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!

Ok. The policy is for a group of 8 people max to book in. To not discriminate against disabled person, Pizza Hut should have said that 8 disabled people PLUS their 8 carers could have a table. Therefore, they're not disadvantaged.

But this group asked for a table for 14 people PLUS 14 extras. This is not them being at no disadvantage, it's asking for a favour and then trying to shame a business for the wrong reasons

How can you not see this? If Pizza Hut had let 28 of them in they would be at a huge advantage over the normal policy, not just equal to other customers

Have people criticising the OP's stance thought about the implications of trying to organise group activities for children who may not always be able to participate in everyday life? The trials and difficulties in making children feel part of the world around them and not other?

This isn't and shouldn't be about what is policy for the general population. It's about a large corporation (albeit probably franchised) doing what they can to help a group of children with additional needs have lunch in a restaurant.

Pizza Hut have fallen short, IMO.

It is discrimination because they are expecting disabled people to eat by themselves when they cannot. Or never to come at lunch time.

At no point have I said that they were not allowed to book because they were disabled. But what they failed to do was to understand that in certain circumstances they should allow larger groups if those people need carers.

"Booking your party

Booking your party couldn't be easier!

To ensure a great experience, parties are available Monday to Friday termtime at 4pm, or weekends at 11am, and last around 90 minutes. Some Huts also offer 3pm at weekends. Some of our busier Huts may not run parties, but there will be a Hut nearby that does.

Kids parties are intended for 12s and under, with at least 8 kids and 1 adult. "

I suspect they've tightened up their policy on groups. I've noticed that our local one has fewer staff than it used to so I suspect they're cutting costs.

And i think the carers are irrelevant in this issue. Even without the carers, the party of 14 is too large for peak times, and was refused just as any other party of 14 would be.

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

but they surely do. on a regular basis.

I mean it's pretty normal for a family if 5 to turn up and ones a toddler so eats off mum and dads plate.

or ones a baby and eats a jar brought in.

one has allergies so parents bring lunch box.

a friend joins them making 6 but doesn't eat just orders a coke.

regular homeless man who sits in the corner fir an hour with a coffee

elderly couple sharing one between two.

I dont see how this is any different.

it's pizza hut. food is shit. all they have going fie them.in all honesty is how they fare as a venue.

this could have got them a fair bit of business. carers could have cone back later witg their families and all ordered meals etc.

now it's in the papers they have lost more than 24 meals

Pizza Hut probably backed down because someone went crying to the daily fail not because they're in the wrong. Their policy is no large parties during peak times its got nothing to do with disabilities

The point is that they should be willing to make different provision for disabled people. Just because a company has certain policies, that does not mean that they should apply them in a blanket way in all situations. As someone said, they certainly haven't considered the bigger picture of bad press.

I think that most people really have no idea what an organisation like this has to do in order to make an outing viable. I think that some of the comments on this thread illustrate the unfortunate way that people think disability is something that happens to someone else. Many of the children in this particular group would probably find it difficult to understand why they weren't having their lunch at the usual time.

An organisation like the one my dd attends I meant to say

It seems that they apparently did admit they were wrong

'A spokesman later added: 'We think we have made the wrong decision with this booking. It is our policy not to take large bookings at peak times, but we should have done so in this instance. We have apologised to the customer directly'.

because they are expecting disabled people to eat by themselves when they cannot. Or never to come at lunch time.

No they're not. If 4 of the pairs were to book a table, they would be able to book at lunchtime, just like any other group of 8 or fewer.

As someone said, they certainly haven't considered the bigger picture of bad press.

A company shouldn't have to behave a certain way at the threat of someone running off to the daily mail if things don't go their way.

You seem to have missed entirely that it would have been reasonable to book for 8 guests and to have had their 8 carers there too so they were at no disadvantage. But that it was because the group was nearly twice that size that they wouldn't be accommodated.

I do agree that companies could do more in general to go over and above to accommodate disadvantaged groups but ranting and raving that they're wholly unreasonable for not doing it and going to the press is not ok, it would be a nice to have but its not a right.

Actually I think it is a right. Unless you feel that disabled children should be kept at home and shouldn't be able to integrate with the community.

I think it's important that people do understand the ethics of a company. In much the same way that bad press is given to organisations who have an issue with breastfeeding mothers.

They do not accept large group bookings at peak times!

Well they should, and actually they admit that they should have done in this particular instance.

Cinema seats are free for carers as are many concert and theatre tickets.

The resto were unfair. Many parents sit with kids and share one meal. so it would not seem unreasonable to have 14 meals for 28 people. As parent I always shared just one medium pizza with DC. I shared deserts and cakes as well with friends in cafes. In the restaurants you are asked what you want to order but they never force tyou to have 2 full meals one for each person.

If they dont take group bookings for 14 people at that time, its not any kind of discrimination is it?

I'm sorry but o am the mum of a severely disabled child and I think you are throwing your toys out the Pram !

Why not just book as separate groups and then be allowed!!! You can't shout and scream for equality but want more than expected. Nor can I offer any credibility to the reporting of this story as it is in the Daily Mail!

This is silly. If 14 non-disabled people would be refused a booking, there is no discrimination for 14 disabled people to be refused a booking.

If there were to be 14 non-eaters, they don't need a seat. To try and book a seat while declaring they wouldn't eat is daft.

Why couldn't the carers order a couple of large pizzas to share between them? It's possible to eat and help someone with food at the same time.