[Blindtlk] Fwd: restaurant of the future excludes the blind

[Danielle Ledet]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Bob Branco <branco182 at verizon.net>
Date: Thu, 23 Mar 2017 18:56:04 -0400
Subject: restaurant of the future excludes the blind
To: Bob Branco <branco182 at verizon.net>

http://acb.org/PR-Eatsa
<http://mandrillapp.com/track/click/30489975/acb.org?p=eyJzIjoibHJLWFA3U2FTTW1BcklXZ3ZHM2hxVlBSNWYwIiwidiI6MSwicCI6IntcInVcIjozMDQ4OTk3NSxcInZcIjoxLFwidXJsXCI6XCJodHRwOlxcXC9cXFwvYWNiLm9yZ1xcXC9QUi1FYXRzYVwiLFwiaWRcIjpcIjIwNWI5ZWY5OGQ3NTQ2ZDk5NzFiOGZmNTA3MTk3OGMwXCIsXCJ1cmxfaWRzXCI6W1wiY2ZhM2Q2OWVlYWNhYzA5NWQxNWNhYTgyMzYxMDZhMDc2MzExZjBhN1wiXX0ifQ>



New York, NY—Eatsa, a chain of eateries touted as the “restaurant of
the future,” has arrived in New York City with two Manhattan
locations.  Yet its high-tech ordering and food pick-up process has
failed to include existing, readily available usability features for
blind and low vision people, in violation of civil rights law.
Disability Rights Advocates (DRA), a national nonprofit legal center,
filed a class action federal lawsuit today with plaintiffs the
American Council of the Blind and Michael Godino, a New York resident
who is legally blind and cannot access Eatsa independently,
representing the class.



Eatsa employs no waiters or cashiers. Instead, patrons order their
Eatsa meals through a phone app or at one of a number of in-store
ordering kiosks. These kiosks consist of Apple iPad devices mounted
and framed on a stand. When the food is ready, the customer’s name
appears on a screen along with a number.  The number directs the
customer to a cubby where they can retrieve their food.  The entire
process is silent.



While tablets can easily provide assistive technology that make text
accessible to blind and low vision users with a few taps, these kiosks
do not. Strikingly, the audio jacks and home buttons required for
accessible options are covered by a frame and no tactile features
exist on the kiosks.  Moreover, Eatsa’s phone app is also incompatible
with screen reader technology and the food pickup process has no
audible or tactile cues. While Eatsa’s kiosks contain an option to
request assistance from an employee, this feature, like every other
feature on the kiosk, is inaccessible to blind customers.



Eatsa is a growing national chain that has received national attention
for revolutionizing automated, self-service technology in the food
industry.  It was recently founded by San Francisco branding
executives Scott Drummond and Tim Young, and funded by David
Friedberg, a former Google and Monsanto Executive, who sold his
farming insurance startup for $1 billion dollars in 2013.



“Sophisticated business titans should be well-versed in laws related
to accessibility prior to launching new business ventures,” stated
Michelle Caiola, Director of Litigation at DRA’s New York Office. “The
Americans with Disabilities Act’s purpose is to ensure equal and
independent access for all, including those who are blind, and it has
been the law of the land for decades.”

Plaintiff Michael Godino, a New Yorker who is legally blind and has
low vision, was recently unable to access Eatsa without sighted
assistance. “It’s frustrating because the technology to make the app
and iPads accessible already exists,” he explained, “Eatsa just did
not care enough to include this technology in their design.”



Kim Charlson, President of the American Council of the Blind, said:
“Technology has had a major positive impact on improving the inclusion
of blind people. Eatsa’s concept is all about the power of technology,
but the company did not think to take the added steps to make it
accessible for its blind customers.”



The federal lawsuit filed in the Southern District of New York seeks
an injunction against Eatsa’s further discrimination of persons with
disabilities and a comprehensive plan to provide blind patrons
independent access to Eatsa restaurants.



A copy of the Complaint is available at
http://dralegal.org/press/eatsa-restaurant-future-excludes-blind-customers/
<http://mandrillapp.com/track/click/30489975/dralegal.org?p=eyJzIjoiODc0bTd2MGktenFjOHhEQXVlSzMtM0F3ZkswIiwidiI6MSwicCI6IntcInVcIjozMDQ4OTk3NSxcInZcIjoxLFwidXJsXCI6XCJodHRwOlxcXC9cXFwvZHJhbGVnYWwub3JnXFxcL3ByZXNzXFxcL2VhdHNhLXJlc3RhdXJhbnQtZnV0dXJlLWV4Y2x1ZGVzLWJsaW5kLWN1c3RvbWVyc1xcXC9cIixcImlkXCI6XCIyMDViOWVmOThkNzU0NmQ5OTcxYjhmZjUwNzE5NzhjMFwiLFwidXJsX2lkc1wiOltcImY2OThkODhmMjlhNTMzMmU2NzA0NGE3N2ZlNDZkNzdjZjg5OTg0YmRcIl19In0>



About Disability Rights Advocates 
Founded in 1993, Disability Rights
Advocates (DRA) is the leading national nonprofit disability rights
legal center.  Its mission is to advance equal rights and opportunity
for people with all types of disabilities nationwide.  DRA represents
people with the full spectrum of disabilities in complex,
system-changing, class action cases.  Thanks to DRA’s
precedent-setting work, people with disabilities across the country
have dramatically improved access to health care, employment,
transportation, education, disaster preparedness planning, voting and
housing.  For more information, visit www.dralegal.org
<file:///\\drafile1\Cases\Investigations\Diabetes%20Army\Media\www.dralegal.org>
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