Small Business and ADA Readily Achievable Requirements - A Factsheet from the ADA National Network

Examples of meeting your “access to goods and services” obligation when physical barrier removal is not readily achievable

A restaurant has several steps at the entrance and no accessible entry is possible. Providing home delivery or some alternative service may be required. In other cases, it may be possible to place an order by telephone or online and have a clerk bring the order to the customer outside the restaurant. If an alternative service is provided, it is important to publicize this so that customers know how goods and services are offered.

In a different restaurant, it is not readily achievable to make counters accessible by lowering heights or providing an accessible counter or bar area. If possible, the restaurant should provide service in another way. This may include assisting customers by moving items to an accessible counter or to their table in another area.

A local grocery store is unable to make a sales/service counter accessible by lowering it. An alternative is installing a folding shelf or serving customers at a nearby accessible counter or table. If these steps are not readily achievable, the store should provide a clipboard or lap desk for customers as an alternative.

In a different grocery store, moving merchandise to create accessible aisles and lowered shelves would result in significant loss of selling space. In this case, staff should be available for customers who need help reaching merchandise. For example, staff can bring merchandise to a wheelchair user.