- Joined
- Aug 23, 1999
This is what the law is. A CM carrying your tray if you are not able is a reasonable accommodation.Agreed. And the government agrees.
See: https://www.ada.gov/reachingout/lesson11.htm including the illustrated example "At a self-serve food bar, a staff person is preparing a tray of food for a customer using a walker." And https://www.ada.gov/reachingout/trayassist.html "In a casual restaurant, an employee assists a man using crutches, by carrying his tray to a table.". Its about "Making it possible for customers with disabilities to purchase your goods and services is an important part of complying with the ADA." and "The ADA requires businesses to make “reasonable modifications” in their normal ways of doing things when necessary to accommodate people who have disabilities." and "Most accommodations involve making minor adjustments in procedures or providing some extra assistance."
When I am alone with DD in a counter service restaurant, someone usually offers because they can see I can’t push her wheelchair and carry a tray at the same time. If they don’t offer, I ask the CM who is taking orders if someone can help me and I have never been denied. We do sometimes have to wait a little while, but assistance is provided.
For buffets, either the CM seating us or the server usually mentions that we should ask for help if we need it.
Again, we’ve not asked and been turned down.
Besides adding that you have a wheelchair to your ADR, mention any special needs when checking in for your ADR.Truly, everyone here is correct (except one) but if you have any concerns, make ADR's by calling, rather than MDE and ask about putting notations on the reservations about ECV / wheelchair seating and needing to be in an area closer to the buffet, bathroom, etc.. so it's noted ahead of time. The rest should be up to general human decency.
You can add special needs using MDE, we do it all the time. After adding your guests to the ADR, scroll to the bottom for special needs. There are check boxes for the common things, like wheelchair or allergy.