Local restaurants prepping for outdoor dining this winter, offering new promos

SALISBURY, Md. – “I do think it’s going to be a rough winter for our local restaurants,” said Evolution Craft Brewing Company Owner, John Knorr.

Winter is coming. And restaurants here on the Eastern Shore are doing everything they can this season to keep business going.

“The game is, try to still be in the game next spring and summer,” said Market Street Inn Owner, Robert Mulford.

As temperatures begin to dip, business owners are being reminded of the challenges they’ll soon face when it comes to encouraging customers to continue to dine outdoors.

“We need to try our best to accommodate them as the weather starts to change,” said Knorr.

For the owners of Evolution Craft Brewery, they say the upcoming winter weather has pushed them to think outside the box in order to keep outdoor dining alive.

“We’re doing fun things like encouraging guests to bring in blankets, and we’ve extended our happy hour prices to them. One other thing that we’re working on with our architect in Salisbury is adding a roof structure across the whole outside of the upper patio there to hopefully give us year-round use of that,” said Knorr.

Meanwhile, Mulford tells 47 ABC, it’s a bit more of a challenge to offer outdoor dining because of where he’s located.

“We’ve talked about getting heaters here like a lot of places are doing, but for us, here at Market Street, the heaters really don’t work because we’re on the river,” said Mulford.

Which is why he says he’s bringing some old favorites back to the menu to offer customers a wider selection of food options when they dine inside.

“Hopefully we can increase our check average by having a little bit more of a selection of appetizers, entrees, wine,” said Mulford.

But no matter what, local business owners say they need support now more than ever in order to keep their doors open.

“Hopefully people patronize us and keep coming back and supporting all the area restaurants because we need it,” said Knorr.

In addition to improving their outdoor dining experience, Knorr says Evo will also be upping their carryout service and adding new features to their website. Meanwhile, Mulford adds that while providing outdoor dining is a bit tricky, he will have a part of his outside section open for customers to eat at if that’s what they prefer.