Downtown Restaurants Continue To Expand Thanks To Tulsa’s Growing Parklet Program

More than a year into the pandemic, Tulsa restaurants are continuing to expand their outdoor dining spaces, and many more are moving into the street.

Several downtown Tulsa restaurants have outdoor dining structures and they say they hope to make this a permanent part of their restaurant.

"It’s great so you can see people walking outside and eating outside, and that’s a really nice vibe for downtown,” said Que Guesto owner Carla Meneses.

Meneses said she can't imagine her space without the downtown parklet. She said her space inside is limited, so she's happy she can seat more customers outside.

"We are not able to have more than six people, three tables inside basically, so this has been great," said Meneses. 

Que Guesto is one of 13 business that have an outdoor dining area in downtown Tulsa parking spaces and Downtown Coordinating Council Executive Director, Brian Kurtz, said more are on the way. 

"Businesses have been extremely receptive. Patrons have been receptive as well. I think it just adds a level of vibrancy to the environment that was missing in downtown previously,” said Kurtz.

The City of Tulsa waived parklet permit fees for restaurants through March of 2022, but after that restaurants might have to pay to keep them up.

Kurtz said some restaurants are even adding covers to keep them up year-round.

"Even beyond pandemic and social distancing, people just want to eat outside, they want that outdoor environment, and now so many businesses that didn't have that opportunity before because sidewalks were too narrow or they didn't have patios, they now have the opportunity to do that,” said Kurtz. 

Restaurant owners like Meneses say they don't mind paying the fee because they enjoy having the extra space so much.

“I want to keep this forever!” said Meneses.

Many restaurant owners said the parklets have even helped bring new customers in, because they see them as they're driving by.