At the height of the pandemic last year, restaurants had to get creative if they wanted to stay in business. Some places that had never gone delivery or takeout suddenly found it was the only way to survive; others worked hard to continually sanitize and enforce mask-wearing rules.

But one of the smartest things to come out of the pandemic was the introduction of outdoor dining domes, a way for people to eat together while still being isolated from everyone else in a restaurant. The Top Hat became the first place in Missoula to have these domes last year, and they became an instant hit.

As the weather got warmer and the vaccine became more available, they took the domes down... but now, they're back!

We booked a reservation in one of these domes last year, so I can vouch that it's a pretty cool experience - see, look how happy I am!

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After we left, I even noted that they should keep the domes around post-pandemic for the winter. With the heating system in place, it's a great way to get more customers and not have to squeeze them all indoors during the colder months of the year.

A few other places around town have introduced domes since the Top Hat first did it last year. Have you ever had the chance to use one? If you haven't and you're looking to check it out, it's definitely smart to make a reservation first - these things fill up fast!

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