Eating Out In Access Friendly Places
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Unfortunately, it's still a
fact of life that a lot of people think "disabled" or
"elderly" means that you don't want to go out and have a good time,
get a nice meal at a restaurant, and so on.
Of course, nothing could be farther from the truth, but importantly, this mindset also means that a lot of places aren't accessible when they should be.
What does accessible mean?
Accessible means that there's a ramp into the building somewhere (even in an out-of-the-way location) so that those with limited mobility can still get into the building even if they can't manage stairs.
Actually, basic accessibility is a federal right
It's a little known fact that all businesses nationwide must now make some accommodations for basic accessibility like this unless the building itself was constructed before the year 1964.
Therefore, if a restaurant in your area is not making these types of accommodations, you do have legal rights. Research the Internet for resources to begin investigating having this situation corrected.
Should you patronize a restaurant that doesn't have proper accessibility?
That depends; many people who advocate for complete accessibility refuse to patronize establishments that don't cater to them, too. After all, the disabled and elderly are people just as anyone is, and everyone is going to face these kinds of issues at some point in their lives if they live long enough.
It's up to you to decide whether or not you want to patronize a restaurant that's not accessible by having someone help you in, etc. As more places become aware of this fact, as laws begin to become even more stringent and as the population itself becomes older and therefore less mobile, restaurants will have no choice but to make themselves accessible if they want to stay in business.
Alternatives
Of course, you have the right if you are disabled or have mobility issues in some way to be able to get where you want to go without hindrance. Therefore, you can choose to patronize only those restaurants that accommodate you and your needs.
If you're unsure, you can call the restaurant directly and check. Most restaurants are very, very happy to try to accommodate customers with mobility issues and are already accessible, in most areas of the country.
And of course, if a particular restaurant is not accessible even though it should be, and the restaurant won't do anything to change this, don't be afraid to "go public" simply so that others know of this situation, too.
You'd be surprised at how many other patrons will be offended that the restaurant itself is not accessible. It's just that many people don't even think about this until they're confronted with this fact themselves.
The bottom line?
Find favorite restaurants that will accommodate you and your needs so that you can go out and enjoy a good meal whenever you want to. That said, it doesn't hurt to become a bit of an activist and make sure that those places in town that DON'T patronize those with mobility issues currently will ultimately do so.
Of course, nothing could be farther from the truth, but importantly, this mindset also means that a lot of places aren't accessible when they should be.
What does accessible mean?
Accessible means that there's a ramp into the building somewhere (even in an out-of-the-way location) so that those with limited mobility can still get into the building even if they can't manage stairs.
Actually, basic accessibility is a federal right
It's a little known fact that all businesses nationwide must now make some accommodations for basic accessibility like this unless the building itself was constructed before the year 1964.
Therefore, if a restaurant in your area is not making these types of accommodations, you do have legal rights. Research the Internet for resources to begin investigating having this situation corrected.
Should you patronize a restaurant that doesn't have proper accessibility?
That depends; many people who advocate for complete accessibility refuse to patronize establishments that don't cater to them, too. After all, the disabled and elderly are people just as anyone is, and everyone is going to face these kinds of issues at some point in their lives if they live long enough.
It's up to you to decide whether or not you want to patronize a restaurant that's not accessible by having someone help you in, etc. As more places become aware of this fact, as laws begin to become even more stringent and as the population itself becomes older and therefore less mobile, restaurants will have no choice but to make themselves accessible if they want to stay in business.
Alternatives
Of course, you have the right if you are disabled or have mobility issues in some way to be able to get where you want to go without hindrance. Therefore, you can choose to patronize only those restaurants that accommodate you and your needs.
If you're unsure, you can call the restaurant directly and check. Most restaurants are very, very happy to try to accommodate customers with mobility issues and are already accessible, in most areas of the country.
And of course, if a particular restaurant is not accessible even though it should be, and the restaurant won't do anything to change this, don't be afraid to "go public" simply so that others know of this situation, too.
You'd be surprised at how many other patrons will be offended that the restaurant itself is not accessible. It's just that many people don't even think about this until they're confronted with this fact themselves.
The bottom line?
Find favorite restaurants that will accommodate you and your needs so that you can go out and enjoy a good meal whenever you want to. That said, it doesn't hurt to become a bit of an activist and make sure that those places in town that DON'T patronize those with mobility issues currently will ultimately do so.