Outdoor seating has been a lifeline for area restaurateurs during this pandemic, but it’s now October and the good weather for the year is mostly in the past. As the weather gets colder, restaurants are hoping that heaters and tents will help get them through the winter.
Keegan Ales in Kingston was, in a sense, turned into a restaurant by the pandemic. “If you have a liquor license, you have to serve food to comply with state law,” explained owner Tommy Keegan. Keegan has adjusted the bar menu by adding smaller items like jambalaya, macaroni and cheese, and big pretzels, while keeping his kitchen operation at a bare minimum to control costs. Drivers of food trucks have parked at the edge of the property “for people who want a real meal.”
During the summer, Keegan has relied on his outdoor beer-garden space. There are tents in the parking lot and live music (from bands no larger than three members) has been offered five nights a week. “We’ll have to dial that back” as the weather turns cold, said Keegan. A larger heated tent will be erected in the beer garden space itself. Though Keegan sees these measures at as a way to extend the outdoor season, eventually all business will have to be indoors. At the 50 percent capacity now allowed, 48 people could be in the space. Keegan plans on rearranging the beer production schedule on the brewery side and putting some picnic tables in there to fit in a few more patrons.
Keegan understands that “having a cheeseburger in the snow” isn’t going to be very appealing, and that running the kitchen more fully will be necessary. That’s going to increase his labor costs, and it’s not at all clear if revenues will follow.
As a wholesaler, the brewery has been hit by the pandemic in two ways. Not only are his Kingston patrons limited in number, but other restaurants and bars aren’t buying as much beer, either.
“I’m lucky that I have a large piece of property here,” said Keegan. “I’m worried about smaller places in New York City, where they don’t have space on the sidewalks. If it’s snowing, no one wants to drink beer at a picnic table. I don’t know how it’s going to play out.”
Keegan wonders, too, about the fate of newer breweries: “This would have bankrupted me in my first 18 months,” he said.
Being flexible
Luciano Valdivia remembers the day in March when his Woodstock restaurant, Cucina, had to close. “We opened in early April, just for takeout.” A scramble ensued behind the scenes to set up online ordering and delivery. Like other restauraters, he hopes this business will be enough to get through the winter, assuming that most people choose to avoid dining in.
Another strategy embraced at Cucina was to sell food from its shelves as well as meals. “We had produce and Italian specialty products that we started selling as well on our curbside takeout menu,” he explained. If selling cheeses and meats and produce is what it takes to keep the doors open, Valdivia is more than willing.
Known unknowns
Stephen Savona, owner of Savona’s Trattoria, a restaurant with three locations, acknowledged the uncertainty of what the next few months will mean for business. “Obviously it’s a bit of a mystery, and it’s keeping me up at night.” Like others, Savona is trying to use outdoor space for as long as possible. “We have an outdoor patio, and we’re putting up plastic walls to use it maybe through November. It’s been warm, but that will change very soon.”
Indoors, Savona’s Trattoria patrons will see plexiglass dividers between tables, which will still be at least six feet apart. “When January comes, there will be no options for outside. We just have to pivot and adjust as best we can. We have to keep our staff employed and the lights on.”
Takeout will probably go up. “We’ll do more promotions for that,” said Savona. It’s the unknown that brings the biggest worries: “I don’t know if we can handle a complete shutdown.”
Making diners feel safe
Sarah Rodland purchased Miss Lucy’s Kitchen in Saugerties in July, just as restaurants were figuring out how to make a mix of outdoor dining and expanded takeout work. “I was fortunate, because there is a little tiny bit of outdoor space, some tiny tables right outside on the sidewalk. Not a lot, but very helpful.” Rodland had been employed at Miss Lucy’s for 13 years prior, and knows the business very well. “We never closed. It was just me and the chef every day. We changed the menu to more family style and comfort food.”
Rodman moved a good amount of “decorative furniture” out to make room for seating at a distance. “We measured it all out,” and the result is, “quite a few people say they feel very safe at Miss Lucy’s.” Several patrons have said that is was their first time eating inside a restaurant since the pandemic began, said Rodman. She puts the credit on efforts to create a perception of safety. Staff members practice good masking and sanitize surfaces regularly.
Looking over the numbers, Rodman said business this summer wasn’t all the much less than a year ago, which gives her confidence. “Even if it’s rough in the winter, I know we’ll be okay.” The new restaurateur sees a pattern of winter quiet regardless and expects many people will be eager to eat out again come spring, particularly with the surge of people moving upstate from the metropolitan area.
‘It can change very rapidly’
Garvan McCloskey reports people “flocking” to his New Paltz restaurant over the summer, as the restaurant has ample outdoor space. Outdoor area heaters will be used “to extend the fall season out a couple weeks, as far as we can, to enjoy our busiest time, October, as safely as possible.”
McCloskey has ten to 20 feet between tables to ensure that safety. He’s advising customers to wear a sweater for the time being. As it gets colder, the bar area of the establishment will be reopened to put in a couple of tables, but in order to maintain social distance there still won’t be service at the bar itself.
McCloskey understands that the capacity at Garvan’s will be “severely curtailed” in the coldest months if things continue as they are, but change has thus far been the rule for this pandemic moment. “It all depends on what’s happening. It can change very rapidly.”
Some advantages at Garvan’s stem from the restaurant being located in a large old house. “We have several small to medium rooms,” says McCloskey, “and we can put three to four tables in several of them while maintaining social distance.” The building is heated with radiators and wood stoves, meaning that hot air isn’t being pumped through vents. Other options are also being considered, such as ultraviolet light to aid in sanitizing.
“Hopefully, winter will be short. Outdoors is the new normal for us,” said McCloskey. “It’s good not to make too many plans and be ready for anything. Save your pennies; winter is coming.”
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