Outdoor dining remains in demand by customers despite cold weather

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Temperatures around the Cape Fear have been low over the past several days, but the number of restaurant diners looking to sit outside remains high.

JohnnyLukes Kitchen Bar in Wilmington has added extra heaters to its second floor patio to keep customers warm.

JohnnyLukes Kitchen Bar in Jan. 2021. (Photo: WWAY)

Although this would normally be the time of year when restaurants goers would be enjoying their meal indoors, the pandemic has changed the way many people eat out.

Area restaurants are working hard to make the adjustment.

“We’ve actually added some seats downstairs to accommodate that, but people definitely prefer outside, whether it’s cold or hot,” Johnny Lukes Manager Debbie Jackson said. “They just feel more comfortable.”

Jackson says she feels outdoor dining has become so popular it will remain a winter option even when the pandemic ends.