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 seems they said they don't take group bookings but at the same time they would have been happy if everybody was eating, so it seems that the real reason was because not everyone would be eating and paying.

I don't think it is discrimination but I think they should be more flexible in policy. It sounds like they did get more flexible later. They had probably not come across such a situation before so they have probably changed policy a bit after this.

Equity, OP wants equity NOT equality. I think the law says the restaurant has to make reasonable provision. But that doesn't mean that access for disabled (equity) trumps all other considerations, such as financial viability, needs of other would-be customers, etc.

'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.'

Oh dear. First of all not all disability is not limited to people who can't walk I think you meant people who are not disabled. You really don't get it do you? The point is that these children CAN'T eat without 1:1. Anyone else can. It is not even as if they want to eat there every day. They should have accommodated the group because they otherwise can't go. They shouldn't have to come at a different time.

My (NT) children have had parties at Pizza Hut in Worcester before. Strangely enough, the staff had no problem with 12 parents staying with 12 children in that instance, even though they weren't eating.

Is limited

Disclaimer, haven't read the story, but:

If they don't allow group bookings at peak times I imagine no group of 14 or 28 would be allowed at peak times, regardless of how many would be eating.

Hopefully if a group of, say, 4 had booked with two being disabled and two being carers not eating, they would have allowed it. I would agree with you that it would not be ok to ban that group.

Some disabled people CAN'T travel without a carer. Should train and plane seats be free? Should cinema seats and theatre seats be free?

Well yes, SueLawley - actually our local cinema does offer free seats for carers. There are many concessions available for carers when accompanying a disabled child. I guess you probably don't realise this if you don't have any first hand experience with disability though?

well I will never go to pizza hut again

Many football clubs and concert venues also offer free carer tickets ....

Pretty shocked at some of the attitudes expressed here this evening. Clearly some people think that these kids shouldn't be allowed to participate in "normal" life. Shall we just leave them all indoors?

When you booked a party for your NT children was it at lunchtime on a Saturday? Or did you have to go at an off peak time?

So because i think the op in this instance is wrong, i automatically think disabled children should be segregated? Yeah, good one.

Zampa - I very much expected these kind of attitudes sadly - you only have to look at the comments relating to the article.

In answer to your question, yes the party was on a Saturday at peak time.

Well their 'policy' obviously does not take the Disability Discrimination Act into consideration. How exactly are they not discriminating?

I think the problem was that they were honest.

I bet loads of people turn up witg people who for whatever reason don't eat

with pizzas Tey are often large enough to share so I'm. not sure how obvious it would have been that half the oarty werent eating if they showed up ordered their food and got on with it.

ultimately whatever the policy on large bookings that's 28 people who will tell all their friends what happened who would then tell all their friends etc

so fir the price of 14 meals which pizza hut could absorb just this once, they have lost far more.

word of mouth counts for alot with recommendations.

It was really nothing to do with the disability. If they only accept bookings of 8 and under, if 4 disabled people and 4 carers would come in then that would be fine.

If it is restaurant policy not to allow bookings over 8 then the disability issue doesn't come in to it.

I hate people crying off to the press about issues which aren't issues because they didn't get their way. If it truly was because of a disabled issue, I'd be totally on your side. But it isn't.

Oh you 'call bullshit' do you? Do you not realise that troll hunting is against mumsnet policy?

The party was at 1pm on a Saturday. I really don't care if you believe me or not.

Why did the carers need a seat if they were working and not eating? Couldn't they stand or crouch or something? Genuine question, not being facetious.

I don't think many restaurants could afford to sacrifice 14 covers at peak time.

have to say in all my 21 yrs of having a disabled child who needs feeding, I have never known the carer not to eat as well.

Pizza hut parties are at 11am or (sometimes) 3pm too on weekends (4pm term time weekdays). They only book groups for non-peak times and busy restaurants don't do parties at all.

www.pizzahut.co.uk/restaurants/kids--families/

In this case I think it really is a case of not wanting big groups at peak times. Split into smaller groups to experience "normal" dining would be fine.

But the disability issue does come into it because disabled people need certain adjustments (bangs head against brick wall)

Why do you think shops often have signs which say 'no dogs except guide dogs'?

Well I would appreciate it if people would not accuse me of lying. The party was 6 years ago. Perhaps they have changed their 'policy' since then

Without knowing the ins and outs of the policies involved, im guessing it comes down to 'reasonable adjustments'?

If the restaurant in question can show that they have attempted to make adjustments to allow the party, but can't allow the full request due to safety/financial/health&safety reasons then its not discriminatory.

Eg my old workplace was a public building with no wheelchair access or disabled toilets. But this was not breaking any regulations because of the age of the building, and the cost it would take to nake the adjustments.

If the restaurant can show that they qould make substantial financial losses from giving the table at that time, but have offered an alternative rather than just saying no, then they are within regulations i would assume.