Café culture has spread from Europe to countries around the world. With its emphasis on eating and socializing, it appeals to many people. Café culture promotes a diverse and vital downtown area. It attracts visitors and improves the economy. In short, café culture benefits everyone.
The city of Chapel Hill in North Carolina realized the value of a café culture. So it passed an ordinance permitting the sale of alcohol to diners sitting at sidewalk tables.
Great Success
Some restaurants reported a 90 percent increase in people dining outdoors.
A host at Top of the Hill says that there is usually a waiting list for seats outside the restaurant. That’s true even when seats are available inside.
The manager of the Weathervane Café says he plans to move more tables outside. There is increasing demand for sidewalk seating. He says “people will sit at the bar and wait until a table opens up outside. That’s even when they can sit down inside.” He says “Italian food just tastes better outside.”
Pantana Bob’s restaurant, reports that its outdoor seating area always seems packed even on slow nights. A manager says that people will sit outside even if it’s cold. Many venues have outdoor heaters for colder weather. And most have outdoor umbrellas for warm weather.
Chapel Hill now has a thriving café culture. It attracts people downtown. It adds to the city’s economic health and vitality. An additional advantage of outdoor dining is that more “eyes on the street“ contribute to a safer environment. And now there are more “eyes on the street.” This promotes safety.
All of this success comes at no cost to the taxpayers.
Café Culture Benefits Everyone
Cups: the Café Culture Magazine. San Francisco: Milman.
Everts, A. Wellington’s Cafe Culture: the Visual Guide.
Ysewijn, R. Belgian Café Culture.