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Outdoor FAQs
Outdoor FAQs
Questions and answers for a successful outdoor season
There are many aspects to consider for every restaurateur, café owner and hotelier when designing the outdoor area. On the one hand, it is about the appearance, on the other hand, it is about functionality. How to find the right furniture and furnishings for your restaurant or hotel terrace and what you need to consider, we answer here in the LUSINI Outdoor FAQs.
What is meant by a protected outdoor area?
In principle, a protected outdoor area is covered, so that the furniture placed there is not exposed to direct precipitation. This is because snow and rain stress the surfaces and can even cause rust in the long run. In addition, in the protected outdoor area there is no direct sunlight, which has an impact on the material and color of the furniture. Nevertheless, humidity and temperature fluctuations occur there. Therefore, indoor furniture should be used exclusively indoors. Otherwise, no warranty can be given. Only outdoor furniture should be used in your outdoor area.
How does LUSINI support me in designing my outdoor area?
No two restaurants are the same: Budget, spatial requirements, kitchen, style of the house and required seating differ immensely.
It is important to us that you receive competent advice even before you buy: For example, when you visit the LUSINI online store, immediately exchange ideas with one of our experienced and knowledgeable customer consultants and get detailed individual advice on your outdoor catering. Of course, we will also be happy to advise you by telephone or in our showroom in Wertingen. A personal conversation allows for more individual consultations and brings in our years of experience - this is a decisive advantage compared to many software offers for space planning.
What style of furniture suits my establishment?
First of all, it is important that you do not rely exclusively on the novelties and trends. The design of the outdoor areas should match the style of your house, your guests and also your location. What the guest can expect inside, both culinary and stylistically, should be something he can already guess from the outside, if possible.
Depending on whether it is the outdoor area of a café, bistro, restaurant or a trendy venue, the demands on its design are different. A café may offer many seats in a smaller space, depending on the audience also uncomplicatedly extended with seat cushions. A restaurant, on the other hand, needs more space per seat - and a lounge corner may be ideal for a trendy venue.
With us, you are sure to find the furniture that suits your individual needs. From chill loungers to traditional bistro chairs - our selection of novelties and classics for outdoor catering is huge and diverse.
How can I be sure that the furniture fits my terrace?
Sample sets - which we will send you without obligation for you to choose from - will make your decision easier. Try them out, feel the special materials and let the furniture have an effect on you. In conversation with one of our customer consultants we can always offer you good alternatives.
Since comprehensive planning is required for you as a restaurateur, especially when selecting chairs and tables, all furniture novelties should be available on time - especially for a new opening or after a renovation. We will be happy to find the right time with you.
Do I need a parasol for my outdoor catering business?
Parasols are immensely important. They provide shade, but also protect in light rain. Equipped with infrared heaters, parasols still create a pleasantly warm atmosphere even on cooler summer nights, which your guests will appreciate. Smokers are also grateful for a covered area in cool weather - here, too, a parasol can serve well. In light rain, it will not only protect your guests, but also the furniture, glasses, menus, chalkboards, etc. In addition, a colorful parasol is a great eye-catcher for your outdoor catering.
What should I look for when choosing outdoor furniture?
Outdoor furniture should be selected with consideration for quality. Here, for example, near the coast with salty sea air and strong gusts of wind, it is quite necessary to pay attention to the details: Without exception, the tables and chairs used on terraces should be weather-resistant. That means UV-resistant and weatherproof. Our outdoor range meets these high requirements for catering quality and is developed and checked in cooperation with independent testing institutes. Please also note the care and cleaning tips in our outdoor furniture material guide, so that you can enjoy your outdoor furniture for a long time. For the design of the outdoor gastronomic area, there are local regulations such as guides or design manuals. These determine in greater or lesser detail what is allowed in your city or countryside in the selection of furniture. The best way to find out about the applicable rules is to contact the local city planning office.
What can I use to differentiate myself from the competition?
Invest in accessories, because with lighting in the form of lanterns, torches or even luminous objects you create an atmospheric, special ambience, especially in the evening, which is an experience for guests and at the same time draws the attention of passers-by to your outdoor area. Privacy screens and partition systems contribute to a pleasant atmosphere and separate individual areas. Green plants in attractive pots provide natural privacy and liven up your outdoor dining area. Artfully labeled boards "lure" passers-by onto the terrace or into the interior of your restaurant.
**Our tip: Do you already know our tips for labeling boards?
How can I extend the terrace season?
To keep the outdoor area attractive even in colder temperatures, you can still offer your guests a nice outdoor ambience even in the cooler transitional seasons, for example, with warming blankets. Patio spotlights and sunshades with infrared heaters provide additional warmth. And an attractively designed outdoor area will make your guests curious to see what it looks like inside, even in cooler temperatures.
What is the right table size for my outdoor catering business?
The optimal table sizes depend on the character and offer of your establishment: For a café, tables may be smaller and closer together - in a restaurant, tables are naturally larger - and for more comfort and privacy, they should be spaced farther apart. Make sure you have enough space on the tables for plates, glasses, cutlery, menus and cruets. In our shop you will find a wide range of tables, table tops and table bases in various sizes, shapes and styles.
How do I arrange the furniture on my terrace optimally?
Walkways to the outside are longer, and sunshades, partitions, and greenery create smaller obstacles. Depending on the nature of your catering business, space requirements will naturally vary. It must therefore be included in the planning of the seating on your hotel terrace whether, for example, consideration must be given to pedestrians or wheelchair users, where the walking routes of the guests are in and out of the catering trade (e.g. entrance, toilets).
A linear arrangement of furniture saves space, provides clarity and automatically forms pathways. Depending on how busy the planned pathways are, they should be at least 1m wide, preferably wider. Sufficient space must also be planned between the chairs.
The walkways for service are based on the central service station. There may be a second smaller intermediate station in the outdoor catering area. With cutlery cabinets placed close to the outdoor area, distances can also be saved if menus, cutlery, etc. are needed at short notice.
How can I make service simple in outdoor catering?
To save long distances, we recommend placing cutlery cabinets near the outdoor area. In addition to cutlery, these also store menus, napkins, china and other accessories for the set tables. Furthermore, it makes sense to provide storage facilities for cushions. In general, anti-theft protection on your restaurant patio should also be considered.
Depending on your needs, it is quite practical if the furniture is stackable or foldable and can thus be stowed away quickly and in a space-saving manner if it has to be dismantled and set up on a daily basis.
How do I store my outdoor furniture and accessories after the summer sales end?
Your attention should be paid to the quality of outdoor furniture already at the time of purchase: Without exception, it must be UV-resistant and weatherproof. Our outdoor range is developed and controlled in cooperation with independent testing institutes so that you can rely on the best catering quality. Materials such as textiles, polyrattan, but also aluminum and stainless steel survive the winter outside. Basically, the best place for all outdoor furniture is a protected, dry place - well ventilated and frost-free. This will increase the life span of even robust outdoor wood species such as teak or robinia. Appropriate care in the spring will counteract the color changes that are common with wood due to weathering. Do not forget: Already at the beginning of autumn you should stow seat cushions in the evening, because in the morning as in the evening there is dew and damp air.
How does my outdoor area also become a guest magnet at night?
The lighting mood plays a decisive role in the success of your outdoor area. You can create subtle accents with LED lights or create a radiant focal point with an impressive light bar. With the right night lighting, your guests are sure to enjoy staying a little longer.
Do you know the burning glass effect?
If intense sunlight from a strongly curved drinking glass, ashtray, on cutlery or from perspex card holders is concentrated on just one point for a long time, unsightly burn marks or discoloration can occur on table tops due to the very strong heat generated. This so-called "burning glass effect" can be avoided by not permanently exposing these objects to intense sunlight - and by using glasses with less bulbous shapes as well as tablecloths, coasters or sunshades.