ATHENS, Ala. (WAFF) – Planning to grab dinner in downtown Athens? Your dining experience may look a little bit different.

Last week, the mayor and City Council agreed to designate the entire sidewalk on Market Street as a sidewalk dining space.

It allows the restaurants on Market Street, Village Pizza, and Lucia’s Cocina Mexicana, to expand their seating, so they can serve more customers during this time.

“It’s very very important for these restaurants that are on 50 percent capacity regulations right now to be able to expand their footprint to the outside. It increases their capacity, and it gives our patrons more comfort in being outside where there’s fresh air, and they can be more comfortable in dining out,” said Tere Richardson, executive director of Athens Main Street.

Richardson says she’s gotten lots of positive feedback on the change.

Many people are requesting for this to be a permanent fixture. Richardson says that’s a possibility the city might consider.