KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Many Kansas City metro restaurant owners are concerned that as the weather changes, so too will the amount of customers wanting to eat outside.
On May 21, the KCMO City Council allowed restaurants to open dining rooms to the sidewalk or, in some cases, block off streets to allow for more outdoor dining. And on Thursday, the council will vote on whether or not to extend the ordinance until April 2021 as the coronavirus pandemic continues.
Eating outside has been a benefit for several businesses as a way to make up for lost capacity on the inside.
"I’ve noticed as it’s getting colder we’re definitely being impacted by the weather especially with the reduced seating," said Aislinn Bird, manager and private dining director of The Classic Cup Cafe on the Country Club Plaza.
Bird told 41 Action News they're making changes to make customers more comfortable if they want to eat outside in the cooler weather.
"We do plan on enclosing this portion, which provides us with 14 more seats and putting some heaters out there," Bird said. "So hopefully we can get that rolling out quickly."
While costly, they've also discussed adding heaters on the restaurant's big back patio.
The pandemic has made a dent in the local restaurant scene. Recently, Black Sheep on 39th Street closed down and The Rieger in the Crossroads District plans to shut down at the end of the month.
Beer Kitchen in Westport announced it will close for the winter and reopen next year as it's financially feasible to do.
The number of restaurants closing has caught the eye of KCMO City Councilwoman Andrea Bough.
"We need to continue to look at ways to help our small businesses," Bough said.
Bough said she wants to allow restaurants to continue to add capacity outside.
"This is clearly a small step that we’re taking, but it is something that seemed to work well," she said.
The city dished out thousands of dollars to help restaurants, but it ran out quickly as the demand soared throughout the pandemic.
Business owners said they hope federal relief comes soon, in what could be a long winter.
"I think it’s been really scary for all of us," Bird said, "especially business owners. Just not knowing if with limited capacity everyone can survive."
