Restaurant Dive would like to know how excessive heat has impacted your restaurant this summer.
With several parts of the U.S. enduring record high temperatures over the past few months, many operators are experiencing power outages and steeper operational costs. One operator in Houston said a power outage that lasted two-and-a-half days resulted in about $3,000 of equipment damages and revenue loss of about $15,000.
Extreme weather has made restaurant kitchens even warmer than usual. A Dallas-based Smokey Joe’s BBQ pitroom reached 130 degrees when the heat index averaged 106 degrees one week in late July and August.
To deal with excessive heat in Phoenix, El Chullo Peruvian Restaurant and Bar moved the start of its shifts to 6 a.m. instead of 9 a.m., allowing workers to prep in a cooler kitchen, according to the New York Times.
Scorching temperatures are also keeping diners from eating outside, shrinking restaurants’ total capacity. Union Bear Brewery in Dallas added misting fans to keep outdoor diners and staff cool, but still has reported a drop in sales.
Answer the survey linked below to tell us how you’ve handled excessive heat during the summer. The results of this survey will be published in a subsequent article.
