STREET VENDING: A GLIMPSE AT SIDEWALK CAFÉS
A Glimpse
Dining in the fresh air is a popular Madison pastime. Besides offering additional warm weather seating, a sidewalk café enhances a restaurant's visibility. There are many creative possibilities for chairs, tables, enclosures, umbrellas, tabletop presentations, the use of plants and flowers, as well as covered waste receptacles. We will work with you during the initial creative process.
Besides tabletop plants and flowers, some sidewalk cafés incorporate planter boxes into their enclosures. This allows for eye-level presentations of plants and flowers without using table space. Many sidewalk cafés add potted plants and planters at ground level. It is wise to place the heavier pots onto wheeled bases or have adequate equipment to move them back and forth each day. Planters must never inhibit the flow of pedestrian traffic or accessibility.
When planning for the maximum number of sidewalk café tables and chairs, always visualize the space at capacity. Envision all chairs pulled away from the tables in your plan, not neatly pushed in. There must be ample space for your customers to comfortably enjoy themselves while eating, as well as sufficient room for the entrances and exists of patrons and staff.
