How Do Outdoor Restaurants Keep Flies Away? Fly-Free Dining
There’s nothing quite like dining al fresco—warm sunshine, a gentle breeze, and the perfect meal in front of you. But nothing ruins that experience faster than a swarm of pesky flies buzzing around your plate.
I’ve had my share of outdoor meals spoiled by uninvited guests. Swatting at flies between bites is not the dining vibe anyone wants. It got me wondering: how do outdoor restaurants manage to keep flies away while serving up picture-perfect patio meals?
The answer is a mix of smart strategies, natural repellents, and industry secrets. These keep those buzzing pests away.
In this article, I’ll explain how outdoor restaurants keep flies away. We’ll look at simple tricks and high-tech solutions. If you’re a restaurant owner wanting to upgrade your patio or just someone who loves eating outside without flies, these tips will help you enjoy your outdoor dining. Let’s dive in!
Understanding Fly Behavior
Flies are more than just a pest – they’re motivated scavengers with a keen sense of smell, which is pretty impressive. Outdoor restaurants create a great setting for them. They offer tasty smells and easy access to food scraps. The combination of warm weather, open-air seating, and a steady stream of diners creates an ideal setting for these pests to thrive.
Why Are Flies Attracted to Outdoor Dining Areas?
Flies are drawn to:
- Food scents – Strong aromas from grilled meats, sugary drinks, and fresh produce attract flies from long distances.
- Trash and food waste – Overflowing bins, leftover crumbs, and uncleaned tables create a feeding ground.
- Moisture and spills – Sticky soda spills and condensation from drinks provide hydration.
| Attractant | Why Flies Love It |
| Food aromas | Signals an easy food source |
| Garbage & waste | Perfect breeding environment |
| Standing water | Essential for fly survival |
Understanding what brings flies to the table is the first step in keeping them away. Restaurants use this knowledge to create good fly control strategies. This helps keep the dining experience pleasant for guests.
10 Creative Ideas On How Outdoor Restaurants Keep Flies Away
1. Thorough Restaurant Cleaning
Thorough restaurant cleaning is the best way to keep flies away from outdoor restaurants. This includes sweeping and mopping floors, wiping down surfaces, and emptying garbage cans.
Also, restaurants should cover food as much as possible. They should avoid leaving uncovered food out for long periods.
While thorough cleaning will not guarantee that flies will never be a problem, it is the best defense against them.
Learn How Do Restaurants Keep Burgers Warm Here
2. Putting Up High-powered Electric Fans
Putting up high-powered electric fans is the most popular way to keep flies away from outdoor restaurants. The fans create an invisible barrier that flies cannot penetrate.
They also make it difficult for flies to land on surfaces and are less likely to lay their eggs in food constantly being blown around.
3. Use Papaya Leaves
Many outdoor restaurants use papaya leaves to keep flies away. Papaya leaves have a natural enzyme called papain. This enzyme breaks down the protein in the fly’s saliva. As a result, the flies can’t feed.
In addition, the scent of the papaya leaf deters flies from landing on it in the first place. Place a few papaya leaves around your outdoor dining area to use this method.
4. Set Up Scent Diffusers & Candles
Most outdoor restaurants have scent diffusers and candles that emit citrus scents. These smells repel flies. They also often have fans set up to create a breeze. This increases the difficulty for flies to land and remain stationary.
Next time you eat outside, pause to appreciate the effort to keep flies away.
5. Practice Garbage Control
To keep flies away, good garbage control is the best method. Many products claim to repel flies, but they aren’t as effective. Flies are drawn to food waste. So, it’s crucial to cover trash bins and clean spills right away.
Read: How Much Do Restaurants Earn In A Day?
6. Treating Your Window Frames & Doorways
Spraying insecticide on your window frames and doorways can help keep flies out.
7. Placing Herbal Centerpieces
One common method is to place herbal centerpieces on each table. These natural arrangements not only look attractive, but they also help to keep flies at bay.
The strong scent of herbs like lavender and mint helps to mask the smell of food, making it less appealing to flies.
In addition, some herbs like basil and marigold are known to repel insects. As a result, a simple herb garden can go a long way in keeping flies away from an outdoor restaurant.
Read: How Restaurants Keep Pasta From Sticking
8. Make DIY Flytraps
Many establishments make their DIY flytraps [1] using items like plastic bottles, apple cider vinegar, and sugar. Restaurants can follow these simple steps to create a fly-free zone. This will help them give customers a more enjoyable dining experience.
9. Ultrasonic Pest Repeller
Ultrasonic pest repellers are devices that emit high-frequency sound waves that insects find intolerable. Many outdoor restaurants use these devices to keep flies away from their dining areas. The devices are usually hung around the area’s perimeter to be protected and turned on a few hours before guests arrive.
Ultrasonic waves can travel through walls, so the devices do not have to be directly in sight of the pests to be effective.
Ultrasonic pest repellers are usually safe for people and pets. However, they can disrupt outdoor meals. For this reason, many restaurants only use them when there are no guests.
Check out: How to Start A Virtual Restaurant
10. Rearrange & Use Yellow Light Fixtures
Rearranging and using yellow light fixtures effectively keep flies away from outdoor restaurants. Light is a major factor that affects where insects go and what they do.
Using light wisely helps restaurants keep flies away and enhances the dining experience for customers.
Yellow light specifically is known to reduce the number of flying insects significantly. This is because yellow light doesn’t attract them as much as other light colors.
FAQs
What smell will keep flies away?
Citrus smells work well to keep flies away. Lemon, lime, grapefruit,, and orange are good at deterring flies. You can place a few slices of citrus fruit in a bowl or use a diffuser to spread the scent.
Is there a natural fly repellent?
There are a few different natural fly repellents that you can try. Some people recommend using essential oils such as lavender, peppermint, or citronella.
Does vinegar keep flies away?
Yes, vinegar does keep flies away. It’s a natural insecticide that works because the smell and taste of vinegar repels the flies.
In Conclusion
Flies are a common nuisance in outdoor restaurants and can be difficult to eliminate. There are many creative ways to keep flies away from food, including using plants, keeping the area clean, and using traps.
Each method has its benefits and drawbacks that should be considered before implementation.
Finding the best method for your business and your budget is important.
Have you tried these techniques to keep flies away from your outdoor restaurant?
Reference:
- https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/craft-ideas/a32700598/best-homemade-fly-trap/
