An exploratory study on the perceptions of consumers with regards to how effectively South African restaurants communicate accessibility to the public

Abstract

An exploratory study on the perceptions of consumers with regards to how effectively South African restaurants communicate accessibility to the public. What are consumers’ perceptions on how South African restaurants communicate accessibility? Accessibility can be defined as the quality of being able to be reached or entered. The national disability prevalence rate is 7,5% in South Africa (Statistics South Africa , 2014). Accessibility has a large influence on how a consumer feels about the organisation and the environment that the organisation is in. This research study is to establish whether organisations communicate their accessibility in an effective manner and what organisation can do in order to improve their communication and accessibility standards. This research study made use of open-ended questionnaires that were conducted with eight participants which were each physically impaired consumers or have a relationship and experiences with a physically impaired consumer. Responses were analysed using a thematic analysis where themes were then further analysed. The findings resulted in a mixed response in terms of the knowledge that restaurant employees have around people with disabilities. The most common response was the hope for a standardized rating system in order for accessibility to be easier to understand.