Extended outdoor dining curfew makes infrared heaters ideal

In West Hartford, Connecticut, town council members have imposed a 10 p.m. curfew on those who dine outdoors into the late hours of the evening. Since this community is more residential than nearby downtown Hartford, the curfew was a response to rowdy bar patrons who cause commotion throughout the neighborhood streets. Now the town is considering a bump in the curfew time, extending it to midnight in order to keep restaurant owners happy. To encourage a steady rate of customers into the frosty hours of the late evening, managers are better off with the energy efficiency of outdoor infrared heaters.

As of last year, police were receiving numerous calls in regard to loitering noise-makers. According to Fox CT, local residents don’t see much of a correlation between the gathering of unwanted noise and outdoor dining, which set the tone for a slackening of the ten o’clock ordinance.

Propane heaters are very unreliable for patios, as a typical 20 gallon tank runs for just 12 to 16 hours – causing restaurant managers to spend more money and time on the comfort of their customers. Infrared heaters, with an average cost of 14 cents per hour, offer directional warmth that is not wasted amid extreme weather.