Outdoor dining facts for kids

Eating outside, also called al fresco dining

An outdoor restaurant in New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic

Outdoor dining is when people eat their meals outside a restaurant. It's also known as al fresco dining or dining alfresco.

This way of eating is very popular in places with mild weather, especially during the warm summer months. It often feels relaxed and fun, almost like a party! To help restaurants offer outdoor dining, some towns and cities have made special rules. These rules let restaurants serve food and drinks at tables set up on sidewalks or other outdoor areas, sometimes even late at night. This helps make the streets feel lively and busy.

What Does "Al Fresco" Mean?

The words al fresco come from the Italian phrase meaning "in the cool or fresh air." It's interesting because Italians don't actually use al fresco to talk about eating outside!

Instead, Italians say fuori (which means "outside" or "outdoor") or all'aperto (meaning "in the open air"). In Italy, the phrase al fresco can sometimes mean spending time in jail, so it's quite different from how we use it!

Outdoor Dining During the COVID-19 Pandemic

In 2020, the world faced the COVID-19 pandemic. To help keep people safe and healthy, cities looked for ways to let restaurants stay open. Outdoor dining became a great solution! It allowed people to eat with more space between them, which helped with social distancing. It also helped businesses earn money during a difficult time.

For example, in New York City, only about 1,000 restaurants had outdoor seating before the pandemic. But by September 2020, over 10,000 restaurants had joined the city's outdoor dining program!

During this time, you might have also seen "bubble tents" or "outdoor dining pods." These were small, enclosed spaces where people could eat. Before the pandemic, these pods were very rare. While they offered more protection from the virus, some people worried that they didn't have enough fresh air inside.