Restaurants, breweries in Asheville area try to keep customers warm as cold settles in

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    ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Restaurants are having to pivot again during the COVID-19 pandemic as they prepare for the colder months. Many have been relying on outdoor dining, considered a less risky alternative to indoor dining, according to health officials.

Restaurants and breweries in downtown Asheville have been stocking up on heaters for their outdoor patios.

“Got as many of those as we could,” said Katy Kemmick, brand manager for Dssolvr brewery.

Kemmick said they’re thankful for the heaters, but added it likely won’t be enough to keep people outside.

“That will help, but we’ll have to have people sitting inside eventually, we don’t really know what else you’re supposed to do,” Kemmick said.

At Chai Pani, workers have been relying solely on takeout and delivery.

A manager there said they worked hard to get the permit to allow them to have three picnic tables out front.

“I don’t think that it’s going to aid us in bringing in a lot of business, but we’ve been very lucky. We have customers who travel from Charlotte and other states to come eat our food,” Emma Noel said.

A barista at French Broad Chocolates said it’s a little more tough for them right now. They don’t have a lot to work with when it comes to outdoor dining.

Restaurant workers are waiting to see if they have enough business before they get more heaters.

“We try to keep everybody with that one outdoor heater, including that one person we have outside manning the door, so it’s pretty rough being a person outside,” Zach Echols said.

A few restaurants have started using igloos that people can eat inside of while still being outside.

A doctor from Harvard recently told BusinessInsider that risk wise these fall in between eating inside and eating outside.

Despite the hit to the business they may take from the cold, restaurant workers said right now it’s a balancing act between being open and being safe.

“I think we’re kind of 50/50 on it. We want it to be warm and we want people to come, but we also want people to stay safe, wearing masks and waiting 6 feet apart. So, it’s hard,” Echols said.

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