People that are living with disabilities are quite courageous, but for the most part they don’t want any special treatment. Quite on the contrary, they just want to be treated like everyone else and a big part of that involves being able to take part in things that normal people take for granted.
For example, while going to a restaurant might seem like an ordinary endeavor for you, for people with disabilities it can be a highly anxiety inducing thought because they might not be able to have all that comfortable of an experience. The fact of the matter is that most restaurants just don’t use furniture that has been optimized with the needs of the disabled in mind.
This is a great injustice since it prevents these individuals from taking part in some of the most basic comforts of life due to absolutely no fault of their own. Restaurant owners should really start looking into purchasing restaurant furniture that can be suitable for disabled people to use, and there are many options that can be explored here which we would like to shed some light on. Trying to buy tables for restaurants that are a bit on the lighter side can be a great first step for you to take.
People with disabilities often need a bit of extra room to move around in since they often use wheelchairs which take up a lot of space. They sometimes feel embarrassed when they’re faced with tight spaces that they would find difficulty navigating through, so it can be great to use lightweight furniture that can be easily moved to the side to allow them to get to where they need to go without too much trouble. You can visit restaurantfurniture.net to explore such options.
When you have a patron come in that uses a wheelchair
You should be flexible enough to move your restaurant’s chairs aside so that they can dine in comfort. They probably won’t be able to stand up and sit back down on any of your chairs, so rather than putting them through such an ordeal it would be far better if you were to just keep a space empty in a corner where chairs can be stored while not in use.
This really isn’t too much to ask, especially since the person with a disability is not really asking to use your furniture in the first place. A major reason why people with disabilities tend to balk at the thought of going out is that they fear that they might end up inconveniencing someone or the other.
They don’t want to feel like a burden after all, and if they were to come to your restaurant and see a bunch of people fretting over where they can put the chair when they remove it would make them feel precisely like that. Avoiding making them feel this way is really important, so having space set aside perpetually can help prevent such situations from occurring and embarrassing your loyal patrons in the process.
Another thing that you can do is to try to find tables that have adjustable heights
Oftentimes you might opt for furniture design that prioritizes tables that are higher than average. This incorporates high chairs as well which can be great since it can give the customer an elevated presence that would help them meet the eyes of their server even though they are sitting down. This is most certainly an element of casual sit-down dining, but you can plainly see that it is not conducive to an experience that would in any way be inclusive to those living with disabilities.
You might not want to eschew the use of this type of design since a lot of customers prefer it, so opting for height adjustable tables can be a useful middle ground. If a wheelchair bound patron comes in with their friends, they can simply roll up to a table and have it brought down to their level, thereby enabling them to eat whatever they wish with their friends sitting right next to them instead of being at an elevated height and therefore a bit out of reach when it comes to dinner conversation.
The manner in which you organize your furniture should be optimized for this type of crowd as well. A furniture layout that is extremely cramped is generally not a good idea, but it can be a downright nightmare for someone that might need a wheelchair to move around. Since this is something that you should do to create a clear and neat layout anyway, you might as well create an adequate amount of space around your tables and chairs.
If nothing else, you should at the very least create a straight and clear path that someone using a wheelchair can follow if they want to use the facilities. You don’t need us to tell you that disabled bathrooms are a must have in your restaurant, and not having them might result in you violating a wide range of codes that restaurants are supposed to adhere to.
Adding a ramp to your restaurant entrance
Is also a crucial aspect to making it disabled friendly, but all of the modifications in the world wouldn’t do any good if you don’t optimize your furniture accordingly. Not everyone is given the blessing of being able to live life in a comfortable and intuitive manner, so it is up to the lucky to make it easier for the unlucky to take part in such essential things. A lot more restaurant owners need to keep this in mind so that people with disabilities can finally start to feel like their needs are being met.
