Midmorning With Aundrea - October 16, 2020 (Part 2)

(Part 2) With the colder months coming on, restaurants are coming up with clever ways to provide safer, socially distant outside dining.

The hard hit restaurant industry expects to lose about $240- billion in sales this year.

Thousands of restaurants have begun outdoor dining to keep their doors open.

Some of them are now getting creative, to keep diners warm and safe as the weather turns colder - from using propane- fueled heaters or even insulated domes.

Vladimir duthiers reports from new york.

Vlad: it's getting a little nippy.

Alex: yep..

Vlad: and it's going to continue to get nippy... alex: um..hmm as temperatures start to drop ..

Restaurant owner and chef alex raij is now faced with a new reality..

Vlad: when restaurants were able to reopen and business started to come back, but then you realized it was going to get cold?

What were you thinking you would do?

Alex: i'm always thinking about the worst.

I feel like that's kind of my job..

Unfortunately.

The worst may not be here yet... but chef alex is preparing to bring the heat..

At her brooklyn restaurant, la vara.

Vlad: are you worried at all that people might not want to eat out here when it's cold?

Alex: definitely.

As the industry reckons with a new normal& restaurants around the country are finding ways to provide warmth and comfort for diners& while continuing to serve their dishes hot.

It's pretty uncertain as are all things right now.

Trying to figure what to do.."

Already-ailing businesses are spending thousands of dollars on outdoor heaters& ...complimentary blankets for diners& "it's going to kee getting colder and colder and what are we going to do it about it?

... and outdoor greenhouses.

The pandemic is forcing owners to think outside the box..

Or ..

In scom cases& outside the bubble.

"i can tell you tha with everything going on in this world, eating in a bubble is about one of the best experiences we can have!"

In detroit... the east eats restaurant is taking that experience to a whole new level... by installing about a dozen insulated domes..

"we're going t actually completely transform all of the domes into igloo domes // you're in a greenhouse-like covering, so you can in there in the rain, you can be in there in the snow."

"it's absolutel necessary to protect you, protect other diners..."

In chicago... mayor lori lightfoot asked the public to submit ideas for a "winter dinin challenge."

Among the winners... these cozy cabins..

And heated tables.

"we have four o these... " here in brooklyn while indoor ding resumes at 25- percent capacity..

Chef alex is going all áiná on áoutdoorsá.

Right now..

The best prospects are outdoor dining.

It's where most people feel the most comfortable.

And i think people are willing to bundle up..

And tough it out.

Chef alex is still waiting from the city for approval to use those propane fueled heaters.

One other important note is that while those insulated domes we saw can protect diners from the cold, they are not proven to protect you from the coronavirus.

They do help encourage customers to social distance from each other and it's important to still wear your mask when you're not eating.

Vladimir duthiers cbs news new york.

Christmas is still 10 weeks away but the holiday shopping season is already underway.

This week, amazon hosted its big sale for prime members.

The pandemic also has other companies offering deep discounts.

Chris martinez reports.

Pkg this is what holiday shopping used to look like.

But the pandemic has more people pointing and clicking.

06:14 "way back i the day holiday shopping started with black friday weekend and as online sales have grown retailers have started pushing those sales earlier and earlier and this year they are going to start now."

Samantha gordon with consumer reports says the coronavirus is a big reason why.

Amazon was overwhelmed with orders in the spring and summer when americans shifted to even more online shopping as stores shutdown.

"amazon prime da is back."

The company moved their annual two day prime day from july to this week.... offering more than one million sale items. target, walmart and others are following suit with online deals.

"we're also seein sales at sam's club and best buy and bed, bath and beyond."

And many people are ready to take advantage of the discounts.

A survey from retail-me-not found 75 percent of americans prefer to do their holiday shopping online.

67 percent say they are searching for deals during the prime days.

That's more than cyber monday and black friday .

/shopping expert, retailmenot 10:02 "i think th trend in early holiday shopping is here to stay."

Retal me not's sara skirboll says there are big price cuts on electronics, appliances and home goods.

/shopping expert, retailmenot 05:20 "a lot o people are going to start their shopping and even finish their shopping in october and that's because people are concerned about inventory and shipping delays."

She says there will be deeper discounts on toys in december, but shoppers who wait take a chance the toy will be sold out or won't arrive on time.

Chris martinez, cbs news, los angeles.

Many grown children have spent the pandemic with their parents.

We'll introduce