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Shortly after I experienced discrimination at a Steak ‘n Shake drive-through window, I learned that there was a simple solution to make drive-throughs accessible: expensive touch-screen menus or a system like “Order Assist” which is produced by a company called Inclusion Solutions (www.inclusionsolutions.com).

Inclusion Solutions has been in business for seven years and has documented more than 6,500 incidents or complaints from deaf, hard of hearing and speech-challenged individuals. Many of the fast food restaurants insist that “there’s no problem” serving deaf, hard of hearing, and speech-challenged persons in the drive-through.

For example, the Steak ‘n Shake executives explained that my incident was the first one for the company, yet I learned that another deaf mom in my town also experienced difficulty at the same drive-through months earlier. As I explained to Steak ‘n Shake officials:  they weren’t aware of it because the customer drove away with the food and didn’t take the complaint to the next level. This happens over and over with many deaf individuals—the complaints do not travel up the chain to the executive level.

I visited a local Culver’s restaurant and decided to test out the Order Assist system. The process went smoothly, and I was greeted with a smile at the window as the employee took my order.  I went inside and met with the manager, Ron Dalrymple, who explained how the system worked.  Next to each register were stacks of order forms where customers can write down orders or circle menu items on a pre-printed menu. “When deaf people come in the restaurant and see the Order Assist system, their eyes light up,” said Ron. “They know they are welcomed here.” 

The owner of the company, Craig Culver, saw the Order Assist system as a worthwhile investment in providing drive-through access and made it available to all of the franchise owners. Craig’s father is hard of hearing and his personal experience growing up with a father with hearing loss helped influence his decision to add Order Assist to the Culver’s restaurants. 

“I believe in doing the right thing, and in my opinion, it was simply the right thing to do and a good business decision, too,” said Craig.

When fast food franchises are faced with the situation of making their drive-throughs accessible, they chose to place a sign on the speaker to instruct customers to order at the window. The problem with signs is that we’re tackling the issue in the wrong place,” said Howard Rosenblum, an attorney who is deaf.   “Deaf, hard of hearing, and speech challenged people already know that they need to drive up to the window for service.” 

Carol Nemecek-Kowalski went through a McDonald’s drive-through in the spring of 2007 and followed the instructions on the sign to pull up to the window.  She encountered an employee who insisted that she needed to drive around again.  Carol explained that she was deaf and told the employee that she needed to order at the window.  More explaining ensued until finally, Carol’s order was completed. “In the amount of time we spent arguing about how to serve me, I could have had my meal and long been on my way,” she said.

Rosenblum feels that the current lack of access in drive-throughs sends a powerful message to deaf and hard of hearing individuals that they are not welcomed there. “Failing to make drive-throughs accessible to deaf and hard of hearing people is akin to putting up a sign saying ‘Hearing People Only,’ which should offend everyone who cares about civil rights,” said Howard.

As for Steak ‘n Shake, the issue is still being discussed at the corporate level.  What remains to be seen is if Steak ‘n Shake will join Culver’s in providing access, or will they play the sign game?