Cool, Wet Spring Putting a Damper on Patio Season [AUDIO]

ST. CLOUD/WAITE PARK - After a long cold winter, central Minnesotans are itching to get outside and enjoy a nice meal and a few drinks on an outdoor patio.  However, so far this spring days ideal for sitting outside have been few and far between.

Becky Ethen is the manager at the Mexican Village in downtown St. Cloud.  She says they watch the forecast to determine the number of staff they need to have working.

She says they've had a lot of people come to the restaurant hoping to sit on their patio to enjoy a margarita or cerveza, but end-up having to move inside.  This is the second season for their patio, which she says was a big hit last year.

Ethen says their patio is seasonal, which means it can only be up for six months.

Ethen says the wet weather has actually been good for business overall.  She says, when it's raining, people can't grill and they stay home from the lake, and they go out to eat more often.

Meanwhile, H.R. Pesty's in Waite Park is building a new patio this year.  Manager Joey Miller is anxious for the weather to turn around, so her customers can get outside too.

Miller says they plan to have the new patio ready to go in a couple of weeks.  The wet weather has delayed the project by about two weeks.  They'll have seating for up to 40 people, and also plan to have a good sized TV out on the patio too.

Do you have a favorite outdoor patio?  Tell us where in our comment section below.