ADA Website Accessibility Lawsuit: A Fast-Food Restaurant Chain

Plaintiff NELSON FERNANDEZ, represented by RODERICK V. HANNAH, ESQ., P.A., filed an ADA Title III lawsuit against a fast-food restaurant chain in the United States District Court, Southern District of Florida on July 23, 2025. The lawsuit alleges that the defendant's website, which serves as a critical point of sale and information hub for its physical locations, contains significant accessibility barriers for visually disabled individuals.

The complaint details several WCAG violations preventing effective communication and use by screen reader software. These include inaccessible address and hours of operations information, insufficient descriptions for food items (e.g., hot dogs without proper identification), pickup address information read aloud without an accompanying description, and a lack of notifications when quantities are changed or items are removed within the shopping cart. Furthermore, the plaintiff alleges that the website's stated "accessibility" policy or contact information was also inaccessible.

This legal action underscores the inherent risk for businesses, particularly those with a nexus to physical public accommodations, that fail to ensure their digital platforms comply with ADA Title III. Companies that offer online services, product information, and e-commerce functionalities must proactively remediate accessibility barriers or face potential litigation, demands for injunctive relief, and recovery of attorney's fees and costs.