Restaurant Chains To Make Locations More Accessible To The Disabled

Fast food restaurants are supposed to provide a quick and convenient eating experience, but that’s not always the case for people with disabilities.

The industry is now trying to change that by taking an important step to make their establishments more accessible. Twenty-six fast food and coffee shop chains, including McDonald’s, Tim Hortons and Mr. Sub, have decided to take voluntary action to meet the needs of the disabled.

“I’d like to thank McDonald’s and all the other chains that were involved in the commission’s study on accessibility, for recognizing what needed to be done, for being committed to getting it done, and now for serving as models for others of what should be done,” said Barbara Hall, the head of the Ontario Human Rights Commission.

These companies have set out five-year plans to identify any barriers they have in their restaurants and to come up with solutions.

“It’s really about opening our minds to the possibility that, without making accessibility a reality, we’re keeping some of our community members from full citizenship, and that hurts individuals, but it also hurts our communities,” paralympic champion Jeff Adams said.

Power assisted front doors show how far some companies have come, but once inside a restaurant there’s still much work to be done.

Disability consultant Lauri Sue Robertson said restaurant restrooms could be difficult for people in wheelchairs as many don’t have automatic doors and are difficult to move in.

“This is taking some manoeuvring and I don’t have a very big chair,” she said of the washroom at a fast food outlet. “A person on a scooter could not use this washroom.”

Restaurants including Select Sandwich and The Great Canadian Bagel were also mentioned in the report for the example they’ve set by changing the way they run their establishments. The bagel chain has done things such as changing condiment counters to make them easier to use for people in wheelchairs.

This plan was the result of a 2004 study called Dining Out Accessibility, which is the first report of its kind in the province.

The Ontario Human Rights Commission, which has been studying this issue for the last five years, has called for changes to the province’s building code to improve accessibility standards, and last week officials announced some of those proposed amendments will be made.

Queen’s Park has also promised to make Ontario an accessible province by 2025.

Here’s a look at the five accessibility commitments the restaurants have made:

    1. Develop an accessibility policy and customer complaints procedure
    2. Review and identify accessibility barriers
    3. Develop a standardized accessibility plan for future locations
    4. For existing facilities, develop a plan, and remove barriers
    5. Monitor progress toward achieving accessibility and report back

Here’s a list of restaurants making changes to the way they run their establishments:

Burger King
Coffee Time Donuts
Country Style Food Services Inc.
Cultures Fresh Food Restaurants
Darden Restaurants (Red Lobster)
Druxy’s
Great Canadian Bagel of Canada
Java Joe’s
Kelsey’s
Kentucky Fried Chicken
Montana’s Cookhouse and Milestones
McDonald’s Restaurants
Mr. Submarine
Pizza Hut
Pizza Pizza
Pizzaville
Second Cup
Select Sandwich
Starbucks Coffee
Subway
Harvey’s
Swiss Chalet
Taco Bell
Tim Hortons
Timothy’s World Coffee
Wendy’s

Here’s a look at the restaurants highlighted for their accessibility achievements so far:

• Select Sandwich has amended its franchise agreement and disclosure document to include its Accessibility Policy and Plan.
• Great Canadian Bagel developed practical solutions to some accessibility barriers: for example, since lowered condiment counters were awkward for customers to deal with, Great Canadian Bagel used higher condiment counters, but sloped them so as to be more accessible for those using wheelchairs. The size of menu boards was increased and the amount of text decreased: catering menus are provided for those who cannot read the overhead signs.
• Pizzaville has amended its standard lease agreements to alert landlords to their responsibility to provide premises that are accessible and barrier free.
• As each location lease expires, Cara Operations (Harvey’s, Kelsey’s, Montana’s and Milestones) undertakes renovations as commercially reasonable to include accessibility features, or closes the location and rebuilds pursuant to the standardized accessibility plan.
• Upon completion of its barrier review at each location, Select Sandwich will advise the landlord of each location of any accessibility barriers that are under the landlord’s sole control, and request that they be removed. In the event that the landlord refuses to remove barriers, Select Sandwich will report this to the Commission.
• McDonald’s has developed formal, standardized employee sensitivity training, with advice from the Canadian Standards Association.
• Wendy’s is a partner with the Canadian Standards Association in their “Building Champions” program, focussing on accessibility for people with disabilities.
• Tim Horton’s and McDonald’s indicated that they would be implementing their accessibility plans across Canada.
• Many restaurants took steps to ensure that their restaurants had Braille menus, as well as Braille or tactile signs on washroom doors.