#3 Reflection

The place I chose to review was Applebee’s located on Gilbert Rd. just south of the 202. I chose this restaurant because it is located in a very popular and busy area and I wanted to know just how accessible they are for those that are in need of accommodations. The sidewalks up to the restaurant were very well put together. The path was straight with nothing obstructing the way. The pavement was even, wider then 36inches, and non-slippery. There were also curb cuts located on the same side of the building next to accessible parking spots, but one could be located right in front of the restaurant for people being dropped off or for those that had to park somewhere else.
There were only 3 accessible parking spots that were marked with the universal sign on the ground and also with a sign in front of the space. The spots were12ft wide and had 5 ft of extra space in between two of the spaces that would help if there was an accessible van that needed room for a lift.
The ramp was located in the same area as the curb cuts, in between the two accessible parking spots that had the extra room. It was shorter then 6 feet so railings are not an issue.
The entrance to Applebee’s was two sets of double doors, in which the individual doors are a little bigger then 32 in. The doors are not always propped open for the customers nor is there an employee there to hold it for the customers. Even though the doors do close slower then 3 seconds, so someone would have time to open them and get through before they close on the person, the doors are big and heavy. Applebee’s might want to consider having a button to open the doors for those that might not be strong enough to open the door by themselves or have an official door greeter that opens the doors for everyone that comes in.
Once inside the restaurant there was a hostess to show you to your table and to accommodate your needs. While our hostess was seating us I was looking around at all the tables. If I was in a wheelchair, had crutches, or had difficulty with moving around, the seating in the place would be horrible. The tables were in rows and although there was 36in in-between each row, the tables in the rows were back to back and very close to each other. There was no room to move around. Even a person that did not need extra room would have a difficult time at the tables if someone was seated at the table behind them. So Applebee’s could get rid of a few tables and spread out the others so there would be more room in-between the tables. Once seated the height of the tables was 30in, so it was a very accessible and comfortable height. The knee spacing at the tables would have enough room, if the table legs weren’t right in front of the chairs. If they invest in tables with a central stand in the middle of the table and not in front of the chairs there would be enough room. The booths, on the other hand, only had one with a wide enough space to put a wheelchair at, if needed, and that was in the corner of the room. If they widened the aisles a little more they could put wheelchairs at the ends of the other booths to have more variety. The booths and tables in the bar area, although nice looking, would be a problem for people with a disability. The booths had a step to get up on to sit down. The tables in the bar area were high, as well as the chairs. It would be difficult for someone with a disability to sit there. Cutting a few inches off of the legs of the chairs and tables, and eliminating the step to sit in the booths would be perfect.
Once inside, the only other door you would come in contact with would be the doors for the bathrooms. They were clearly marked for the men’s and women’s bathrooms. The doors are a little bigger then 32” and although they were not as heavy as the front doors they did close quickly. I didn’t even make it out of the bathroom door without the door clipping the back of my foot. This definitely has to be changed; the door could be adjusted to close more slowly. When walking into the bathroom it was spacious with room to move around. They did have a larger stall that had railings and the amount of room needed. The locks were able to be closed and opened with a closed fist easily. When coming out and washing my hands the sinks were at 32” with the faucet handle being easy to use, even with a closed fist. The soap dispenser was on the back wall which would make some people reach uncomfortably to retrieve some soap. The soap dispensers should be at the side of the sinks for easy access. After washing your hands there was one automatic towel dispenser. Once you tore off a piece another would automatically come out, but it was a little higher then the recommended 48in and it would be difficult for someone who was close fisted to tear off a paper towel. There should be an automatic dryer that blows air.

Although Applebee’s did complete some standards, overall I would have to say that they are not an accessible place. They would have to make the specific changes mentioned above to enable it to be accessible.