Last May, Kansas City eased some of the requirements to make it easier for local businesses to apply for a permit to create an outdoor dining space on the street, sidewalk or a parking lot. 

The initiative was a success — since the restrictions were lifted, over 100 permit applications were approved for a street cafe, sidewalk cafe or parking lot dining space. Some businesses applied for all three permits to maximize their outdoor dining during the pandemic. Businesses that expanded their outdoor dining space say the program helped their business stay afloat during a challenging year for restaurants.

The Beacon analyzed the data and created this list of businesses whose permits for outdoor dining were approved in the past year. 

This list only includes businesses who applied and were approved for either a street cafe, sidewalk cafe, parklet cafe or parking lot dining: