Today I realized that the absolute WORST part of running a restaurant, in the summer, in a coastal New England tourist town…

The ABSOLUTE worst… 

Is trying to decide on a day like to today whether to keep the patio open or close it preemptively. 

You never.  Ever.  Win. 

If you do close it, the rain never comes.

If you keep it open the rain comes at 6:30 when every table is full. 

If you close it and it doesn’t rain, you lose money.

If you close it and it doesn’t rain, you piss guests off. 

If you don’t close it and it rains, you lose money.

If you don’t close it and it rains you piss guests off. 

There is no way to win. 

Our patio seats around 100 guests.  We do NOT have matching seats inside just in case. 

We fill up both the patio AND the inside with the goal of capturing as much revenue as possible. 

Today, storms were forecasted between 4:00 and 6:00.  They could be severe. 

Chef and I met at 1:30 and decided to just play it safe.

It started to rain at 4:26 just as pre-shift was starting.

Around 4:38 there was a full rainbow in our parking lot.

And the rain stopped at 4:45 as pre-shift ended.  And the sun came out and the skies were clear for the rest of the night.

Unfortunately, when you call it at 2:00, you no longer have staff.  You no longer have reservations.

And you watch as the sun continues to shine in the parking lot as you struggle to turn tables to get all the people you moved inside, sat on time. 

And the guests walk in wanting to know why the patio is NOT open.  And they don’t care that it was supposed to rain. 

And I get their point.