When designing a restaurant, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of choices to make. All these choices, large and small, contribute to your overall vibe – but some of the decisions you make may be ruining the guest experience for your customers with disabilities. Today we’ve got an interview with Justin Alpert, a restaurant architect who is passionate about making restaurants more accessible to all customers. His twin brother, and frequent dining companion, is blind, so Alpert has learned all about the design elements that make or break the experience of a guest with a disability.  We cover: The difference between designing a restaurant to code and designing a restaurant that's welcoming and hospitable for all your guests What restaurateurs should consider when looking at a new (or upcycled) space for a restaurant Simple ways that any restaurateur with any budget can help improve the dining experience for customers with disabilities How to train waitstaff to enhance the experience of guests with disabilities    Further Reading:  Justin's Instagram Justin's Twitter Dear Restaurants, Your Inaccessibility Is the Opposite of Hospitality For Larger Customers, Eating Out Is Still a Daunting Experience Thanks for listening to The Garnish! Sign up for our listener newsletter at https://pos.toasttab.com/the-garnish-podcast. Our theme song is Leopard, from Filmstro. 

When designing a restaurant, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of choices to make. All these choices, large and small, contribute to your overall vibe – but some of the decisions you make may be ruining the guest experience for your customers with disabilities.

Today we’ve got an interview with Justin Alpert, a restaurant architect who is passionate about making restaurants more accessible to all customers. His twin brother, and frequent dining companion, is blind, so Alpert has learned all about the design elements that make or break the experience of a guest with a disability. 

We cover:

• The difference between designing a restaurant to code and designing a restaurant that's welcoming and hospitable for all your guests
• What restaurateurs should consider when looking at a new (or upcycled) space for a restaurant
• Simple ways that any restaurateur with any budget can help improve the dining experience for customers with disabilities
• How to train waitstaff to enhance the experience of guests with disabilities   

Further Reading: 

Justin's Instagram

Justin's Twitter

Dear Restaurants, Your Inaccessibility Is the Opposite of Hospitality

customers-restaurants.html">For Larger Customers, Eating Out Is Still a Daunting Experience

Thanks for listening to The Garnish!

Sign up for our listener newsletter at https://pos.toasttab.com/the-garnish-podcast.

Our theme song is Leopard, from Filmstro.