can be romantic, but what’s more romantic than sitting outside around the warmth and beauty of a flickering fire? An inviting fire is always nice, and so are some of Bourbon Steak’s special events, including a 300-person “Pork Out” barbecue that’s a huge hit.  

You’ll find four fire pits at Restaurant 1833 in Monterey. They sit below a redwood, a palm, an oak and a magnolia tree. This unusual array of trees is enough to separate 1833’s patio from most, but the recent addition of lights that illuminate the trees removed all doubt. Other area restaurant patios have a difficult time competing with this beauty and the creativity of management. Instead of merely having basic table seating, 1833’s patio also features large day beds in one area and a large communal farm table in another. It’s a smart maneuver that caters to a variety of moods.

Campo restaurant in Reno also has lounge-like seating (four couches) in addition to 50 other seats on its outdoor patio. But its patio, like so many others, is much further away from the kitchen than its indoor dining area. To adjust for this distance, it employs  handheld ordering systems so servers can take orders quickly and electronically send them to the kitchen. Instead of running back and forth to the kitchen, the handhelds allow servers to stay on the patio to take care of customers.

Another plus about the patio: Live music adds to the overall atmosphere and drawing power of the space.

The idea of creating multiple uses on the patio is also employed at Bangers and Lace in Chicago. It has tables and seating on one side for those who want to dine and highboys and standing room in another area for those who just want to enjoy a craft brew and the warm weather. It’s also done another smart thing: All of the dining room windows overlooking the patio open so those inside feel as if they’re part of the action outside.

Comfort is a vital aspect of any patio. Even during the warm weather months, the heat, the wind and the rain can ruin the entire outdoor experience. Wind was a particular issue at LB Steak in San Jose. A wind tunnel effect was wrecking havoc on diners until management installed glass panels on each end of the patio to block the wind. It also installed an automated awning to protect guests from the sun and rain.

A big part of the action on any patio is the food. But how do you handle the outdoor menu? If your kitchen is big enough to handle the additional seats that arise when the patio is open, you can simply offer the same menu outside. But that’s not how a lot of restaurants with patios do it. Consider, for example, The Water Club, New York City’s iconic restaurant located on the East River in a huge stationary yacht. Its patio, called the Crow’s Nest, is the upper deck, but you won’t find a bar-focused menu like so many other alfresco operations offer. Instead, it chose to serve a smaller version of its core menu. By doing so, it’s not adding more items to its menu to accommodate outside diners. The restaurant  also runs special promotions, including its 30 Oysters for $30 in honor of The Water Club’s 30th anniversary.