Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Chipotle Ordered To Improve Accessibility

A California man who uses a wheelchair appears to have succeeded in his effort to force Chipotle to alter the height of its counters in order to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA.

Maurizio Antoninetti sued Chipotle Mexican Grill arguing that the fast-casual restaurant chain’s nearly 4-foot counters were too high for people using wheelchairs.

Typically, customers at Chipotle select the food they want and watch as their tacos and burritos are assembled. But Antoninetti said the counter height prevented individuals with disabilities from participating in the restaurant experience.

Chipotle said that it met the needs of customers with disabilities by bringing portions of each food to them to select from.

However, a federal appeals court decision last year found in favor of Antoninetti saying that the counter “significantly reduced Antoninetti’s ability to enjoy the ‘Chipotle experience.’”

Chipotle appealed the decision, but this week, the U.S. Supreme Court said it would not hear the case, allowing the lower court’s ruling to stand.