Outdoor dining difficulties during the pandemic

From brick and mortar to concrete and canvas, restaurants around the valley have had to adapt to outdoor dining during the pandemic.

Bobby Salazar’s in Clovis is just one of many setting up a proper outdoor dining area while keeping budget in mind. Decisions like buying or renting a tent can make all the difference in the bottom line, including saving someone’s job.

“This is our second tent that we had, we actually bought this one to save a little bit more money and the city gave us this parking lot behind us to give us an area outside other than the small sidewalk in the front,” said Matthew Pulliam, a manager at Bobby Salazar’s.

The City of Clovis works with its small business owners, for example allowing restaurants to have certain portions of the parking lot to set up their tents. The biggest issue hasn’t been getting approval, it’s been finding equipment that can recreate a dining experience that’s both affordable and comfortable while also finding ways to deal with mother nature.

“When it first hit it was kind of winter time so we had to get heaters and those are heavy as well so it’s a very costly thing for us to have to do,” said Pulliam.

For many business owners, like Enrique Rosales, owner of Sunnyside Pizza in Clovis, the cost comes down to values. Rosales values his entire staff, and keeping them all together since the start of the pandemic. It hasn’t been all that easy; he’s had to cut hours to save based on the lack of customers coming into the restaurant. But what Rosales looks forward to is a full restaurant after the pandemic orders have been lifted, with his entire staff serving together.

“We are looking forward to opening again so we can serve you like always, like a family,” said Rosales.

If you want to support your local restaurants but aren’t ready to dine outdoors or don’t want to deal with the weather, many places have delivery options and safe pick up places.