{
  "version": "0.1.0-draft",
  "updated": "2026-10-10",
  "notes": "Two-level Areas: regions[] (Region → Place) for reels; areas[] kept for backward compat (prior MVP 17 flat list). Region order fixed: St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County, Metro East. Place lists expanded by Catalog: City 81, County 94, St. Charles 18, Metro East 56. Metro East = Madison County + St. Clair County, Illinois. Sushi and Breakfast are distinct cuisine reel labels. Other/metro-wide is UI-only and omitted from areas[]. Fast Food cuisine added 2026-10-05: national QSR brands retagged from more-specific cuisines. Six County CDP places added 2026-10-09 (Affton, Concord, Lemay, Mehlville, Oakville, Sappington); see TAXONOMY_CHANGELOG.md. Vietnamese and Korean cuisines added 2026-10-09 (cuisines 19 → 21); see TAXONOMY_CHANGELOG.md. Sandwiches cuisine added 2026-10-10 (cuisines 21 → 22); national pizza chains moved Fast Food → Pizza and sandwich chains → Sandwiches the same day; see TAXONOMY_CHANGELOG.md. O'Fallon/Riverview disambiguated 2026-10-10 (O'Fallon (MO), O'Fallon (IL), Riverview (St. Louis City), Riverview (St. Louis County); City neighborhood O'Fallon unchanged) — all place labels now unique; see TAXONOMY_CHANGELOG.md.",
  "regions": [
    {
      "label": "St. Louis City",
      "slug": "st-louis-city",
      "places": [
        {
          "label": "Academy",
          "slug": "academy"
        },
        {
          "label": "Baden",
          "slug": "baden"
        },
        {
          "label": "Benton Park",
          "slug": "benton-park"
        },
        {
          "label": "Benton Park West",
          "slug": "benton-park-west"
        },
        {
          "label": "Bevo Mill",
          "slug": "bevo-mill"
        },
        {
          "label": "Botanical Heights",
          "slug": "botanical-heights"
        },
        {
          "label": "Boulevard Heights",
          "slug": "boulevard-heights"
        },
        {
          "label": "Carondelet",
          "slug": "carondelet"
        },
        {
          "label": "Carr Square",
          "slug": "carr-square"
        },
        {
          "label": "Central West End",
          "slug": "central-west-end"
        },
        {
          "label": "Cheltenham",
          "slug": "cheltenham"
        },
        {
          "label": "Clayton-Tamm",
          "slug": "clayton-tamm"
        },
        {
          "label": "Clifton Heights",
          "slug": "clifton-heights"
        },
        {
          "label": "College Hill",
          "slug": "college-hill"
        },
        {
          "label": "Columbus Square",
          "slug": "columbus-square"
        },
        {
          "label": "Compton Heights",
          "slug": "compton-heights"
        },
        {
          "label": "Covenant Blu-Grand Center",
          "slug": "covenant-blu-grand-center"
        },
        {
          "label": "DeBaliviere Place",
          "slug": "debaliviere-place"
        },
        {
          "label": "Downtown",
          "slug": "downtown"
        },
        {
          "label": "Downtown West",
          "slug": "downtown-west"
        },
        {
          "label": "Dutchtown",
          "slug": "dutchtown"
        },
        {
          "label": "Ellendale",
          "slug": "ellendale"
        },
        {
          "label": "Fairground",
          "slug": "fairground"
        },
        {
          "label": "Forest Park Southeast",
          "slug": "forest-park-southeast"
        },
        {
          "label": "Fountain Park",
          "slug": "fountain-park"
        },
        {
          "label": "Fox Park",
          "slug": "fox-park"
        },
        {
          "label": "Franz Park",
          "slug": "franz-park"
        },
        {
          "label": "Gravois Park",
          "slug": "gravois-park"
        },
        {
          "label": "Hamilton Heights",
          "slug": "hamilton-heights"
        },
        {
          "label": "Hi-Pointe",
          "slug": "hi-pointe"
        },
        {
          "label": "Holly Hills",
          "slug": "holly-hills"
        },
        {
          "label": "Hyde Park",
          "slug": "hyde-park"
        },
        {
          "label": "Jeff-Vander-Lou",
          "slug": "jeff-vander-lou"
        },
        {
          "label": "Kings Oak",
          "slug": "kings-oak"
        },
        {
          "label": "Kingsway East",
          "slug": "kingsway-east"
        },
        {
          "label": "Kingsway West",
          "slug": "kingsway-west"
        },
        {
          "label": "Kosciusko",
          "slug": "kosciusko"
        },
        {
          "label": "Lafayette Square",
          "slug": "lafayette-square"
        },
        {
          "label": "LaSalle Park",
          "slug": "lasalle-park"
        },
        {
          "label": "Lewis Place",
          "slug": "lewis-place"
        },
        {
          "label": "Lindenwood Park",
          "slug": "lindenwood-park"
        },
        {
          "label": "Marine Villa",
          "slug": "marine-villa"
        },
        {
          "label": "Mark Twain",
          "slug": "mark-twain"
        },
        {
          "label": "Mark Twain I-70 Industrial",
          "slug": "mark-twain-i-70-industrial"
        },
        {
          "label": "McKinley Heights",
          "slug": "mckinley-heights"
        },
        {
          "label": "Midtown",
          "slug": "midtown"
        },
        {
          "label": "Mount Pleasant",
          "slug": "mount-pleasant"
        },
        {
          "label": "Near North Riverfront",
          "slug": "near-north-riverfront"
        },
        {
          "label": "North City",
          "slug": "north-city"
        },
        {
          "label": "North Hampton",
          "slug": "north-hampton"
        },
        {
          "label": "North Pointe",
          "slug": "north-pointe"
        },
        {
          "label": "North Riverfront",
          "slug": "north-riverfront"
        },
        {
          "label": "O'Fallon",
          "slug": "o-fallon"
        },
        {
          "label": "Old North St. Louis",
          "slug": "old-north-st-louis"
        },
        {
          "label": "Patch",
          "slug": "patch"
        },
        {
          "label": "Peabody Darst Webbe",
          "slug": "peabody-darst-webbe"
        },
        {
          "label": "Penrose",
          "slug": "penrose"
        },
        {
          "label": "Princeton Heights",
          "slug": "princeton-heights"
        },
        {
          "label": "Riverview (St. Louis City)",
          "slug": "riverview-st-louis-city"
        },
        {
          "label": "Shaw",
          "slug": "shaw"
        },
        {
          "label": "Skinker DeBaliviere",
          "slug": "skinker-debaliviere"
        },
        {
          "label": "Soulard",
          "slug": "soulard"
        },
        {
          "label": "South City",
          "slug": "south-city"
        },
        {
          "label": "Southampton",
          "slug": "southampton"
        },
        {
          "label": "Southwest Garden",
          "slug": "southwest-garden"
        },
        {
          "label": "St. Louis Hills",
          "slug": "st-louis-hills"
        },
        {
          "label": "St. Louis Place",
          "slug": "st-louis-place"
        },
        {
          "label": "The Gate District",
          "slug": "the-gate-district"
        },
        {
          "label": "The Greater Ville",
          "slug": "the-greater-ville"
        },
        {
          "label": "The Hill",
          "slug": "the-hill"
        },
        {
          "label": "The Ville",
          "slug": "the-ville"
        },
        {
          "label": "Tiffany",
          "slug": "tiffany"
        },
        {
          "label": "Tower Grove East",
          "slug": "tower-grove-east"
        },
        {
          "label": "Tower Grove South",
          "slug": "tower-grove-south"
        },
        {
          "label": "Vandeventer",
          "slug": "vandeventer"
        },
        {
          "label": "Visitation Park",
          "slug": "visitation-park"
        },
        {
          "label": "Walnut Park East",
          "slug": "walnut-park-east"
        },
        {
          "label": "Walnut Park West",
          "slug": "walnut-park-west"
        },
        {
          "label": "Wells Goodfellow",
          "slug": "wells-goodfellow"
        },
        {
          "label": "West End",
          "slug": "west-end"
        },
        {
          "label": "Wydown Skinker",
          "slug": "wydown-skinker"
        }
      ],
      "notes": "Independent city; official neighborhoods (+ interim rollups North City / South City where still used on seed rows)."
    },
    {
      "label": "St. Louis County",
      "slug": "st-louis-county",
      "places": [
        {
          "label": "Affton",
          "slug": "affton"
        },
        {
          "label": "Ballwin",
          "slug": "ballwin"
        },
        {
          "label": "Bel-Nor",
          "slug": "bel-nor"
        },
        {
          "label": "Bel-Ridge",
          "slug": "bel-ridge"
        },
        {
          "label": "Bella Villa",
          "slug": "bella-villa"
        },
        {
          "label": "Bellefontaine Neighbors",
          "slug": "bellefontaine-neighbors"
        },
        {
          "label": "Bellerive Acres",
          "slug": "bellerive-acres"
        },
        {
          "label": "Berkeley",
          "slug": "berkeley"
        },
        {
          "label": "Beverly Hills",
          "slug": "beverly-hills"
        },
        {
          "label": "Black Jack",
          "slug": "black-jack"
        },
        {
          "label": "Breckenridge Hills",
          "slug": "breckenridge-hills"
        },
        {
          "label": "Brentwood",
          "slug": "brentwood"
        },
        {
          "label": "Bridgeton",
          "slug": "bridgeton"
        },
        {
          "label": "Calverton Park",
          "slug": "calverton-park"
        },
        {
          "label": "Champ",
          "slug": "champ"
        },
        {
          "label": "Charlack",
          "slug": "charlack"
        },
        {
          "label": "Chesterfield",
          "slug": "chesterfield"
        },
        {
          "label": "Clarkson Valley",
          "slug": "clarkson-valley"
        },
        {
          "label": "Clayton",
          "slug": "clayton"
        },
        {
          "label": "Concord",
          "slug": "concord"
        },
        {
          "label": "Cool Valley",
          "slug": "cool-valley"
        },
        {
          "label": "Country Club Hills",
          "slug": "country-club-hills"
        },
        {
          "label": "Country Life Acres",
          "slug": "country-life-acres"
        },
        {
          "label": "Crestwood",
          "slug": "crestwood"
        },
        {
          "label": "Creve Coeur",
          "slug": "creve-coeur"
        },
        {
          "label": "Crystal Lake Park",
          "slug": "crystal-lake-park"
        },
        {
          "label": "Dellwood",
          "slug": "dellwood"
        },
        {
          "label": "Des Peres",
          "slug": "des-peres"
        },
        {
          "label": "Edmundson",
          "slug": "edmundson"
        },
        {
          "label": "Ellisville",
          "slug": "ellisville"
        },
        {
          "label": "Eureka",
          "slug": "eureka"
        },
        {
          "label": "Fenton",
          "slug": "fenton"
        },
        {
          "label": "Ferguson",
          "slug": "ferguson"
        },
        {
          "label": "Flordell Hills",
          "slug": "flordell-hills"
        },
        {
          "label": "Florissant",
          "slug": "florissant"
        },
        {
          "label": "Frontenac",
          "slug": "frontenac"
        },
        {
          "label": "Glendale",
          "slug": "glendale"
        },
        {
          "label": "Grantwood Village",
          "slug": "grantwood-village"
        },
        {
          "label": "Green Park",
          "slug": "green-park"
        },
        {
          "label": "Greendale",
          "slug": "greendale"
        },
        {
          "label": "Hanley Hills",
          "slug": "hanley-hills"
        },
        {
          "label": "Hazelwood",
          "slug": "hazelwood"
        },
        {
          "label": "Hillsdale",
          "slug": "hillsdale"
        },
        {
          "label": "Huntleigh",
          "slug": "huntleigh"
        },
        {
          "label": "Jennings",
          "slug": "jennings"
        },
        {
          "label": "Kinloch",
          "slug": "kinloch"
        },
        {
          "label": "Kirkwood",
          "slug": "kirkwood"
        },
        {
          "label": "Ladue",
          "slug": "ladue"
        },
        {
          "label": "Lakeshire",
          "slug": "lakeshire"
        },
        {
          "label": "Lemay",
          "slug": "lemay"
        },
        {
          "label": "Manchester",
          "slug": "manchester"
        },
        {
          "label": "Maplewood",
          "slug": "maplewood"
        },
        {
          "label": "Marlborough",
          "slug": "marlborough"
        },
        {
          "label": "Maryland Heights",
          "slug": "maryland-heights"
        },
        {
          "label": "Mehlville",
          "slug": "mehlville"
        },
        {
          "label": "Moline Acres",
          "slug": "moline-acres"
        },
        {
          "label": "Normandy",
          "slug": "normandy"
        },
        {
          "label": "Northwoods",
          "slug": "northwoods"
        },
        {
          "label": "Norwood Court",
          "slug": "norwood-court"
        },
        {
          "label": "Oakland",
          "slug": "oakland"
        },
        {
          "label": "Oakville",
          "slug": "oakville"
        },
        {
          "label": "Olivette",
          "slug": "olivette"
        },
        {
          "label": "Overland",
          "slug": "overland"
        },
        {
          "label": "Pacific",
          "slug": "pacific"
        },
        {
          "label": "Pagedale",
          "slug": "pagedale"
        },
        {
          "label": "Pasadena Hills",
          "slug": "pasadena-hills"
        },
        {
          "label": "Pasadena Park",
          "slug": "pasadena-park"
        },
        {
          "label": "Pine Lawn",
          "slug": "pine-lawn"
        },
        {
          "label": "Richmond Heights",
          "slug": "richmond-heights"
        },
        {
          "label": "Riverview (St. Louis County)",
          "slug": "riverview-st-louis-county"
        },
        {
          "label": "Rock Hill",
          "slug": "rock-hill"
        },
        {
          "label": "Sappington",
          "slug": "sappington"
        },
        {
          "label": "Shrewsbury",
          "slug": "shrewsbury"
        },
        {
          "label": "St. Ann",
          "slug": "st-ann"
        },
        {
          "label": "St. John",
          "slug": "st-john"
        },
        {
          "label": "Sunset Hills",
          "slug": "sunset-hills"
        },
        {
          "label": "Sycamore Hills",
          "slug": "sycamore-hills"
        },
        {
          "label": "Town and Country",
          "slug": "town-and-country"
        },
        {
          "label": "Twin Oaks",
          "slug": "twin-oaks"
        },
        {
          "label": "Unincorporated St. Louis County",
          "slug": "unincorporated-st-louis-county"
        },
        {
          "label": "University City",
          "slug": "university-city"
        },
        {
          "label": "Uplands Park",
          "slug": "uplands-park"
        },
        {
          "label": "Valley Park",
          "slug": "valley-park"
        },
        {
          "label": "Velda City",
          "slug": "velda-city"
        },
        {
          "label": "Velda Village Hills",
          "slug": "velda-village-hills"
        },
        {
          "label": "Vinita Park",
          "slug": "vinita-park"
        },
        {
          "label": "Warson Woods",
          "slug": "warson-woods"
        },
        {
          "label": "Webster Groves",
          "slug": "webster-groves"
        },
        {
          "label": "Wellston",
          "slug": "wellston"
        },
        {
          "label": "Westwood",
          "slug": "westwood"
        },
        {
          "label": "Wilbur Park",
          "slug": "wilbur-park"
        },
        {
          "label": "Wildwood",
          "slug": "wildwood"
        },
        {
          "label": "Winchester",
          "slug": "winchester"
        },
        {
          "label": "Woodson Terrace",
          "slug": "woodson-terrace"
        }
      ],
      "notes": "Incorporated municipalities + Unincorporated St. Louis County."
    },
    {
      "label": "St. Charles County",
      "slug": "st-charles-county",
      "places": [
        {
          "label": "Augusta",
          "slug": "augusta"
        },
        {
          "label": "Cottleville",
          "slug": "cottleville"
        },
        {
          "label": "Dardenne Prairie",
          "slug": "dardenne-prairie"
        },
        {
          "label": "Flint Hill",
          "slug": "flint-hill"
        },
        {
          "label": "Foristell",
          "slug": "foristell"
        },
        {
          "label": "Josephville",
          "slug": "josephville"
        },
        {
          "label": "Lake Saint Louis",
          "slug": "lake-saint-louis"
        },
        {
          "label": "New Melle",
          "slug": "new-melle"
        },
        {
          "label": "O'Fallon (MO)",
          "slug": "o-fallon-mo"
        },
        {
          "label": "Portage Des Sioux",
          "slug": "portage-des-sioux"
        },
        {
          "label": "St. Charles",
          "slug": "st-charles"
        },
        {
          "label": "St. Paul",
          "slug": "st-paul"
        },
        {
          "label": "St. Peters",
          "slug": "st-peters"
        },
        {
          "label": "Unincorporated St. Charles County",
          "slug": "unincorporated-st-charles-county"
        },
        {
          "label": "Weldon Spring",
          "slug": "weldon-spring"
        },
        {
          "label": "Weldon Spring Heights",
          "slug": "weldon-spring-heights"
        },
        {
          "label": "Wentzville",
          "slug": "wentzville"
        },
        {
          "label": "West Alton",
          "slug": "west-alton"
        }
      ],
      "notes": "Cities/towns + Unincorporated St. Charles County."
    },
    {
      "label": "Metro East",
      "slug": "metro-east",
      "places": [
        {
          "label": "Alhambra",
          "slug": "alhambra"
        },
        {
          "label": "Alton",
          "slug": "alton"
        },
        {
          "label": "Belleville",
          "slug": "belleville"
        },
        {
          "label": "Bethalto",
          "slug": "bethalto"
        },
        {
          "label": "Brooklyn",
          "slug": "brooklyn"
        },
        {
          "label": "Cahokia Heights",
          "slug": "cahokia-heights"
        },
        {
          "label": "Caseyville",
          "slug": "caseyville"
        },
        {
          "label": "Collinsville",
          "slug": "collinsville"
        },
        {
          "label": "Columbia",
          "slug": "columbia"
        },
        {
          "label": "Dupo",
          "slug": "dupo"
        },
        {
          "label": "East Alton",
          "slug": "east-alton"
        },
        {
          "label": "East Carondelet",
          "slug": "east-carondelet"
        },
        {
          "label": "East St. Louis",
          "slug": "east-st-louis"
        },
        {
          "label": "Edwardsville",
          "slug": "edwardsville"
        },
        {
          "label": "Fairmont City",
          "slug": "fairmont-city"
        },
        {
          "label": "Fairview Heights",
          "slug": "fairview-heights"
        },
        {
          "label": "Fayetteville",
          "slug": "fayetteville"
        },
        {
          "label": "Freeburg",
          "slug": "freeburg"
        },
        {
          "label": "Glen Carbon",
          "slug": "glen-carbon"
        },
        {
          "label": "Godfrey",
          "slug": "godfrey"
        },
        {
          "label": "Granite City",
          "slug": "granite-city"
        },
        {
          "label": "Grantfork",
          "slug": "grantfork"
        },
        {
          "label": "Hamel",
          "slug": "hamel"
        },
        {
          "label": "Hartford",
          "slug": "hartford"
        },
        {
          "label": "Hecker",
          "slug": "hecker"
        },
        {
          "label": "Highland",
          "slug": "highland"
        },
        {
          "label": "Lebanon",
          "slug": "lebanon"
        },
        {
          "label": "Lenzburg",
          "slug": "lenzburg"
        },
        {
          "label": "Livingston",
          "slug": "livingston"
        },
        {
          "label": "Madison",
          "slug": "madison"
        },
        {
          "label": "Marine",
          "slug": "marine"
        },
        {
          "label": "Marissa",
          "slug": "marissa"
        },
        {
          "label": "Maryville",
          "slug": "maryville"
        },
        {
          "label": "Mascoutah",
          "slug": "mascoutah"
        },
        {
          "label": "Millstadt",
          "slug": "millstadt"
        },
        {
          "label": "New Athens",
          "slug": "new-athens"
        },
        {
          "label": "New Baden",
          "slug": "new-baden"
        },
        {
          "label": "New Douglas",
          "slug": "new-douglas"
        },
        {
          "label": "O'Fallon (IL)",
          "slug": "o-fallon-il"
        },
        {
          "label": "Pierron",
          "slug": "pierron"
        },
        {
          "label": "Pontoon Beach",
          "slug": "pontoon-beach"
        },
        {
          "label": "Roxana",
          "slug": "roxana"
        },
        {
          "label": "Sauget",
          "slug": "sauget"
        },
        {
          "label": "Shiloh",
          "slug": "shiloh"
        },
        {
          "label": "Smithton",
          "slug": "smithton"
        },
        {
          "label": "South Roxana",
          "slug": "south-roxana"
        },
        {
          "label": "St. Jacob",
          "slug": "st-jacob"
        },
        {
          "label": "St. Libory",
          "slug": "st-libory"
        },
        {
          "label": "Summerfield",
          "slug": "summerfield"
        },
        {
          "label": "Swansea",
          "slug": "swansea"
        },
        {
          "label": "Troy",
          "slug": "troy"
        },
        {
          "label": "Venice",
          "slug": "venice"
        },
        {
          "label": "Washington Park",
          "slug": "washington-park"
        },
        {
          "label": "Williamson",
          "slug": "williamson"
        },
        {
          "label": "Wood River",
          "slug": "wood-river"
        },
        {
          "label": "Worden",
          "slug": "worden"
        }
      ],
      "notes": "Madison County + St. Clair County, Illinois."
    }
  ],
  "prices": [
    {
      "label": "$",
      "slug": "1",
      "notes": "Typical per-person avg under ~$20"
    },
    {
      "label": "$$",
      "slug": "2",
      "notes": "Typical per-person avg ~$20–35"
    },
    {
      "label": "$$$",
      "slug": "3",
      "notes": "Typical per-person avg ~$35–55"
    },
    {
      "label": "$$$$",
      "slug": "4",
      "notes": "Typical per-person avg ~$55+"
    }
  ],
  "price_rules": {
    "basis": "typical_per_person_avg_usd_before_tax_tip",
    "tiers": {
      "$": {
        "max_per_person_usd_exclusive": 20,
        "summary": "under ~$20"
      },
      "$$": {
        "min_per_person_usd_inclusive": 20,
        "max_per_person_usd_inclusive": 35,
        "summary": "~$20–35"
      },
      "$$$": {
        "min_per_person_usd_inclusive": 35,
        "max_per_person_usd_inclusive": 55,
        "summary": "~$35–55"
      },
      "$$$$": {
        "min_per_person_usd_inclusive": 55,
        "summary": "~$55+"
      }
    }
  },
  "cuisines": [
    {
      "label": "American",
      "slug": "american",
      "notes": "New American, contemporary without another primary identity; breakfast/brunch diners → Breakfast; national QSR → Fast Food"
    },
    {
      "label": "Bars & pubs",
      "slug": "bars-pubs",
      "notes": "Food-forward bars only; not every place with a bar"
    },
    {
      "label": "BBQ",
      "slug": "bbq",
      "notes": "Smokehouse / barbecue-primary"
    },
    {
      "label": "Breakfast",
      "slug": "breakfast",
      "notes": "Breakfast / brunch / daytime diner-primary; distinct from Cafe (coffee-bakery) and American dinner service"
    },
    {
      "label": "Burgers",
      "slug": "burgers",
      "notes": "Burger-primary local / independent / regional; national QSR burger brands → Fast Food"
    },
    {
      "label": "Cafe",
      "slug": "cafe",
      "notes": "Aliases: bakery, custard/ice cream + light food, coffee-food; breakfast/brunch-primary → Breakfast; Dairy Queen Grill & Chill national QSR → Fast Food"
    },
    {
      "label": "Fast Food",
      "slug": "fast-food",
      "notes": "Burger, chicken, taco and similar national QSR chains (McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, KFC, Chick-fil-A, Popeyes, Raising Cane’s, White Castle, Sonic, Arby’s, Chipotle, Qdoba, Panda Express, etc.). Exceptions (since 2026-10-10): national pizza chains → Pizza; sandwich chains → Sandwiches. Chicken-sandwich QSRs (Chick-fil-A etc.) stay Fast Food. Local burger joints stay Burgers; fast-casual locals stay their specific cuisine."
    },
    {
      "label": "Chinese",
      "slug": "chinese",
      "notes": "Chinese regional and American-Chinese; national QSR (Panda Express) → Fast Food"
    },
    {
      "label": "Indian",
      "slug": "indian",
      "notes": "Indian subcontinent primary"
    },
    {
      "label": "Italian",
      "slug": "italian",
      "notes": "Includes Hill red-sauce and pasta houses"
    },
    {
      "label": "Japanese",
      "slug": "japanese",
      "notes": "Ramen, izakaya, hibachi, broader Japanese; sushi-bar primary → Sushi"
    },
    {
      "label": "Korean",
      "slug": "korean",
      "notes": "Korean-primary incl. Korean BBQ (table-grill KBBQ is Korean, not BBQ), Korean-Mexican fusion where Korean flavors lead, and local/independent Korean fried chicken; national Korean fried-chicken franchises (Bonchon, bb.q Chicken, etc.) → Fast Food"
    },
    {
      "label": "Mediterranean",
      "slug": "mediterranean",
      "notes": "Greek, Levantine, broader Med when primary"
    },
    {
      "label": "Mexican",
      "slug": "mexican",
      "notes": "Mexican / Mexi-inspired taco houses; national QSR (Taco Bell, Chipotle, Qdoba) → Fast Food"
    },
    {
      "label": "Pizza",
      "slug": "pizza",
      "notes": "Pizza-primary: local/regional (incl. STL-style Imo’s, Dewey’s, etc.) AND, since 2026-10-10, national pizza chains (Domino’s, Pizza Hut, Papa John’s, Little Caesars, Marco’s, Papa Murphy’s, Hungry Howie’s, Jet’s, Sbarro, MOD, Hunt Brothers, Pizza Ranch, Cici’s, Rosati’s and similar) — exception to the Fast Food chain rule"
    },
    {
      "label": "Sandwiches",
      "slug": "sandwiches",
      "notes": "Sandwiches = independent delis/sandwich shops AND sandwich chains (Subway, Jersey Mike's, Jimmy John's, Firehouse Subs, Potbelly, Jason's Deli, Which Wich, Penn Station, McAlister's Deli, Schlotzsky's, Jersey Mike's, Capriotti's and similar). Exception to the Fast Food chain rule. Bakery-cafes (Panera, Kaldi's) stay Cafe unless primarily sandwiches; banh mi shops tagged Vietnamese stay Vietnamese; chicken-sandwich QSRs (Chick-fil-A etc.) stay Fast Food; Italian delis (Gioia's etc.) are Sandwiches."
    },
    {
      "label": "Seafood",
      "slug": "seafood",
      "notes": "Seafood / oyster / Cajun-seafood-forward; national QSR (Captain D’s, Long John Silver’s) → Fast Food"
    },
    {
      "label": "Steakhouse",
      "slug": "steakhouse",
      "notes": "Steak / chophouse primary"
    },
    {
      "label": "Sushi",
      "slug": "sushi",
      "notes": "Sushi / sashimi / sushi-bar primary; distinct from broader Japanese (ramen, izakaya, etc.)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Thai",
      "slug": "thai",
      "notes": "Thai-primary"
    },
    {
      "label": "Vegetarian",
      "slug": "vegetarian",
      "notes": "Aliases: vegan-friendly when plant-based is primary"
    },
    {
      "label": "Vietnamese",
      "slug": "vietnamese",
      "notes": "Vietnamese-primary (pho, banh mi, bun, com tam); mixed Vietnamese/Chinese or Vietnamese/Thai menus only when Vietnamese clearly leads; pan-Asian with mostly Chinese/Thai/Japanese menus keep that cuisine"
    }
  ],
  "cuisine_aliases": {
    "sushi": "Sushi",
    "ramen": "Japanese",
    "izakaya": "Japanese",
    "vegan": "Vegetarian",
    "vegan-friendly": "Vegetarian",
    "bakery": "Cafe",
    "custard": "Cafe",
    "gastropub": "Bars & pubs",
    "sashimi": "Sushi",
    "brunch": "Breakfast",
    "breakfast": "Breakfast",
    "diner": "Breakfast",
    "fast food": "Fast Food",
    "fast-food": "Fast Food",
    "qsr": "Fast Food",
    "sandwich": "Sandwiches",
    "sandwiches": "Sandwiches",
    "deli": "Sandwiches",
    "sub shop": "Sandwiches",
    "hoagie": "Sandwiches"
  },
  "areas": [
    {
      "label": "Central West End",
      "slug": "central-west-end",
      "phase": "mvp",
      "group": "city",
      "notes": ""
    },
    {
      "label": "Chesterfield",
      "slug": "chesterfield",
      "phase": "mvp",
      "group": "county",
      "notes": ""
    },
    {
      "label": "Clayton",
      "slug": "clayton",
      "phase": "mvp",
      "group": "county",
      "notes": ""
    },
    {
      "label": "Creve Coeur",
      "slug": "creve-coeur",
      "phase": "mvp",
      "group": "county",
      "notes": "Olive Blvd / CityPlace corridor"
    },
    {
      "label": "Downtown",
      "slug": "downtown",
      "phase": "mvp",
      "group": "city",
      "notes": "Includes Downtown West for MVP"
    },
    {
      "label": "Fairview Heights",
      "slug": "fairview-heights",
      "phase": "mvp",
      "group": "metro-east",
      "notes": "Metro East IL"
    },
    {
      "label": "Kirkwood",
      "slug": "kirkwood",
      "phase": "mvp",
      "group": "county",
      "notes": ""
    },
    {
      "label": "Maplewood",
      "slug": "maplewood",
      "phase": "mvp",
      "group": "county",
      "notes": ""
    },
    {
      "label": "Maryland Heights",
      "slug": "maryland-heights",
      "phase": "mvp",
      "group": "county",
      "notes": "Dorsett / Westport / McKelvey corridor; St. Louis County municipality"
    },
    {
      "label": "Midtown",
      "slug": "midtown",
      "phase": "mvp",
      "group": "city",
      "notes": "Includes Grand Center"
    },
    {
      "label": "North City",
      "slug": "north-city",
      "phase": "mvp",
      "group": "city",
      "notes": "MVP rollup: Old North / north neighborhoods"
    },
    {
      "label": "Soulard",
      "slug": "soulard",
      "phase": "mvp",
      "group": "city",
      "notes": ""
    },
    {
      "label": "South City",
      "slug": "south-city",
      "phase": "mvp",
      "group": "city",
      "notes": "Rollup: Cherokee / Tower Grove / Benton Park"
    },
    {
      "label": "St. Charles",
      "slug": "st-charles",
      "phase": "mvp",
      "group": "nearby",
      "notes": "City of St. Charles"
    },
    {
      "label": "The Hill",
      "slug": "the-hill",
      "phase": "mvp",
      "group": "city",
      "notes": ""
    },
    {
      "label": "University City",
      "slug": "university-city",
      "phase": "mvp",
      "group": "county",
      "notes": "Delmar Loop (U. City)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Webster Groves",
      "slug": "webster-groves",
      "phase": "mvp",
      "group": "county",
      "notes": ""
    }
  ],
  "areas_later": [
    {
      "label": "Other / metro-wide",
      "slug": "other-metro-wide",
      "phase": "ui-only",
      "group": "ui",
      "notes": "UI wildcard only — never a restaurant area"
    }
  ]
}