Savvy Property Owners Invest in Outdoor Grills for Student Housing
The days of college students eating pizza, Ramen noodles and gaining the infamous “freshmen 15 pounds” are largely behind Gen Z, making grills for student housing an attractive perk.
Today’s undergraduate and graduate students are more focused on health and nutrition than ever before. Recent studies indicate that while 80 percent of Millennials are health-food conscious, Gen Z far outpaces their nutritional efforts.
- Nearly 75 percent follow a diet or defined eating pattern.
- Approximately 27 percent routinely count calories.
- Clean-eating proponents made up 26 percent of Gen Zers.
- Veganism or vegetarianism made up 19 percent of people polled.
It’s also important to keep in mind that college students are apt to check the nutritional information when grocery shopping. And, they take food preparation quite seriously. The idea of having natural gas or propane patio grills available is an attractive consideration when selecting student housing. That’s largely because preparing meals on multi-family patio grills locks in the natural juices, flavor, and nutrients.
Property owners who want to attract renters who attend nearby colleges and universities would be well-served to consider investing in grills for student housing. These are ways to get an excellent return on investment from liquid propane or natural gas patio grills.
Calculate Outdoor Patio Grill Space and Number of Renters
Integrating one or more outdoor patio grills into a multi-family living space starts with determining the available space and number of residents. An off-campus housing facility with 50 or more renters typically requires several grilling stations. Average-sized pedestal grills generally accommodate the cooking needs of about five people at a time.
In a multi-family environment, not everyone will be grilling on the same day or schedule. The fact that college students have different in-class periods relieves some of the patio grill congestion. By that same token, weekends and holidays will likely result in bottlenecks around the liquid propane or natural gas grills. These are a few ways to think about patio grill investments.
- Install multiple pedestal grills on your communal outdoor patio spaces to accommodate more students.
- Create a complete outdoor kitchen around a large-capacity stainless steel grill.
- Use a prefabricated grill island to save money on an a custom outdoor kitchen.
- Install a prefabricated grill island where a custom outdoor countertop could be too heavy, like on rooftop patio spaces.
The number and capacity of the grill(s) will need to be suitable for the patio’s square footage. Pedestal grills are the go-to choice for intimate spaces because they use minimal square footage. In some cases, propane patio grills can be cart-mounted. This approach allows residents to roll them into place when using them. They can also be stored away from the area when not in use or during inclement weather months.
The most attractive grills for student housing are stainless steel products that act as the focal point for a comprehensive grilling area. The most common grills for student housing are cast aluminum grills because their smaller stature lets more people use the appliance at once.
Adding grill accessories like side burners, warming racks, and even an infrared rotisserie burner are game-changers. Naturally, property owners will need a 60-min gas shutoff grill timer to ensure fuel doesn’t get wasted, which is a feature that comes standard on all our T-Series commercial grills.
Ways to Promote Grills for Student Housing
Attracting college renters has never been easier. Gen Zers are all about the internet, where multi-family property owners can advertise for free. Platforms such as Facebook Marketplaces and Craigslist are mainstays. These websites allow property owners to list details about available housing as well as facility details. This gives property managers a wonderful opportunity to showcase outdoor living areas and the high-quality stainless steel patio grills.
When enticing students to lease an apartment, don’t hesitate to post images of grilling favorites. Pictures of juicy burgers, chicken wings, veggie kabobs, and others drive home the message that your facility delivers a desirable quality of life experience. As poet Maya Angelou once famously pointed out, “People never forget how you made them feel.” Even the thought of food prepared on multi-family patio grills is tantalizing.
Getting from the planning stage to having the perk that sets your complex apart requires due diligence. You will need one or more high-quality outdoor patio grills. These products must be able to stand up to sometimes harsh weather, provide consistent service, and produce evenly distributed heat. Residential living facilities gravitate to durable T-Series grills to avoid getting bad social media reviews they know college students take seriously.
PGS T-Series Multi-Family Patio Grills
The PGS T-Series offers a variety of options suitable for diverse outdoor grilling opportunities. The T-Series grill line has excellent cast aluminum grills as well as large-capacity stainless steel natural gas and liquid propane patio grills for complete outdoor kitchens. These high-quality multi-family patio grills are engineered to withstand severe weather and corrosion. They can be used in a variety of ways to accommodate the needs of small groups and large gatherings. A deep dive into the T-Series details may provide insight into the best-suited options.
PGS T-30 Pedestal Grills
The T-30 grills can be fueled by liquid propane or natural gas. Often deployed as pedestal grills, they generate 30,000 BTU to heat 330 square inches of direct grilling space. Constructed with heavy duty cast aluminum, T-30 barbecue grills come with a convenient stainless steel side shelf. As grills for student housing, these PGS models can also be cart-mounted. When used in this fashion, they provide the agility some off-campus housing facilities require.
PGS T-40 Patio Grills
The PGS T-40 grills are similar to the T-30s. Also built with heavy duty cast aluminum, they can be cart-mounted or installed as pedestal grills. Differences include the fact that T-40 produces 40,000 BTU to evenly distribute heat over 434 square inches of commercial grade stainless cooking grids. This upgrade comes with two stainless steel side shelves and is also available with natural gas or liquid propane.
PGS S27T Outdoor Grills
Multi-family property owners and condominium management firms that want to level-up would be well-served to consider the S27T stainless steel grill. This large-capacity model is commonly used as the centerpiece of an outdoor kitchen. Constructed with stainless steel, it delivers 45,000 BTU to a grilling area of 540 square inches. The S27T utilizes self-cleaning 304 stainless steel cooking grids and comes with the added benefit of anti-theft knobs, laser-etched user instructions, and a side-mounted heat indicator. Adding a warming rack is an option and the 60-min gas shutoff grill timer comes standard. Property owners usually install this model into a countertop to complete an outdoor living space.
PGS S36T Stainless Steel Grills
Like the S27T, the S36T patio grill also enjoys stainless steel construction, anti-theft knobs, a 60-min gas shutoff grill timer, and has liquid propane or natural gas models. What’s different about this model is that it generates upwards of 67,000 BTU across 720 square inches of self-cleaning grids. Deployed as the primary point in a luxurious outdoor kitchen area, it proves an attractive perk for people interested in off-campus housing.
PGS S48T Stainless Steel Grills
The PGS S48T stainless steel grill is primarily used for large gathering areas that require significant food preparation. It provides 90,000 BTU over 960 square inches of self-cleaning grids, and all the quality items of the S27T and S36T stainless steel grills. Along with the standard 60-min gas shutoff grill timer, the S48T (like most of our grills) can be outfitted with an infrared rotisserie burner. This value-added accessory allows users to prepare large cuts of beef, pork roasts, chicken, veggie kabobs, whole pineapples, and more.
Students will be excited to live at your property while attending school, and grills make paying a premium worthwhile. What may be even more beneficial for off-campus housing budgets is the fact adding outdoor patio grills costs them nothing. This capital investment can be rolled right into the rent.