Accessibility

Red Lobster is committed to making our websites and digital products accessible to everyone, including to individuals with disabilities, which is fundamental to our core values of Genuine Caring and Hospitality.

Red Lobster has commissioned digital accessibility centre (DAC) to undertake quarterly accessibility reviews of our websites and digital products, to make sure they are accessible to and useable by all our customers.

Red Lobster is continuously working to ensure our websites are accessible to all of our guests, however, on our sites we do have some links to third party websites. We cannot attest to the level of accessibility you experience once you leave Red Lobster's sites via one of these links. These include: the Online Ordering system, the Gift Card system, and Red Lobster Careers. Additionally, some third parties have embedded their own programs or interactive tools (known as "widgets") within Red Lobster's websites which Red Lobster similarly does not own or control, and therefore whose compliance cannot be guaranteed. These include the Interactive Nutrition Menu and the Nutrition Calculator. These issues can be circumvented by using the Access In icon at the bottom of each page, or by using the Contact Us page to contact the Red Lobster Team.

The DAC is a non-profit organization that works with clients to help them create digital media that is accessible to all, and that meets best practice accessibility standards. DAC testing process includes in excess of 100 hours of testing by disabled users, coupled with expert manual technical compliance review against level AA of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0).

PURPOSE

This policy is intended to meet the requirements of the Customer Service Standards included in the Integrated Accessibility Standards under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. It applies to the provision of goods and services to the public or other third parties, not to the goods themselves.

All goods and services provided by Red Lobster Restaurants shall follow the principles of dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity.

STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT

Red Lobster Restaurants and each of its business units recognizes the value of a business environment that embraces individual differences, including those among our guests, employees, business partners and all others in the communities in which we operate, and we are committed to creating and maintaining such an environment.  This commitment is based upon the recognition and belief that diversity and inclusion is critical to our ability to excel in an increasingly diverse and dynamic marketplace.  

Red Lobster Restaurants Accessible Customer Service Plan reinforces our company’s core values of being of service, diversity and respect and caring.  This policy complies with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA).

THE PROVISIONS OF GOODS AND SERVICES TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

Red Lobster Restaurants will make every reasonable effort to ensure that its policies, practices and procedures are consistent with the principles of dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity by:

• Ensuring that all Guests receive the same value and quality
• Allowing Guests with disabilities to do things in their own ways, at their own pace when accessing goods and services as long as this does not present a safety risk
• Considering individual needs when providing goods and services
• Communicating in a manner that considers the Guest's disability

THE USE OF ASSISTIVE DEVICES

Assistive Devices are defined as technical aid, communication device or other instrument that is used to maintain or improve the functional abilities of people with disabilities. Personal assistive devices are typically devices that Guests bring with them such as a wheelchair, walker or a personal oxygen tank that might assist in hearing, seeing, communicating, moving, breathing, remembering and/or reading.

Persons with disabilities may use their own assistive devices as required when accessing goods or services provided by Red Lobster Restaurants. In cases where the assistive device presents a safety concern or where accessibility might be an issue, other reasonable measures will be used to ensure the access of goods and services.

SERVICE ANIMALS

An animal is a service animal for a person with a disability if,

(a) it is readily apparent that the animal is used by the person for reasons relating to his or her disability; or

(b) the person provides a letter from a Regulated Health Professional (including but not limited to physiologist, psychotherapist, chiropractor, nurse, physician, mental health therapist, etc.) confirming that the person requires the animal for reasons relating to the disability.

A Guest with a disability that is accompanied by a service animal will be welcome to premises that are open to the public unless otherwise excluded by law. "No pet" policies do not apply to guide dogs, service animals and/or service dogs.

THE USE OF SUPPORT PERSONS

A support person is an individual who accompanies a Guest with disabilities to help the Guest meet his or her communication, mobility, personal care or medical needs or to assist the Guest in accessing goods and/or services. A Guest with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to enter Red Lobster Restaurants premises together with the support person and will not be prevented from having access to the support person while on the premises.

NOTICE OF DISRUPTIONS IN SERVICE

Service disruptions may occur due to reasons that may or may not be within the control or knowledge of Red Lobster Restaurants. In the event of any temporary disruptions to facilities or services that Guests with disabilities rely on to access or use Red Lobster Restaurants’ goods or services, reasonable efforts will be made to provide notice. In some circumstances such as in the situation of unplanned temporary disruptions, advance notice may not be possible.

In the event that a notification needs to be posted the following information will be included unless it is not readily available or known:

• Goods or services that are disrupted or unavailable
• Reason for the disruption
• Anticipated duration
• A description of alternative services or options

When disruptions occur Red Lobster Restaurants will provide notice by:

• Posting notices in conspicuous places including at the point of disruption, at the main entrance and the nearest accessible entrance to the service disruption and/or on the Red Lobster Restaurant’s website
• Contacting Guests with appointments
• Verbally notifying Guests when they are making a reservation or appointment
• By any other method that may be reasonable under the circumstances

GUEST FEEDBACK

The ultimate goal of Red Lobster Restaurants is to meet and surpass our guest’s expectations while serving guests with disabilities.  Comments on our services regarding how well those expectations are being met are welcome and appreciated.

Feedback can be provided verbally to any manager that is in the restaurant, or via our online Guest Satisfaction system which is outlined on the bottom of your guest check.  You may also contact us via the internet at www.redlobster.com/contact-us.  

Complaints will be addressed according to complaint categories already established in our company’s complain management procedures.

TRAINING

Red Lobster Restaurants will provide training for all employees that engage with Red Lobster Restaurant’s Guests, on how to effectively interact with Guests with disabilities. In addition, everyone who is involved with and/or influences Guest experience policies and standard operating practices and procedures will receive this training. Training will be recorded and updated in respect to any changes to the policies, practices, or procedures surrounding accessibility for Guests with disabilities. Training will be provided within the first week of employment.

Training will include:

A review of the purpose of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005.

A review of the requirements of the Customer Service Standards.

Instructions on how to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities.

Instructions on how to interact with people with disabilities who:

• use assistive devices;
• require the assistance of a guide dog, service dog or other service animal; or
• require the use of a support person (including the handling of admission fees).

Instructions on how to use equipment or devices that are available at our premises or that we provide that may help people with disabilities.

Instructions on what to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty accessing your services.

Red Lobster Restaurants' policies, procedures and practices pertaining to providing accessible customer service to Guests with disabilities.

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY AND FORMAT DOCUMENTS

Red Lobster Restaurants shall notify Guests that the documents related to the Guest Service Standards are available upon request and in a format that takes into account the Guest's disability. Notification will be given by posting the information in a conspicuous place owned and operated by Red Lobster Restaurants, the Red Lobster Restaurants' website and/or any other reasonable method.

MODIFICATION TO THIS OR OTHER POLCIES

Any policy of Red Lobster Restaurants that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities will be modified or removed. This document is available in an alternate format on request. This policy and related procedures will be reviewed as required in the event of legislative changes.

PUBLIC SPACES

Red Lobster shall incorporate accessibility into public spaces where applicable for Red Lobster to do so under the Design of Public Spaces in new build or with an extensive renovation. ** 

ADMINISTRATION

If you have any questions or concerns about this policy or its related procedures please contact Red Lobster:

Red Lobster Canada

PO Box 68, STN A

Etobicoke, Ontario

M9C 4V2

Tel: 437-887-1010  Fax: 407-289-5680

This policy will be reviewed on an annual basis, or when there are changes to legislation, procedures and/or practices.