No one wants to be left in the cold: Restaurants compete to buy outdoor heaters
The race is on for restaurant owners to buy or rent outdoor heaters in time for cool evenings, Restaurant Business reports. So far, it hasn’t been easy. Restaurateurs are reporting supply shortages, high rental prices, and unfulfilled Costco orders. Even for the few that have been able to get their hands on heaters, the costs have been significant. Payal Sharma, who owns BAAR BAAR in New York’s East Village, estimates she’s already spent $4,000 to install new power lines and electrical breakers. And then there are the regulatory hurdles: New York City does not allow propane heaters without a permit, and in Chicago, restaurants have to keep fire extinguishers on hand and implement a contingency plan for snowstorms. Brrr!
