At Pacific Catch, the indoor-outdoor dining experience has always been part of the brand’s DNA. From San Francisco to San Diego, each restaurant blends coastal flavors with a relaxed, open-air atmosphere that invites guests to linger. But in a city known for its fog and unpredictable microclimates, maintaining that atmosphere year-round requires more than good design. It requires heat, and the right kind of it.
“We spend a lot on heating,” says Keith Cox, Co-Founder of Pacific Catch. “And Focal has been a game changer.”
When the restaurant chain began remodeling its original location on Chestnut Street in San Francisco’s Marina District, the team saw an opportunity to raise the bar for outdoor comfort. This first Pacific Catch location holds deep significance for the company’s leadership, serving as both a blueprint and testing ground for innovations that can scale across all 15 restaurants in the group.
The question was simple: could they find a heating system that was more efficient, flexible, and sustainable, and one that could be replicated across future build-outs?
The answer came in the form of Focal’s electric radiant heaters, a system designed to heat people rather than spaces.
Keith first learned about Focal when he read about Raj Tilwa, Co-founder and Co-CEO of Focal, being awarded the Stanford Founder Impact Ecopreneurship Fellowship. Keith saw the impact that this technology could have not only on his restaurants but also on the broader industry. “When I got on a call with Keith, he got the product right away and he was buzzing with excitement,” Raj recalls his first conversation with Keith.
“One of the things we love about Focal is how easy it is to install,” Keith explains. “You plug it in, 120 volt, everyday circuit, and it’s up and running.”
That simplicity was key for a growing restaurant chain focused on standardizing operations. Focal’s plug-and-play design eliminates the need for costly rewiring or gas lines, reducing build-out time and complexity. The heaters’ compact form factor also integrates seamlessly into Pacific Catch’s parklets and patios, maintaining the brand’s clean, modern aesthetic.
Focal’s personalized heating controls allow guests to choose their own comfort level. “It’s uber premium,” Keith says. “Each guest can decide their heat level, and that saves energy because we’re not heating empty air.” The result is operational efficiency, lower energy costs and an elevated guest experience.
“One of the things we love about Focal is how easy it is to install. You plug it in, 120 volt, everyday circuit, and it’s up and running.”
Keith Cox
co-founder of pacific catch
Margins across the restaurant industry are tighter than ever, and outdoor seating represents one of the most valuable assets for operators.
“Having four more seats for us means literally opening up more sales,” Keith notes. During the Chestnut Street remodel, Focal’s low-profile design made it possible to increase the parklet’s capacity from 20 to 24 seats without compromising space or comfort.
For a restaurant chain with patios at every location, those incremental gains add up quickly. “Outdoor seating is the cheapest rent we can get,” Keith adds. “Every seat matters.”
Pacific Catch’s commitment to sustainability extends far beyond its menu. From responsibly sourced seafood to efficient kitchens and tech-enabled service models, the company continually seeks smarter ways to operate.
“Part of Focal’s mission is to limit energy use,” Keith says. “We spend too much money heating entire spaces, especially outside. This system heats people directly. It’s just a cleaner, smarter way to think about comfort.”
The partnership aligns perfectly with Pacific Catch’s broader operational strategy: sustainable design, standardized processes, and technology that enhances both efficiency and guest experience. As the company continues to remodel and expand, Focal’s heaters are poised to become a core feature across locations.
“Part of Focal’s mission is to limit energy use. We spend too much money heating entire spaces, especially outside. This system heats people directly. It’s just a cleaner, smarter way to think about comfort.”
Keith Cox
co-founder of pacific catch
For Pacific Catch, the Chestnut Street remodel marks more than a design upgrade, it represents a step forward in how the restaurant chain approaches outdoor dining. By introducing Focal’s technology at its flagship location, Pacific Catch is setting a new operational and experiential standard for its patios across the West Coast.
“We’re excited to be a partner,” Keith says. “It’s a strong fit in every way: comfort, efficiency, and design.”
With Focal, Pacific Catch has created a blueprint for what modern outdoor dining can look like: sustainable, scalable, and centered on guest comfort.
