Outdoor Dining Survey 2022

Thank you for your interest in Outdoor Dining in the Town of Greenwich and participation in our survey which ran between August 3rd and August 16th, 2022.  Please review the results of the survey below:

1. Choose all that apply to best describe you:

2230 of 2230 Answered (100.0%)

• Employee of Restaurant (4 responses, 0.2%)
• Employee of Retailer (13 responses, 0.6%)
• Greenwich Resident (2123 responses, 95.2%)
• Non-Greenwich Resident (94 responses, 4.2%)
• Resident above a Restaurant (12 responses, 0.5%)
• Restaurateur (39 responses, 1.7%)
• Retailer (18 responses, 0.8%)

2. What are your thoughts on the way outdoor dining is functioning currently on Greenwich Avenue?

2216 of 2230 Answered (99.4%)

• I enjoy the outdoor dining and don’t mind the loss of parking spaces due to the barricaded nodes (1395 responses, 62.6%)
• I enjoy the outdoor dining but don’t think it should take up parking spaces. (468 responses, 21.0%)
• I only want outdoor dining like it was pre-pandemic (210 responses, 9.4%)
• I don’t want any outdoor dining (66 responses, 3.0%)
• Other (please specify) (77 responses, 3.5%)

3. What are your thoughts on the way outdoor dining is functioning currently for restaurants NOT on Greenwich Avenue?

2193 of 2230 Answered (98.3%)

• I enjoy the additional outdoor dining and am not bothered by the impact on parking spaces (1471 responses, 66.0%)
• Outdoor dining, while nice, should only consist of the total number of permitted seats under zoning (meaning no extra demand on parking is created during the outdoor dining season) (616 responses, 27.6%)
• Other (please specify) (106 responses, 4.8%)

4. In your dining experience since March 2020, did you prefer to dine at:

2221 of 2230 Answered (99.6%)

• Indoor seating (318 responses, 14.3%)
• Outdoor seating on the sidewalk or street (969 responses, 43.5%)
• Outdoor dining in the barricaded nodes on the parking spaces on Greenwich Avenue (638 responses, 28.6%)
• Not Applicable – Have not dined out since March 2020 (75 responses, 3.4%)
• No preference (221 responses, 9.9%)

5. What is the ideal outdoor dining season?

2191 of 2230 Answered (98.3%)

• April 1 to September 30 (491 responses, 22.0%)
• April 1 to November 1 (746 responses, 33.5%)
• April 1 to November 20 (624 responses, 28.0%)
• None of the above (137 responses, 6.1%)
• Other (please specify) (193 responses, 8.7%)

6. Do you believe retailers should also have access to nodes?

2102 of 2230 Answered (94.3%)

• Yes (560 responses, 25.1%)
• No (1542 responses, 69.1%)

7. To what degree does parking availability along Greenwich Avenue affect your time spent in the downtown area?

2219 of 2230 Answered (99.5%)

• Very much (655 responses, 29.4%)
• Somewhat (797 responses, 35.7%)
• Not at all (719 responses, 32.2%)
• Other (please specify) (48 responses, 2.2%)

8. Would you support an effort to build a parking garage in the downtown area at some point in the future?

2218 of 2230 Answered (99.5%)

• Yes (1089 responses, 48.8%)
• No (454 responses, 20.4%)
• Maybe (675 responses, 30.3%)

9. What are your biggest concerns about Outdoor Dining? Select all that apply

2212 of 2230 Answered (99.2%)

• Safety while dining in the road (692 responses, 31.0%)
• Sidewalk congestion (728 responses, 32.6%)
• Accessibility and compliance with ADA requirements (304 responses, 13.6%)
• Sanitation (537 responses, 24.1%)
• The design/ look and feel of outdoor dining spaces (1013 responses, 45.4%)
• Reduced parking along the Avenue (987 responses, 44.3%)
• None of the above (398 responses, 17.8%)
• Other (please specify) (76 responses, 3.4%)

Are you an RTM Member?

2155 of 2230 Answered (96.6%)

Radio Buttons

• No (2038 responses, 91.4%)
• Yes (117 responses, 5.2%)

Other Complaints Received 

• Significant increase in rats and cockroaches
• Loud music that has drowned out fire alarms.
• ADA concerns  
• Safety on Greenwich Avenue due to the increase of traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian, on Greenwich Avenue