News from the Network
Getting the Most from Your Cooking Equipment
Attract More Customers with
Gas Patio Heaters
by Tom Stroozas - CFE, RCGC, CFSP
Manager – Commercial Marketing
Piedmont Natural Gas
Have you ever considered expanding your seating
area to include an outdoor format to attract more
customers at minimal costs? Well, don't let the
weather get in the way of impairing your customer’s
comfort for an outdoor, evening or late fall dining.
With today’s modern gas-fired infrared patio heaters it
can be an easy, quick and economical way to make a
significant contribution towards that ever important,
bottom line!
Once typically found in industrial applications,
such as factories and warehouse facilities, today they
are becoming more commonplace for outdoor dining
areas of restaurants and backyard patios. They
provide welcoming warmth on chilly mornings and
dramatically extend your evening outdoor hours with
their comforting and efficient glow. Not to mention
the cooler fringe seasons of northern climates, where
without these units, outdoor dining would be nearly
impossible.
SCHWANK
PatioSCHWANK
1
INFRARED DYNAMICS
Patio Heater
SUPERIOR RADIANT PRODUCTS
EVENGLO Patio Heater
Many of today’s “patio heaters” are tall, portable
units that concentrate their heat in about a ten-foot
radius surrounding the unit. These appliances use
radiant heat to warm objects rather than the air
surrounding them. The most common units are
“umbrella style”, such as those shown here in this
article. The burner is mounted at the top of the heater
and has an umbrella-type reflector installed above it
to direct the infra-red heat downward toward the
customer. With a typical heat output of 40,000 BTUs
per hour, these units typically feature a stainless steel
core heater fueled by LP or NATURAL GAS.
Umbrella-type patio heaters direct heat
downward, generated by a heated ceramic element
shaped as a 360° cone. Since their efficiency is
affected by the wind, it's best to place them in a
sheltered area. They are frequently installed in groups
of two or more for more heat control. Controls include
on/off, and thermostat adjustment. Many heaters
feature piezo spark ignition and light with a twist of
the knob or the press of a button. A patio heater can be
expected to last up to ten hours on high heat with a
common 20 lb propane tank.
These gas infrared systems are quickly becoming
the preferred alternative to traditional forced air
heating systems in this type dining environment.
Every year, more and more restaurant operators are
COOKING FOR PROFIT comes to you compliments of your gas energy provider/October 15, 2005
incorporating infrared patio heaters as a cost-efficient
alternative to forced air and electric heating systems.
The bottom line has been, and remains, convenience
and energy cost savings.
Just as restaurants in arid southwest use misters on
their patios to cool their customers during the hottest
months of the year, these low-intensity gas-fired
infrared patio heaters are now helping a restaurant in
the southeast increase its seating capacity by 40
percent during cooler months by creating a warm,
comfortable atmosphere for patrons to enjoy their
meals on the restaurant's patio. Seating capacity at the
restaurant has increased from 75 to 111 during cooler
weather, allowing on-time seating with minimum
waiting.
The two infrared tube heaters, each with a 90,000
Btu/hr capacity, are mounted horizontally and end-toend above the outside eating area in view of the
customers. The heaters are normally used during the
cooler months from October to March and can be
manually adjusted to the desired temperature which
averages 68° Fahrenheit.
Unlike other open-surface combustion heating
systems available for patio applications, these heaters
are not affected by outdoor environmental conditions.
Since the flame is totally enclosed in the combustion
chamber, strong gusts of wind have no adverse effects
on this type of heater design.
The restaurant operator said he decided to
purchase the heaters for his patio to better serve his
customers and increase business. He said that before
the heaters were installed, the restaurant's patio was
completely useless when it was cold outside. He also
pointed out that on several occasions he couldn't
accommodate all the people who wanted to dine at his
restaurant.
“Our sales potential was really affected during
cooler months because our outside eating area seats
36 people. Now when it's cool outside and the heaters
are on, often times we fill up the patio before the
inside area which seats 75,” he said. “Customers are
amazed at how warm they are under the heaters when
it’s 30°F outside”.
Another advantage to having the tube heaters on
the patio is the fact that since they are placed near the
windows of the restaurant, infrared heat is transmitted
through the windows which helps heat that side of the
eating area. “In the cooler months I don’t even have
to run the heat on that side of the building because the
infrared heaters do the job from the outside,” he
noted. “That reduces my electric bill and produces a
more uniform heat throughout the restaurant. I have
definitely already gotten a return on my investment.
We are also constantly getting compliments from our
customers about the comfort of the patio eating area
during cool weather”, he added.
Restaurants and cafes generally use groups of
heaters in their outdoor patio dining areas. The
number of units depends on patio size and climate
conditions. Large pool and recreational areas benefit
from extended use as well when several units are used
together wherever groups of people may gather.
Technically, there is not much to say about
installation procedures, as these are most simplistic
and portable units (unless permanently hung). When
multiple heaters are used, spacing of 8' - 15' is
recommended depending upon conditions. 15'
spacing is typically adequate for well protected areas
in mild climates while 8' spacing may be required for
unprotected areas in very cold climates. Total heat
density requirements (BTU/ft.) for a specific area
normally range from 250 BTU/ft. minimum to 750
BTU/ft. in exposed areas.
So there you have it, another great idea that just
might be the best idea since “sliced bread”. Check out
the several manufacturers featured in this issue and
I’m sure you find a unit that will pay you big
dividends by increasing your business and posting
additional bottom line profits.
If you are interested in learning more about today’s modern
gas infrared patio heaters or how GFEN can assist you with
bottom line improvements, log on to www.gfen.info and look for
the directory of participating natural gas companies or you may
email tom.stroozas@piedmontng.com or phone me at (704) 7314357.
RANKIN-DELUX
ULTRA™ Patio Heater
COOKING FOR PROFIT comes to you compliments of your gas energy provider/October 15, 2005
2
For more information about
Gas Patio Heaters
contact these leading manufacturers
from the 29th Edition
FOODSERVICE
GAS EQUIPMENT CATALOG
Infrared Dynamics
3830 Prospect Avenue, Yorba Linda, CA 92886-1742
Phone: (714) 572-4050
(888)-317-5255
Fax: (714) 572-6093
Internet: http://www.infradyne.com
Lisa Cowan, Marketing Director
In Canada:
Northwest Stoves Ltd.
5505 268th Street
Langley, B.C. Canada V4W 3W1
Phone: (604) 857-8816 (800) 663-0462
Fax: (604) 857-8963
Rankin-Delux, Inc.
P.O. Box 4488, Whittier, CA 90607
Phone: (562) 944 -7076
(800) 345 - 4752 (West)
Fax: (562) 941-7858
(800) 338 - 4325 (East)
Debbie Patterson (West)
Sharon LaMar (East)
Schwank Ltd.
210 Brunel Road, Mississauga, Ontario
Canada L4Z 1T5
Phone: (905) 712-4766
Fax: (905) 712-8336
e-mail: info@schwank.on.ca
Internet: http://www.schwankheaters.com
Bob Alcott
In U.S.A.:
Schwank Inc.
P.O. box 988, 2 Schwank Way
Waynesboro, GA 30830-0988
Phone: (877) 446-3727
Bill Summers, U.S. Sales Manager
Superior Radiant Products, Ltd.
23-428 Millen Road
Stoney Creek, Ontario Canada L8E3N9
Phone: (905) 664-8274
Fax: (905) 664-8846
e-mail: sales@superiorradiant.com
Internet: http://www.superiorradiant.com
Sue Samson, Marketing
Reprinted with permission from Cooking For Profit © October 2005/ October 15, 2005