City of Cambridge Helps Restaurants Extend Outdoor Dining Season Safely with New Patio Heater Reimbursement Program

As part of its ongoing efforts to support the local business community and extend the outdoor dining season safely during the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Cambridge announced a new Patio Heater Reimbursement Program.   

City staff have been working with representatives from Cambridge business associations and the local restaurant community to plan for what an outdoor dining experience will look like during the winter months. This includes planning for winter weather operations and creating opportunities to make the dining experience as safe, comfortable, and enjoyable as possible.  

Through this new program, restaurants will be reimbursed up to $250.00 per portable patio heater for up to a maximum of five patio heaters per business. This reimbursement is subject to restaurants’ compliance with regulations and requirements from the Cambridge Fire Department.  The City Manager will be submitting a $100,000 appropriation request to the City Council to support this program. 

“I want to thank City departments, especially the Cambridge Fire Department, as well as the business community for their collaboration on the new heat lamp reimbursement program,” said Cambridge City Manager Louis A. DePasquale. “This is one of several initiatives we are working on to help our restaurants offset added expenses due to COVID-19 and enable them to keep their outdoor dining operating for as long as they want, while weather permits.” 

“We must do everything we can to help our restaurants mitigate operating costs as they continue to offer outdoor dining this Fall,” said Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui. “I want to thank Vice Mayor Mallon for her leadership and for continuing to be a strong advocate for our business community, and the City Council for their commitment to ensuring our small businesses have what they need during this challenging time.” 

In addition to supporting outdoor dining, residents can support their favorite local eatery by participating in the “Pick It Up, Cambridge” campaign.  This campaign aims to inform patrons that they can save restaurants as much as 25% per order by calling them directly and picking up orders. This simple step can help ensure that restaurants receive the entirety of the transaction. Selecting or ordering pick-up via delivery apps can cost restaurants a significant portion of the order. 

For more information or to participate in the Patio Heater reimbursement program, contact Matt Nelson, Assistant to the City Manager, at 617-349-4266 or mnelson@cambridgema.gov.