How much will outdoor dining, takeout help Philadelphia restaurants?

Philadelphia restaurants hope outdoor dining, takeout will keep them afloat when restrictions go into effect

FOX 29's Shawnette Wilson reports.

PHILADELPHIA - Around the city, you’ll find tables, chairs, tents and plastic dining enclosures on sidewalks and along streets. It’s a remaining sign of hope for businesses once indoor dining is no longer permitted.

"I would do it for a while but I don't know if everyone would," said Francis Russo. He and Arielle Alterwaite met up with a friend in Rittenhouse to dine outside at A.Kitchen on South 18th and Walnut on a 30-plus degree night.

"At least we have chairs and there's the heater here so it's a little warmer,” they said. They say they didn't feel safe dining inside during the pandemic but they're considering something closed-in the next time they dine outside. They hope to bundle up less and it will continue to support businesses.

"Yeah I have thought about doing that. Especially the ones that are more separate and out," said Alterwaite.

A block down on South 18th Street at The Dandelion FOX 29's Shawnette Wilson found Darron and Elizabeth feeling the cold.

"Maybe next time some hand warmers," said Elizabeth. They're appreciative of what businesses are doing to try and keep customers coming out.

"The space heaters are keeping us a bit warm and the food is keeping us warm but we’re definitely feeling the cold," said Darron. Even with the cold they prefer this instead of closed in outdoor seating.

"We feel like if it's totally enclosed it doesn't make much sense in terms of air circulation," said Darron.

Either way customers say they hope to see a push to support restaurants in any way like we saw earlier in the pandemic. Whether it's dining outside, delivery or takeout.

"To kind of support that if you are going to eat out. So I think that's a good movement to be trying to help smaller businesses," said Elizabeth.