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* Kelly Bauer…
The city is launching a contest that will ask Chicagoans to envision how there can be outdoor dining this winter.
Chicago is famous for its cold, snowy winters, with patio dining all but impossible. That’ll be challenging for restaurants, which are relying on expanded outdoor service because the coronavirus pandemic has limited their indoor capacity.
But the Winter Design Challenge will ask Chicagoans to “propose innovative outdoor dining solutions that adhere to COVID-19 protocols,” according to the Mayor’s Office. Three winners will get prizes of $5,000 each.
* My snarky entry…
— Rich Miller (@capitolfax) August 25, 2020
* The Question: Your idea(s)?
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 2:48 pm
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In Boy Scouts, when we went camping in the winter, we set up the dining fly, a big tent basically, with tarps as walls and basically had the propane stove going for most of the day, boiling water or cooking. It kept the place pretty warm (for teenage boys who had spent the night in a tent in -10 degrees, anyway).
Now, I imagine there are better space heaters than an old propane stove, likely cheaper too. Also, we probably wouldn’t want to boil water and increase the humidity, since there’s some evidence higher humidity makes it easier for the virus to spread.
But, uh, if you put up tarps for walls, to keep the wind out and the heat in, is that still “outdoors”? Any way of keeping heat in would keep out fresh air.
Comment by Perrid Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 2:58 pm
Heated seats and burn barrels.
Comment by pool boy Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 2:58 pm
A circular Mongolian grill with seating around the outside. You are warm and toasty, plus you get to watch your food being made.
Comment by Ducky LaMoore Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 3:02 pm
Hot Pockets???
Comment by What's in name? Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 3:05 pm
I recommend watching the two seasons of Alone set in the Artic and adapting from there.
Comment by Montrose Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 3:06 pm
~~If you put up tarps for walls, to keep the wind out and the heat in, is that still “outdoors”?~~
There’s a restaurant near me that has a wedding style tent set up in the parking lot. 4 walls, door, a/c. I guess it’s technically outside, but I can’t see how it’s any different of a risk level than being inside the actual building.
Comment by jimbo Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 3:08 pm
When Jumer’s in Rock Island was building its new, land-based (boat in a moat) casino, Illinois decided to ban smoking. So, the construction company built a separate, small building/room for smokers to use just off the casino floor and poker rooms. It is completely open to the outdoors with tall, screend windows. The company installed those fancy, tall heaters to put in the smoking lounge to keep people warm in the winter. Jumer’s also uses the heaters out on the patio with a view of a lake for special outdoor events.
Comment by Michelle Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 3:22 pm
There are some places I’ve seen in downtown Chicago that have expanded outside dining. Usually it’s with some type of tent or outside enclosure involved. Could that potentially work?
Comment by Levois J Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 3:27 pm
Heaters and bonfires every place. When I was in San Diego in January (Yeah I know not the same as Chicago in climate) every restaurant had these huge propane heaters going so diners could eat outdoors. I went to a reception at a hotel in the Chicago suburbs that was inside a large tent. They had heaters in there to keep the place warm and also had gas fired logs in fireplaces to add ambiance. Only problem was when you were near an entrance. Brrrr. That north wind was bad. Needed to put the opening on the east or south side of tent.
Comment by Nearly Normal Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 3:31 pm
Folks are going to want to double layer or insulate those tents, otherwise the amount of energy to heat that space is going to eat up any profit from the meal.
This is one of those things that falls under the “we had a chance to fix this in March or April, but noooo, Karen needed a haircut and Texas and Florida are magic.”
We might as well allow indoor dining because our fellow Americans in other states are never going to adopt reasonable public measures to prevent the spread.
Comment by Candy Dogood Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 3:35 pm
I don’t know what will work best, but someone better call “dibs” and start hauling some crummy furniture onto the streets pronto.
Comment by Dance Band on the Titanic Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 3:37 pm
Lord, this is what it has come to? We are doomed. How much longer do we have with this disaster in the Mayor’s office?
Comment by Hmmmmmmmmm Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 3:39 pm
If we keep shooting unarmed Black people, there will be enough fires in downtown Chicago to keep everybody warm.
Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 3:42 pm
No snark, some restaurants even before the pandemic have been using the polycarbonate-covered geodesic greenhouses (”garden igloos”) for rooftop and patio dining in winter. They’re quite attractive decked with twinkle lights and at 12 feet in diameter your servers can keep their distance for much of the interaction.
Comment by yinn Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 3:46 pm
My crazzzzy idea is to set up restaurants to be able to put food in a container that let’s you eat it wherever you need, even your own home.
Comment by Ok Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 3:47 pm
CTA already sets the tracks on fire to keep them from freezing, why not use that to our advantage?
Comment by Skeptic Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 3:50 pm
Dumpster fires.
Food waste fuels them and let’s them glow.
Comment by Ok Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 3:54 pm
Instead of restaurants having patio tables placed six feet apart, they should place patio Jacuzzi hot tubs six feet apart.
I don’t think my plan would work, but its failure would at least be entertaining.
– MrJM
Comment by @misterjayem Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 3:57 pm
Embrace it. Find some public or private spaces and feature the work of Illinois ice artists. Feature higher end tasting menus from a variety of restaurants who share in the proceeds. Do the same with bar spaces, or make use of our universities–maybe students can design a social/bar space that can satisfy their desires for interaction with spacing or creative setup or screens and cameras spread out for random interaction, who knows. Still, just a drop in the bucket I know compared to the hurt so many establishments are facing. But, you could take away every restriction in the world and they’re not going to get enough of their customer base back until people feel safe, so best to try to tap into all the ingenuity and lay down some public supports where we can.
Comment by Earnest Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 4:02 pm
Open Outcry in Morgan Park has been using outside domes for the past two winters. People love them. It is still chilly even with a heater, but you can manage it.
Comment by Andrea Durbin Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 4:09 pm
Unless you have the bankroll to build heated outdoor pavilions, it’s back to curbside service for most restaurants.
Comment by Wensicia Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 4:20 pm
Tables six feet apart in an open sided tent. Electric heat sources under each table with heated seats. Rows of evergreens with twinkle lights in pots around the edges to break up the wind. Dress in outerwear for every meal. Handwarmers would be nice too. Probably not a money maker but fun to think about.
Comment by Froganon Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 4:23 pm
Maybe the Mayor should put some kind of similar effort into figuring out education instead?
But if not, just wear long underwear and keep your coat on. It’s fine.
Comment by Cassie Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 4:25 pm
Outdoor dining without sweat and mosquitoes sounds so boring.
Comment by Bruce( no not him) Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 4:41 pm
Cabellas has some fine outdoor dining outfits. They come in cammo or blaze orange
Comment by Last Bull Moose Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 6:13 pm
I don’t think there is anything you can do to make outdoor dining enjoyable in the winter in Illinois. If we can’t eat indoors at restaurants, it will be curbside or drive thru for me in winter.
Comment by thoughts matter Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 7:42 pm
Let’s just move the whole city south of the Equator like what they did on The Simpsons. that makes about as much sense as outdoor during a polar vortex
Comment by Drake Mallard Tuesday, Aug 25, 20 @ 8:20 pm
Individual greenhouse type booths with a heat radiatorfor each table. Cost would probably only work for higher end establishments.
Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Aug 26, 20 @ 12:23 am