Annoying that this is a DM article. Disabled children refused lunch booking at Pizza Hut

[NewChristian]

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3474615/Pizza-Hut-accused-money-grabbers-refusing-book-group-disabled-children-lunch-carers-not-eating-well.html

...because their carers would not also be eating. The carers don't eat because the children need help to eat! So they are working with them. My daughter attends New Hope - she is severely disabled and cannot easily access the community (she's in the photo actually). I find it very sad that our society clearly still sees disabled people as second class citizens. I was going to book my youngest dd's party at Pizza Hut but now I won't!

It was in the Evening Standard too. Quite horrific attitude. Their offer to open at 11am was almost worse - as if these children can't share a restaurant with other dinners.

"A restaurant spokesman said: 'It is our policy not to take bookings for large parties at peak times but on this occasion we have waived this policy."

um... The booking was originally turned down because it was a group of 28, of which 14 were eating and the other 14 needed a seat too which would mean restaurant missing out on up to 14 paying customers at their peak business time. Even 14 is a large group which might violate the busy-period policy, never mind 28. Why couldn't the group book in at a less busy time? Mine would be happy to eat at 3pm, for instance.

Quite, Zampa

Pizza Hut are bonkers.

Wanted to make a booking for crica 20 DC at 2pm in half term - they wouldn't accept it because it was half term...

Actually - really sorry to not be with you on this - but the issue wasn't the carers not eating - it was making a peak time large group booking.

At the end it says that they have accepted that they should have been more understanding and apologised - which I think is true - but what would have happened is a minion on the ground executing policy rather than not wanting the disabled kids in.

Lljk - disabled people should have the same rights as anyone else. They should have the right to eat whenever they want to. Do you eat your lunch at 3pm??

The government and press don't help matters, other groups needs come before the disabled.

Actually - I do eat my restaurant lunch at 11am or 3pm - because we usually eat with SIL and her many small DC - and it's stressy to turn up at a busy time with a large party & staff being run off their feet etc.

It boils down to the fact that disabled people are still seen and treated as second class citizens.

As it happens, my daughter doesn't actually like Pizza Hut so I'm not just starting this thread because it affects her. It's the principle.

The same rights as anyone else

Nobody else would be allowed to take up 28 seats during peak times while only ordering 14 meals.

This IS being treated the same as anyone else.

Why don't they split into smaller groups?

That would much better achieve the stated objective of letting the DC enjoy normal Saturday lunchtime ambience.

Have to agree with trills, if you tried to book for 28 people with only 14 eating on a Saturday lunchtime you would be told no, no matter who you were.

What you actually want is not for disabled people to be treated the same as anyone else, but for businesses to make allowances and give them special treatment.

I agree that they should, but maybe not to the same degree you do.

Most people probably would not be allowed to make a booking for 28 seats but only 14 meals at any time.

Saying "you can do it at 11am or 3pm" is Pizza Hut making allowances.

You think they should make greater allowances and give more generous special treatment.

No it's not trills that's the same as saying a blind person can't go into a shop because they have a guide dog and nobody else would be allowed to take a dog in.

It's about creating a level playing field for disabled people. So what if they need 28 seats? The children need their carers to help them eat. It may be inconvenient for them but I'm pretty sure their attitude is against the DDA.

Equal rights means being able to do the same as other people, not being treated exactly the same - being treated exactly the same is often discriminatory.

Someone who can eat in a restaurant without needing a non-eating support person can do so at any time - someone with a disability should have the same opportunity.

Exactly, Jesabel I'm glad someone understands the point of equal rights.

The article said their policy was 'no peak group bookings'.

The organisers saw another party of 8 booked and challenged it.

But 8 to 14 is 50% more again - even without the carers being taken into consideration.

So why have they now backed down?

28 people is probably quite a large % of the restaurant, o do think that the organisers might have considered Saturday lunch time was maybe not the best time to try to book for such a large party.

I don't think an able-bodied group would be welcome to book 28 seats with only 14 people eating at any time, so this group are being accommodated to be allowed offpeak bookings when only half paying customers.

Do you eat your lunch at 3pm??

yeah, quite often actually!! :). I don't like to eat until hungry, so can take that long.

Gosh this is bringing back a few hell-hole memories of trying to manage just my 3 kids at Pizza Hut. (shudder) Never mind the idea of coordinating a group of 28. Plus each of the 14 kids might need wheelchair space? How big is the floor space in this Pizza Hut, anyway?

Is this in Worcester? The Pizza Hut there is small so I think 28 people would take up at least 1/3 of the restaurant.

Someone who doesn't need a carer to help them eat can't turn up in a group of 14 and book at peak times either. They don't accept large bookings of any kind of party so surely this is equality? They weren't refused because they're disabled.

If each of those people were on a plane and each needed a carer, the plane wouldn't offer free seats either.

Saying they can come but an hour earlier or later is fair.