The Center City District and Central Philadelphia Development Corporation have released Center City Reports: Outdoor Seating 2018, an annual survey of outdoor cafés and seating in and around downtown Philadelphia.

Sidewalk seating at outdoor cafés in Center City has increased 391% since the Center City District began surveying in 2001, this year counting 428 seats outside restaurants, coffee shops, juice bars, retail establishments and formerly barren office plazas across Center City.

Full service restaurants and other eateries provide the majority of outdoor seating. Almost half (47%) of all outdoor seating locations are full service restaurants, and over three-quarters are cafés and food and beverage retailers. Of note, too, is the increase in quick-service establishments with outdoor seating; in 2017, they comprised 19% of all seating locations, and in 2018, jumped to 22%.

Center City Reports: Outdoor Seating 2018 is based on extensive survey work conducted by the Center City District, and includes full-color maps, charts and thorough analysis of this important aspect of urban vitality.

To download the report, Click Here.

For a full selection of Center City District reports, visit CenterCityPhila.org/research-reports.

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