How to Keep Your Restaurant Cool During Summer Heatwaves

Life in a restaurant can get very heated, with the constant flurry of activity, high customer demands, long working hours and unrelenting pressure. And that’s without mentioning the kitchen running at boiling point, juggling tickets, flaming hot equipment and lots of staff working in close proximity.

With the increasing spells of hot, dry weather in the UK each summer piling on the pressure, it’s threatening to damage footfall, profits, public reputation and the entire customer experience. Being prepared for heatwaves is no longer optional, it’s essential for modern restaurants to survive and thrive.

The Dangers of Hot Weather in the Restaurant Industry

High temperatures don’t just make life uncomfortable for customers and staff, but they have a direct impact on profits, too. Weather conditions have a significant influence on how we live, what we do and how we spend our money.

Hot weather can increase footfall for restaurants as we try to enjoy more time outside of our houses, meeting up with friends and family and enjoying the sun. We also tend to be in a better mood when the sun is out, making us more willing to spend money and have a good time.

However, if managed incorrectly, hot weather can also spell disaster for a restaurant.

It can:

• Harm the customer’s enjoyment and staff productivity
• Leave diners unlikely to return or to recommend to family and friends
• Compromise food safety by making produce spoil quicker
• Cause health issues for staff such as heatstroke, dehydration and exhaustion
• Reduce productivity and quality due to fatigued staff
• Increase humidity and affect air quality

How to Adapt Your Restaurant to be Heatwave-Ready

There’s no longer any excuse not to be ready for hot weather. Each summer is bringing more extreme heatwaves in the UK and the restaurant industry must adapt to succeed while temperatures soar.

The good news is there are lots of ways, from big to small, to make sure your restaurant is ready to rise to the challenge. Some may be more short-term solutions while others may be a longer-term commitment.

These include:

• Changing menus to place a greater emphasis on cold dishes
• Adapting staff schedules to provide additional breaks
• Ensure a plentiful supply of drinking water to prevent dehydration
• Effective Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems to maintain optimal temperatures, humidity and air quality
• Provide shaded areas in outdoor spaces to shield customers from the sun

Why Choose Andrews Sykes for Your Climate Control Needs?

As the UK’s leading specialist hire company, we have decades of experience in delivering effective climate control solutions for every situation. We know extreme weather can create serious problems, and dealing with it requires strategic planning and innovative cooling and ventilation equipment.

We understand that effective climate control is a key part of your overall responsibilities, which is why we act quicker than any of our competitors to appease demand.

• We have a vast range of exceptional cooling and ventilation equipment to help you maintain optimal conditions whatever the weather outside
• Our air conditioning hire equipment comes with HEPA filters as standard to provide cool and filtered air that delivers on both effectiveness and cost-efficiency
• Scalable solutions to make sure you get the right fit for any job no matter how big or small
• Our highly trained team from branches across the UK are here for installation and support when you need it, usually within 4 hours of your call
• You’ll always be answered by one of our dedicated and knowledgeable team members, not by a machine.

Stay Heatwave Ready and Keep Your Restaurant at the Top

Hot weather can serve restaurants lots of customers on a plate or leave them in a sticky situation. And as our summers see more frequent and extreme weather patterns, it’s important to act now to prepare. Air conditioning, cooling and ventilation systems are the perfect solution for maintaining optimal temperatures, improving airflow and ensuring comfort for all.

To discover exactly how we can help call now on 0800 211 611 or enquire online.