How much do parasols bring in?

While many catering businesses invest primarily in their terrace furniture, it is, in fact, the parasols that bring in extra revenue for your terrace. Nice tables and chairs are important for the comfort of your customers, but it isn’t the tables that allow them to sit comfortably on the terrace in the blazing sunshine, and the chairs won’t keep them dry if it rains.

So you should select high-quality parasols from the world go. The initial cost may be higher, but you’ll soon earn that back. Cheap parasols fade quickly in the sun, they let in water when it rains, they blow around in the wind and they are often a pain to open and close. It can also be awkward to position them close together to provide optimal protection. And what about those awful clunky parasol bases?

So put aside some of your budget for robust professional parasols. A simple calculation will show you what returns that can bring. Suppose your terrace is in use for 30 weeks of the year, from mid-March to the end of October. The Misset Horeca Terrace Check 2019 calculated that the average terrace brings in €300 per seat per week. If your business is open six days a week that means €50 per seat per day.

Square parasols cover 27% more area than the round type. So square parasols can protect 27% more customers from sun and rain. Square parasols can also be connected together. Fit them with gutters and keep the whole terrace dry. Depending on annual rainfall in your region, you can easily have customers on your terrace 30-50% more often. Your parasols do need to be properly water-resistant of course. Do the maths and you’ll see that a professional parasol can easily raise revenue by as much as 80%.

Many catering businesses keep as many seats free inside as there are people out on the terrace: you never know when it will start to rain, and the customers will all rush indoors. But with the right parasols, that isn’t needed, and the seats indoors can now bring in more revenue. Install some lighting around the parasols and draw in more customers when darkness falls. They’ll also sit out longer on the terrace. Built-in heating will bring in more trade on cold days.

Let’s try a quick calculation: suppose your choice of the right parasols brings in just 10% extra per seat per day. That’s €5 a day. With 30 seats on the terrace that comes to €150 per day. If you’re open six days a week that means €900 per week. So over a thirty-week season we’re talking about €27,000. If the parasols last for five years that’s a total of €135,000, for a terrace with 30 seats. More seats and this all adds up that much quicker.

A sum of €135,000 for increasing revenue by just €5 per seat per day. Excellent returns, and all you have to do is use the right parasols. And just think how easy a professional parasol is to operate, compared to a low-quality alternative. The large area covered and the potential to build in the supports means your terrace isn’t cluttered with those awkward bases and your staff can easily get around the tables, saving time and avoiding frustration.

In addition, high-quality parasols are easy to open and close, and if you opt for a telescopic system, they can be opened and closed without disturbing your customers: no need to clear away the bottles and glasses first. Storage and maintenance are straightforward, and last but not least, high-quality parasols come with a colour guarantee, so they always look fresh.

Interested to know
how much profit Symo parasols could bring in
for your terrace?

If you would like more information about these figures, then do to the Misset Horeca Terrace Check at https://acties.missethoreca.nl/terras-check