Handicapped Accessible Restaurant

This is a research proposal which seeks the show why having handicap accessible facilities is a good idea in a restaurant. The proposal discusses four reasons why restaurant owners should choose to make restaurants handicap accessible. In the discussion it will be shown that as a public place there is the need to make the place handicap accessible. The examples of restaurants which are handicap accessible are given. More real life examples are given which will substantiate the need for making a restaurant handicap accessible.

Being Compliant. A restaurant being a public place needs to be compliant to all the needs of the public. A restaurant which is not handicap accessible will not serve people with disabilities. By being compliant to the public the restaurant will be setting a pace above the other restaurants at the same level with it. The facility will make it stand out from the rest as one which goes an extra mile to serve its customers.

It should be noted that a number of restaurants which are serious about their businesses offer handicap accessible facilities. They have made adjustments to ensure that if a visitor is handicapped then he gets to enjoy the restaurant services. According to Burnham & Howard (2008), some of the examples of restaurants which offer handicap facilities include: Comfort Inn: it offers handicapped rooms which have got washrooms which are handicapped compliant. Other restaurants which offer this facility include the Hampton Inn, & Howard Johnson (Burnham & Howard 2001, p. 82).

Possible Lawsuits. There are likelihoods handicapped people are likely to experience accidents in restaurants which have no handicapped facilities. This depending on the circumstances of the accident may cost the restaurant a lot of money in terms of lawsuits. If an accident involving a handicapped takes and it spills over to be a court case chances are the restaurant will tarnish its name. At times there might be damage done to the restaurant facilities if they are not handicapped compliant. This may lead the restaurant owner to involve in extra repairs which are not planned. Example of a damage done to a restaurant because of lack of handicapped facilities is as narrated by Aaron Shelbourne. Shelbourne narrates about her visit to Everest Restaurant & Lounge in which she being handicapped caused some damage to the door of the wash room which was apparently too small to accommodate her. On her way out, her friend who had accompanied was requested to visit the restaurant again because the wheelchair had caused some damage to the restaurant. Shelbourne felt humiliated and has expressed her sentiments publicly (internet). This evidently has a negative impression on the public image of the restaurant (Shelbourne, 2008).

It can be argued that it will be cheap to modify a restaurant to be handicapped accessible than rather just risking possible lawsuits and possible negative public image. It should be noted that a restaurant being handicapped will not mean that all the facilities will be turned to be handicapped accessible. The restaurant owner needs to just ensure that just a few facilities are modified to serve the interest of the handicapped people.

It should also be noted that a handicapped accessible restaurant will not limit any person form enjoying its facilities. This takes care of even the family and friends or companions of the handicapped people and thus ensures that no customer is locked out for whatever reason.

Making a restaurant handicapped accessible has got many advantages. First of all the restaurant becomes compliant with the public needs because it becomes possible for all the public members to access it. These facilities also make it possible for accidents to be avoided which may lead to expensive lawsuits. These facilities therefore ensure that all the public member’s can accessible a restaurant freely.