Restaurant Inaccessibility:Present Day Discrimination

By:

Miranda Sue Terry, M.S.University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Stephen J. Notaro, Ph.D.University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Diane L. Smith, Ph.D., OTR/LUniversity of Missouri

History

• The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990– Breakdown barriers for People with

Disabilities:• Employment• Transportation• Public Accommodations & Services• Telecommunications

History

– “…By breaking down these barriers, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

• will enable society to benefit from the skills and talents of individuals with disabilities,

• will allow us all to gain from their increased purchasing power and ability to use it, and

• will lead to fuller, more productive lives for all Americans.”

• Source: http://www.ada.gov/q%26aeng02.htm

Title III

• Provide some examples of private businesses:– Doctor’s Offices– Theatres– Schools/Day Care Centers– Hotels/Bars– Parks, Zoos, etc.– Restaurants ***

Restaurants

• Great example of private businesses offering goods and services

• What kinds of services do restaurants provide?– Food– Alcohol– Community Participation– Socialization Opportunities

Restaurants

• How often do you go out to eat…– Once a month?– Twice a month?– Once a week?– Twice a week?– Five times a week?– At least once daily?

Restaurants

– 57% vs. 73% (16% gap)

– In the 18- to 29- age group• the gap shrinks to 64% vs. 71% (7% gap)

– Source: National Organization on Disability (NOD)/Harris Interactive Survey (2004)

Research

• Focuses on restaurant accessibility.

• Hypothesis:– Nationally-owned restaurants would be

more compliant with the ADA than locally-owned restaurants.

Research

• Type of study– an observational, – cross-sectional, and – descriptive study of restaurant

accessibility – based on the minimum guidelines for

public buildings per ADA Title III. • These minimum guidelines were used to

determine compliance levels of restaurants.

Research

• Sampling frame:– Included were 271 bars and cafés that

were listed under the restaurant section of the 2008-2009 Yellowbook and served food were included in the sampling frame.

– 11 national– 15 local

Research

• Response rate: 77% – 20 out of 26 restaurants participated

• Data for 54 guidelines was collected from 20 restaurants– Total of 1080 measurements

Research

• Based on the hypothesis, do you think…– Nationally-owned restaurants more

compliant?– Locally-owned restaurants more compliant?

• Results:– Locally-owned restaurants were more

compliant.– No restaurants were 100% compliant

Important

• SO, why is this important?– Discrimination is wrong– If individuals with disabilities cannot

utilize the restaurant for leisure purposes then it also eliminates the possibility of employment

– Accessibility can benefit everyone not only people with disabilities

• For example…

Important

• AND…– Disabilities can be congenital or

acquired; thus, an individual without a disability can join this minority group as result of aging or accidents.

ADD!!!

• Pictures of most common inaccessible features (? As on poster)

• Results chart (? As on poster)• Business Incentives for becoming

more accessible (tax breaks & incentives)

• New 2012 deadlines for compliance