a restaurant with a porch screen and modern, wood flooring and furniture

Year after year, more and more venues are transforming their outdoor areas to meet the demand for alfresco drinking and dining. From breweries and bars to year-round fine dining, the most successful restaurants are the ones that cater to patrons of all types and interests, including those with a preference for the outdoors.

Whether a screened porch has already been on your restaurant’s radar or if you’ve never considered the potential benefits, what follows is a comprehensive guide to porch screens and their implementation into the commercial dining experience. From the screening experts at Screen Porch, here’s why every restaurant should consider investing in porch screens. 

What is a Screened Porch? 

As the weather warms up, diners don’t want to miss the opportunity to enjoy their meals under the beautiful sun, and even during colder months, it’s not uncommon for customers to seek a bit of fresh air. Screened porches are an outdoor space or an extension of the restaurant – they typically feature a roof and are surrounded by screens (mesh or fabric) instead of windows. Screened porches can be outfitted with dining chairs, tables, furniture, bar equipment, and professional lighting, bringing all the comforts of indoor dining to a relaxing environment of natural lighting and fresh air. The biggest benefit is that a screened porch allows for good ventilation and a strong connection to the outdoors which is an important feature for many customers. 

How Can Restaurants Use Screened Porches? 

Screened porches are generally intended for use during the warmer months of the year, usually spring, summer, and early fall. They do not provide insulation or climate control, so they can become somewhat chilly in the winter, but this is easily overcome with space heaters. Perhaps the most important thing to know about screened porches, however, is that they are impressively versatile and that they can add value to a restaurant in multiple ways. Depending on the spatial and atmospheric needs of the restaurant, a screened porch can be used to great effect for events, extended capacity, everyday dining, and more. Whatever the purpose, a screened porch will keep customers and employees safe and comfortable, protecting them from bugs, pests, debris, and other impurities that would otherwise ruin a dining experience. 

Should Restaurants Invest in Porch Screens? | Screen Porch

The Advantages of Investing in a Porch Screen

There are a plethora of advantages to investing in a porch screen for a restaurant. Some of the most common and impactful advantages include: 

Improved Customer Experience

Restaurant porch screens can help improve customer experiences by allowing them to enjoy fresh air and feel closer to nature as they feast on delicious meals! Furthermore, since these screened porches offer versatility, customers get to choose whether they want to dine indoors, outdoors, or in the enclosed patio space for beautiful outdoor views, regardless of the weather. Providing customers with the luxury of choice is a fantastic way to build customer satisfaction and loyalty therein. 

Aesthetic Appeal

Screened porches not only add practical and utility value to a restaurant, but they also enhance the aesthetic appeal for potential customers passing by. By designing the perfect screened porch to match the overall aesthetic theme of the restaurant, screened porches provide a comfortable, welcoming feeling that will drive customer interest day in and day out. 

Expanded Space and Seating

Screened porches enable restaurants to accommodate a lot more customers with additional seating space, even during days with rain, harsh sun, or summer pests. Not only does this help with the business from a revenue standpoint, but your customers will love that they can choose to have a memorable outdoor dining experience. As a result, customers will remember your restaurant and want to come back for the ambiance.

The versatility of screened porches goes on to help restaurants themselves become adaptable. From new trivia nights to hosting events like weddings, screened porches add space to a restaurant that might otherwise be hard-pressed to find the room for special situations. By investing in a screened porch, a restaurant immediately expands its capabilities. 

Enhanced Safety and Cleanliness

Screened porches have the primary utility of extending a restaurant’s usable space by sealing it off from the outdoors. Dust, debris, leaves, and other natural and manmade impurities will simply cause outdoor porches and furniture to age and lose value faster than what would occur with indoor spaces. Screens, however, help to keep the vast majority of these impurities out of the porch space, thereby decreasing the need to clean, repair, or replace your property. Furthermore, bugs and pests can cause outdoor dining to be irritating, unenjoyable, or even unsafe; fortunately, a screened porch completely protects the interior from bugs and pests being able to enter. 

Increased Profits 

Finally, screened porches are a surefire way to increase the revenue potential at your establishment. Screened porches increase the capacity, aesthetic charm, physical footprint, versatility, and atmospheric potential – all of which drive higher profits. The math is simple. Can you imagine your restaurant on a busy night? Now increase the seating capacity by 8, 10, 12, and even 20 patrons – how does this affect your earnings potential? While screened porches will certainly require an upfront investment, they are well worth it financially in the long run. 

Create the Perfect Dining Experience with SNAPP® Screen 

At Screen Porch, our SNAPP® screen technology has enabled restaurants to transform their premises for the perfect outdoor dining experience. Screened porches benefit restaurants by significantly improving the customer experience, expanding the available space, and ensuring the safety and cleanliness of property, employees, and customers. Be sure to read up on our insight on how to install a SNAPP® screen yourself, or discuss using our wholesale screen products with your chosen builder. 

It can be a bit daunting to consider such a transformational upgrade, but we’ve helped numerous restaurants discover the exciting potential offered by a screened porch. If you think your restaurant could benefit from a new screened porch, contact the screening professionals at Screen Porch to learn more!