The 11 best restaurant terraces in Paris in 2020: what impact will they have on sales and how can they be enhanced?

Many restaurateurs are eagerly awaiting the return of the sun. And with good reason: for their lucky owners, terraces are often synonymous with increased sales. Many French people say they prefer to go out during the summer months, and as soon as the first rays of sunshine appear, they admit to preferring outdoor establishments. Having a terrace or, even better but rarer, a garden, is a considerable asset that restaurateurs have every interest in exploiting during the summer months.

"The terrace represents around 80% of my sales," the owner of an oyster bar in Nantes told La Dépêche in 2015. Terraces and exteriors are undeniable arguments for attracting customers, tourists and locals alike, to his restaurant. When the first rays of sunshine appear, the French are out and about, looking for places to enjoy the warmth. This is a win-win situation for restaurateurs, boosting their sales.

And with good reason: restaurateurs with terraces can double their number of covers during the summer months, and thus double their sales... These sunny months are a turning point for them, just like the end-of-year festivities, for example, when they consolidate their business and ensure its stability for the year.

But what are the opportunities for restaurants with outdoor space? How can they make the most of this asset? And which are the most beautiful terraces in Paris? Find out in this article.

1) Are terraces really good for restaurant sales?

Expanding our capacity

The first major advantage of a terrace is quite simply the opportunity it offers restaurateurs to increase their capacity. Opening up your establishment to the outside world also means, to a certain extent, pushing back the walls a little and offering yourself the possibility of receiving a greater number of customers. The Nantes-based restaurateur who answered La Dépêche's questions in 2015 told us thathe was "multiplyinghis reception area by three".

More space also means more covers, and therefore more sales. But don't neglect the extra workload this represents for your front-of-house and kitchen teams. Before opening your terrace, it's important to think about reinforcing your staff for this intense period. From numerous solutions on the market today to help restaurateurs in their search for reinforcements.

Optimizing the day's lulls

Terraces are also an excellent way of optimizing the off-peak periods of a service day. In the morning, it's the breakfast period that restaurateurs can capitalize on with their terraces: the French, fond of the traditional coffee-orange juice-viennoiseries, are looking for a place to soak up the sun and get the day off to a good start.

In the afternoon, non-alcoholic beverages and sweets are excellent assets for restaurants. They are the sweet breaks that walkers and holidaymakers look forward to. Finally, in the late afternoon, many customers are drawn in for a sunny afterwork. These different time slots enable restaurants with a sunny spot tooptimize their downtime, and thus see a sharp increase in sales.

The opportunity to set up exceptional actioens and new offers

These slack periods are an opportunity to put in place highly profitable summer special offers. Breakfasts and snacks (cakes, gourmet coffees) are particularly profitable investments for restaurateurs. They're inexpensive, and generate attractive margins.

But terraces are also an opportunity to attract new customers with atypical special offers. Why not take advantage of this sunny space to offer a menu of its own? Restaurants with a large enough space can imagine offering their customers a unique summer experience on the terrace.

The Mama Shelter, for example, opens its rooftop during the summer months and sets it up in such a way as to transport guests to the seaside: parasols are placed all over the place, ping pong tables are made available, and a Spritz bar is offered to guests. The menu is also different from that of the restaurant, demonstrating the hotel's ability to adapt to audiences with different expectations. Those wishing to enjoy a real meal go to the restaurant, while those wishing to lunch or dine on the go but enjoy the sunshine settle in on the rooftop.

Attracting tourists

As you can read in most guidebooks, tourists are in love with our Parisian terraces, which can be found on every street corner. So most of them are looking for this typical Parisian experience. Having a terrace is therefore a considerable asset in attracting them to your restaurant.

If the establishment is located in a tourist district, this advantage is twofold: the outdoor tables allow tourists to enjoy the sunshine and take in every moment of the view over Paris.

Having a terrace is therefore an undeniable asset. But let's not forget thatthere are 15,500 cafés and restaurants have terrace authorizations. And this figure is not about to fall: every year, more than 1,600 new terrace applications are registered with Paris City Hall. Although 25% of these are turned down, the competition remains fierce for the more fortunate. So how do you attract tourists and Parisians to your terrace? How can you take advantage of this opportunity?

2) How to make the most of your terrace?

Finding your strengths

Each terrace is unique and has its own particular strengths. The first communication action to take is to draw up a list of its assets. This will enable you to promote your terrace in all communications media, and encourage as many potential customers as possible to visit your establishment.

Present your terrace on all digital media

For optimum visibility, it's essential to ask yourself where your potential customers are looking for their restaurant. Answer: 80% of them go online to choose their restaurant. Various channels are used extensively by Internet users for this purpose:Google My Businessthe various directories (TripAdvisor, La Fourchette, Yelp...), the social media or even websites websites. Each of these channels can be optimized by restaurateurs to give their terraces greater digital visibility:

• Write posts about your terrace on Google My Business: this allows you to move up in the results displayed under Google Map.
• Highlight your exterior on relevant SEO directories with dedicated posts and quality photos.
• Publish posts dedicated to the terrace on social media, and devote a small budget to sponsoring them.
• Promote your terrace on your website.

Activate press relations and influencers

Press relations and influencer relations enable establishments toensure a first wave of customer acquisition. Journalists and professionals at social media have strong prescriptive powers. Obtaining recommendations from these media players enables restaurants to gain visibility with a large number of potential customers.

Several actions are needed to attract the interest of journalists and influencers:

• Identify relevant journalists and influencers. The first step is to identify the right contacts. There's no point in contacting a journalist specializing in cinema when you're promoting your restaurant. Similarly, it would be unwise to contact an influencer based in the Lyon region when your establishment is in Paris.
• Add value to your terrace witha well-designed Press Release featuring attractive visuals that showcase the terrace as a place to visit during the summer.
• Draft a personalized e-mail for each influencer and journalist, presenting the main advantages of the terrace.
• Invite influencers and journalists to discover your establishment's terrace free of charge.

Launch the season with an event dedicated to journalists and influencers

The French are eagerly awaiting the first rays of sunshine, and are on the lookout for good opportunities to get out and about. They often follow recommendations made by the media and influencers.

To maximize your chances of appearing in articles about the best terraces in town, or on the Instagram accounts of the most popular influencers of the moment, it might be worth organizing an inauguration party.

These evenings, dedicated to journalists and influencers, enable organizing establishments to gain visibility and notoriety in a very short space of time, and mark the start of a strong communications campaign.

The hand-picked guests who respond to the invitation have the reflex, if they enjoy the evening, to honor the invitation by posting content on social media or mentioning the establishment in their media.

3) Our 11 best places to enjoy the sun in Paris

Maison Maison: a terrace on the banks of the Seine (Paris 1)

Located on the right bank quayside in a former technical building, Maison Maison is a restaurant and mini wine bar ideal for admiring the setting sun. Just a stone's throw from Pont-Neuf, wooden benches and tables adorn this gourmet guinguette.

Using fresh, local produce, chef Adriana offers plates to share, French-style tapas and a touch of global inspiration.

Le Malakoff: the terrace on the central Trocadéro square (Paris 16)

With a terrace overlooking the Trocadéro, this large, traditional brasserie serves classic French dishes. A perfect place for tourists to enjoy the esplanade!

Bien Ficelé: a convivial green terrace (Paris 11)

Bien Ficelé 's terrace is particularly conducive to conviviality. Combining tradition with the fundamentals of bistronomy, this restaurant specializing in meats extends the experience of sharing with its new green terrace.

Plants hanging from the ceiling elegantly invade the glass walls, bringing freshness and cheerfulness to alfresco dining. Enjoy a gourmet brunch, dinner or lunch with friends.

Le Perchoir: the capital's trendiest rooftop (Paris 11)

With the days getting longer, the French are eagerly awaiting the reopening of the Parisian rooftops.

Sipping a Mojito or enjoying a beer under a starry or sunny sky is priceless for those constantly on the lookout for new and unusual places to eat.

Le Perchoir is one of those places that the whole of Paris snatches up. Nestled at the top of the BHV, it offers a breathtaking view of the capital in a wooded decor that's as trendy as it is warm.

Mito Levallois: the Milanese terrace (Levallois-Perret)

Combining ancient flavors with contemporary tastes, this revisited traditional pizzeria took its name from the Milano Torino cocktail. The perfect place to enjoy a summer aperitivo!

Le Wilson: a breathtaking view of the Eiffel Tower (Paris 16)

Located on the Place du Trocadéro, the Wilson boasts a not inconsiderable advantage: an unobstructed view of tourists' favorite landmark, the Eiffel Tower.

Whether you're just passing through or a Parisian, you'll never tire of lunching or dining here, and enjoying both the food and the magnificent view.

L'Hôtel Grand Amour: the hidden terrace (Paris 10)

Its dripping vine sets the tone for this atypical terrace. Here, you can sip a glass of red wine after a hard day's work, and enjoy some perfectly prepared, typically French dishes.

This hidden garden also reveals its secrets to those who sleep in late, for lively evenings. But it's also a place where early risers can enjoy a French-style breakfast.

Le Klay Saint-Sauveur: a woodsy, leafy terrace (Paris 2)

The trendiest new gym in Paris is called Klay-Saint-Sauveur. And with good reason: it's a gym unlike any other, where people come to let off steam in organized classes or on the machines provided, before heading off for a movie or a romantic dinner.

This charming place has everything to please romantic souls: its scattered plants, subdued lighting and original walls give it an unprecedented charm.

BB Blanche: the terrace to enjoy the sunshine without the urban noise (Paris 9)

In the same family as the Klay, the BB Blanche also boasts its own terrace that's in no way inferior to its cousin.

The atmosphere is calmer, sunnier. Its uncluttered atmosphere is designed to appeal to as many people as possible, and to make every visitor feel at home.

Le Limon: the most intimate rooftop near the Champs-Elysées (Paris 8)

In the capital's 8th arrondissement, Le Limon is a private mansion with undeniable assets. Notably, at its summit, a splendid rooftop offering an unbeatable view of the Iron Lady.

This charming space, less well known than the Perchoir and therefore quieter, is the ideal place to relax at the end of the day. Here, you can sip one of the many original cocktails on the à la carte menu.

Sardegna a Tavola: the most authentic terrace (Paris 12)

Sardegna a Tavola is certainly one of the best Italian addresses in Paris. Monica Bellucci is one of the first (but not least!) ambassadors of this authentic place. She calls it her favorite restaurant in the capital. And with good reason: the products on offer are top-quality, and the recipes typically Sardinian.

Authenticity is the watchword at this little restaurant run by Tonino, an Italian with a very lilting accent. Inside: pots and sausages from his homeland hang from the ceiling. Outside: you sit at the rough-hewn wooden tables in front of the charming storefront painted in the restaurant's colors. In the evening, the little street enjoys the tranquil atmosphere of nearby Place d'Aligre, while at lunchtime, you're just a stone's throw from the bustle of the covered market.