KCMO slashes fees for outdoor dining permits, launches dining trail for grant winning projects

Kansas City has officially eliminated outdoor dining permit fees, reducing the cost from $850 to zero, thanks to the momentum created by a city-led initiative to encourage investment in outdoor dining experiences, city leaders announced this week, unveiling new plans to promote funded businesses and their projects. 

Launched in 2024, the Outdoor Dining Enhancement Program already has awarded $300,000 in grants to more than 30 local restaurants, coffee shops, and pubs to create new outdoor dining spaces, part of Kansas City’s broader push for walkability, economic growth, and readiness for major global events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Mayor Quinton Lucas and Councilman Wes Rogers, who also is chair of KCMO’s Small Business Task Force, at a celebration of KCMO’s Outdoor Dining Enhancement Program; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

“By the time the World Cup comes around we’re going to just be having a great, big outdoor party that’s going to be great for our small businesses,” said 2nd District Councilman Wes Rogers. “It can’t just be a two-month blitz where everybody did well. I think what we’re doing with these outdoor dining rooms is setting up a future where visitors will come and go, but those of us who live here, we’ll have an even better city than we already have.”

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Entrepreneurs, community partners and elected officials gathered Thursday evening at Busey Bank to celebrate the Outdoor Dining Enhancement Program’s success.

“This is probably one of our proudest accomplishments,” said Mayor Quinton Lucas, who alongside Rogers, helped push the program to reality. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw businesses closing, we saw folks trying to find a way to survive, and we saw the city that we’re not doing enough. There are ways we can help entrepreneurs in our community.”

City leaders credit the Outdoor Dining Enhancement Program with playing a key role in revitalizing local business districts and creating more vibrant public spaces.

“This program began in 2024 as a way to support local restaurants and energize our neighborhoods through vibrant, vibrant outdoor dining spaces,” said Janá Wagner, division manager for the City of Kansas City’s Small Business Division, KC BizCare.

To showcase the program’s reach, Wagner also unveiled a digital Outdoor Dining Trail featuring all of the funded projects.

Building momentum toward 2026

With Kansas City preparing to host games during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the outdoor dining initiative is being viewed as part of a long-term strategy to attract tourism, boost small business, and make the city more pedestrian-friendly.

“The way this got started was a belief that we need to be a more walkable city, a more open city, and the city put its money where its mouth is,” said Rogers, who also is chair of the city’s Small Business Task Force.

Lucas affirmed that initiatives like prioritizing outdoor dining are part of a broader effort to support entrepreneurs not just at launch, but through every phase of growth.

“If we can help start new businesses, we are doing all we need for the future of Kansas City,” he said. “It isn’t just about how you get started, it’s how we sustain it. ‘How do we support you? How do we help you market? How do we help you deal with a lot of the challenges we face in Kansas City each day?’ That’s what I’m all about.”

Small businesses at the center

Theodis Watson, director of business banking at Busey Bank, speaks during a celebration of KCMO’s Outdoor Dining Enhancement Program; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

Thursday’s celebration was hosted by Busey Bank, which recently entered the Kansas City market following its merger with CrossFirst Bankshares. 

Theodis Watson, director of business banking at Busey, emphasized the bank’s commitment to backing local entrepreneurs and providing critical support to help them thrive, noting that many businesses fail due to a lack of long-term support.

“I truly feel that small businesses are the lifeblood of our country, let alone KC,” said Watson. “We’re very excited about making sure we support them, give them the right resources to do what they need to do, and continue to build more businesses here.”