ADA Website Accessibility Lawsuit: Restaurant Chain

Plaintiff OSCAR HERRERA, represented by RODERICK V. HANNAH, ESQ., P.A. and LAW OFFICE OF PELAYO DURAN, P.A., has filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida on April 28, 2025, against an operator of a chain of restaurants. The complaint alleges violations of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act due to the inaccessibility of the e-commerce website to blind and visually disabled users, preventing equal access to goods and services.

The complaint details several Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level A and AA violations. These include a lack of verbal notification for screen reader users when adjusting date, time, or guest fields on the reservation page (Guideline 1.3.1), an illogical reading sequence for wine year and price on the 'Beverages' menu (Guideline 1.3.2), an inaccessible date picker on the 'Private Events' page for keyboard-only users (Guideline 2.1.1), an inaccessible 'Pickup Time' grouping on the checkout page (Guideline 2.1.1), a 'View Cart' link with incorrect focus order (Guideline 2.4.3), keyboard focus issues after selecting a category on the online ordering page (Guideline 2.4.3), and a lack of announcement for error notifications on the 'Private Events' webpage (Guideline 3.3.1).

This federal action highlights the significant legal risks faced by companies whose online platforms and associated digital services fail to comply with ADA Title III requirements. Businesses operating e-commerce websites, especially those with brick-and-mortar locations, are vulnerable to lawsuits if their digital interfaces do not provide full and equal access for individuals with visual disabilities, leading to potential demands for injunctive relief, attorney's fees, and modifications to ensure web accessibility.