How to Choose the Perfect Restaurant Canopy

A patio canopy offers a great way for you to make your restaurant’s outdoor space more functional. You have several options when it comes to choosing an outdoor shading option for your restaurant: an awning, umbrellas or a pergola.

Both provide cover for your customers and a good level of sun and rain protection, however, the option you choose will depend on your budget, needs and location.

With over 50 years in business, Broadview are the South’s go-to shading specialists. Read on for our guide to choosing the perfect canopy for your outdoor dining area, including the 4 most important factors you need to consider when deciding which product is right for you.

1. Size and Location

First things first, you need to know where your canopy will be placed:

• Measure the space - note width, depth, and any height restrictions.
• Mounting options:
  • Freestanding pergola: Ideal for open courtyards or gardens; supported by posts, so no wall needed.
  • Wall-mounted awning: Best for narrow pavements or façades.
  • Umbrellas/parasols: Flexible for tight or irregular spots.
  • Local planning rules: Check if permissions are required before ordering.

One of the greatest benefits of our commercial pergolas is that they can be freestanding. Unlike awnings, which can only be attached to external walls, pergola canopies are supported by pillars. They can be placed virtually anywhere (landscape permitting), making them a very versatile shading option.

That said, pergola structures can be quite large. If your outdoor space is more limited, it may be worth considering an awning, umbrella, or parasol instead.

2. Price

Next, consider how much you want to spend. Commercial pergolas can cost thousands of pounds, so it may not be a viable option. However, they can help you quickly recoup their initial cost with the additional revenue they will help you generate.

• Premium pergolas (£££): Higher upfront cost, but extra tables can repay the investment fast.
• Mid-range awnings (££): Motorised options add convenience and lifespan.
• Entry-level umbrellas (£): Cheapest, but watch for flimsy frames and faded fabric—frequent replacements add up.
• Total cost of ownership: Factor in durability, maintenance, and potential extra covers sold per season.

You may be tempted to go for a cheaper solution, but beware. Cheap umbrellas and awnings can use flimsy materials and components that break down easily, and they lack many or all of the design innovations (such as motorised operation) offered by higher-end brands.

This means that you could be shelling out for a replacement or maintenance much sooner than you expected. Investing in a modern, advanced restaurant canopy may actually save you money in the longer term.

All of Broadview’s pergola models come with multiple configurations. At the touch of a button, you can angle the roof blades to let sunlight stream in, or turn them fully horizontal to block out rainfall. The result is a stylish, comfortable terrace your customers can enjoy year round.

3. Aesthetics

• Colour & branding: Choose frame and fabric shades that echo your logo or interior palette.
• Kerb appeal: A cohesive look draws walk-ins and boosts first impressions.
• Customisation: Broadview offers UV-resistant fabrics, multiple cassette styles, and a full RAL frame palette.

As you likely know, the aesthetics of your restaurant have a major influence on your customers’ overall dining experience. Your restaurant could have the best food in the area, but a restaurant with poor kerb appeal will give your customers a bad impression before they even take a bite!

When deciding on a restaurant shading solution, make sure it complements your design scheme, colours, and branding. A matching canopy will give your outdoor space a pleasingly unified appearance, while an unfitting one will look strange and out of place. See our post on how to choose awning colours.

All of our UV-resistant awnings and umbrellas can be customised with a wide range of colour, fabric, and cassette options. Our restaurant pergolas are also available in a range of frame colours.

Whatever your style, we’ll design a shading system that suits it flawlessly - browse our gallery to see just how varied our designs can be.

4. Extras

Once you've settled on a model, it’s time to decide what enhancements you’d like to include.

Our restaurant pergolas can be customised with a range of accessories, including lights, heaters, sliding screens, and more. These improve their functionality and make them usable in strong winds, cold, and even at night.

Some of our many optional extras include:

• LED Lights: With integrated LED lighting, your customers can continue to dine outside long into the evening and at night.
• Heaters: Keep your restaurant’s outdoor space open in the winter with built-in garden heaters! Thanks to remote control functionality, you can control the temperature of your outdoor space at the touch of a button.
• Bluetooth Speakers: Want to set the mood? Opt for integrated Bluetooth speakers. Subtle yet powerful, they’ll help create the perfect outdoor ambience for your restaurant.
• Sliding Glass: Protect your customers from the wind and rain with our frameless sliding glass system! These allow you to create sheltered indoor al fresco dining spaces without surrendering the 360° views your patio currently offers.

When you choose a bespoke outdoor structure from Broadview, we’ll measure and fit it perfectly, making sure it takes up as little space as possible.

Need more help deciding or know exactly what you need, why not get in touch? We’d love to discuss your requirements, talk you through our available restaurant shading options, and start transforming your outdoor space today!

Book a consultation online or call us on 01202 679 012.