Portable Railing
How can a railing company help restaurants and breweries expand seating?
The Problem – Creating an enclosed outdoor area without installing permanent barriers
The Coronavirus pandemic caused many restaurants and breweries to temporarily close their doors. When they finally could reopen, they faced limitations in the number of patrons allowed inside. Because of this, many needed a way to expand their current dining capacities and looked outside for the solution. Regulations on outdoor dining are rather simplistic, normally starting with city approval and a defined removable barrier. Removable barriers are needed over traditional permanent ones to comply with city ordinances requiring areas remain clear for cleaning, street sweeping, and limiting clutter. Once granted approval from the city, eager owners quickly tried a wide variety of materials to create these temporary barriers and boost sales. They tried every material from string to caution tape, and more to accomplish their goal of expanding their dining space.
String rope meets guidelines, but hinders overall aesthetics
Unfortunately, the results were less than desirable for many. Under the assumption that their new outdoor dining areas would drive previously sheltered customers to jump at the opportunity to enjoy a night out, business owners faced some disappointment. The combinations of string, ropes, and tape accomplished the goal of defining a clear, temporary barrier, but hindered the overall aesthetics and experience of the location. Owners soon realized that simply throwing something together may not work as they had hoped.
The Solution – A portable railing option
The solution to the problem was relatively straightforward; create a traditional system that was also portable. Superior had the first part down, now they needed to find a way to make their railing easily movable. The Superior R&D team soon constructed different base plates and designs that would offer stability and performance, all while maintaining Superior's signature architectural appeal. This resulted in two different bases, a single base used for ends, and a double base that would be used for continuous runs or if a turn was desired. Once the bases were created, the Superior team tested them in standard lengths and found they had a fantastic solution on their hands.
After making prototypes, the team headed to a local brewery to see how the newly designed Ready Railing would perform. Installing the Ready Railing was quick and simple, only taking minutes to set up a full run of railing for the outdoor dining area. Furthermore, the railing system was aesthetically pleasing, perfectly fitting in with the established aesthetic of the location. Soon, customers were flocking to the outdoor area, with even the owner taking some time to sit down and enjoy a brew. Needless to say, Ready Railing helped to create a stylish, safe, and rule-compliant outdoor space. Finally, it was time to pack up the Ready Railing for the day. Similar to setup, deconstructing the Ready Railing only took minutes!
Ready Railing creates an outdoor setting in minutes
After the first installation at a local brewery, Superior Aluminum knew it had a product that could benefit other businesses. The lightweight and prefabricated designs made it a truly hassle-free solution that anyone could set up in minutes. Reducing this set up time and the ease of moving the railing allowed the brewery and other businesses to focus on their specialty: brewing beers and serving their customers.
Interested in Ready Railing or maybe a more permanent railing solution? We have extensive experience in many railing and project varieties. Feel free to reach out and contact us with any questions you may have.
