MISSOULA — Snow and chilly temperatures are no longer a factor for patrons of the Top Hat in Missoula -- in fact, it's all part of the experience now.
New “dining domes” have replaced the restaurant’s summer outdoor seating. If you've driven downtown in the past week, the translucent bubbles are certainly hard to miss.
You can reserve a dome for a party of six, and enjoy dinner and drinks inside the heated, socially distant bubble. Owner Nick Checota says they’re planning to have nine domes up and operating throughout the winter.
With limits on restaurant capacity and a general hesitation to dine in, he says the domes are the perfect way to get out of the house but feel safe at the same time.
"It's really a response to our customers. I mean our customers want to be in an environment, a lot of them want to be in an environment where they don't feel comfortable coming into a large room with a lot of tables,” Checota said.
“But when you give them an option where their small group can be alone and in a safe environment...they seem to be attracted to that.”
We will have more from Checota on the Top Hat's innovative way to keep business afloat this winter during the Thursday 5:30 News.
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