Serving up warmth: Is the bitter cold we've seen hurting Milwaukee-area restaurants?

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- The FOX6 Weather Experts say if the month of February ended on this Monday, February 23rd, it would be the sixth coldest February on record for Milwaukee! And another Monday brought another Wind Chill Advisory issued by the National Weather Service, effective through late Monday morning. It seems these freezing temperatures we're seeing this winter are having a chilling effect on some area restaurants, while others say the colder it gets, the better it is for business.

At The Packing House restaurant on E. Layton Avenue, restaurant officials say things are going well despite a bit of a cold snap.

"We had a great week this week even through the cold weather," a Packing House official told FOX6 News.

Restaurants in and around Milwaukee are competing against the cold for customers as temperatures have fallen below zero some days -- but Wisconsinites are a hardy and hungry bunch -- and it doesn't hurt having some loyal customers.

"We still have people that will come out regardless," Jason Korneisel with Erv's Mug in Oak Creek said.

Business owners say sometimes the cold is tough, but the people that come out when it's bitterly cold are even tougher.

"I think that will happen too -- people are itching to go out, and maybe even anticipating it. It's gonna be bad the next few days, so they`ll say '20 is not too bad so let's have Sunday Funday cuz it's not too bad,'" Korneisel said.

Although, maybe it's something in the water that's drawing them in.

"We do specialty drinks -- Rumchata and Kringle Kreme which are both made in Wisconsin, so that makes it better," Korneisel said.

The Packing House officials say winter is actually their busiest season.

"Sometimes you never know. It can be the coldest of cold nights and it can be our busiest nights of the year," a Packing House official said.

Both Erv's Mug officials in Oak Creek and officials with the Packing House in Milwaukee invite you to check them out. They say for many, getting out and enjoying some food and drink can help cure cabin fever.

The Packing House:



Erv's Mug: