TGI Fridays Hit with Wheelchair Access Class Action Lawsuit

A class action lawsuit filed Thursday accuses Briad Restaurants Group LLC, which owns TGI Fridays and Wendy’s, of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other laws by failing to make its restaurants accessible to people with disabilities.

Lead plaintiff, California resident Chris Hicks who is in a wheelchair, alleges in the TGI Fridays class action lawsuit that he had trouble navigating his way around a restaurant. “Specifically, this restaurant location denied Plaintiff equal access because it did not have fully accessible restrooms[sic],” explains the class action lawsuit, alleging that “[f]irst, Plaintiff had difficulty accessing the restroom because of the excessive force required by him to open the restroom door, and because the restroom door closer was not adjusted to allow the bathroom door to remain open long enough for him to wheel himself inside unassisted.”

“Once inside the restroom,” the TGI Fridays class action lawsuit continues, “Plaintiff was deterred from using the facilities because the toilet was located too far from the wall making it difficult for him to maneuver from his wheelchair to the toilet seat, the mounted locations/heights of the toilet paper dispenser, towel dispenser, and seat cover made it difficult or him to reach these accessories.”

The ADA class action lawsuit also alleges that Plaintiff was then deterred from using the sink to wash his hands because the pipes under that lavatory were not covered and thus, he feared losing his legs. The restroom mirror was also allegedly too high and not viewable. As a result, plaintiff was unable to use the bathroom, the ADA class action lawsuit claims.

Hicks alleges that he then complained to the restaurant chain that he had trouble navigating inside the restaurant. When he received no response, Hicks alleges that he retained outside experts to determine whether the restaurants where accessible. ““Those investigations, which are still ongoing, have to date identified the restaurants … as being in serious violation of state law as a result of their violations of the California standards governing the physical accessibility of public accommodations and/or the ADA which results in a violation of both Unruh and/or CDPA,” alleges the TGI Fridays class action lawsuit. Hicks alleges that his investigators have identified 20 restaurants currently violating state disability discrimination laws.

The TGI Fridays wheelchair access class action lawsuit accuses Briad Restaurants of violating state anti-discrimination laws, including the Unruh Civil Rights Act and the California Disabled Persons Act. According to the complaint, Briad has allegedly failed to make its restaurants, particularly restroom areas, fully accessible to individuals with disabilities.

Hicks is seeking to represent all mobility impaired/wheelchair bound persons located in California who have visited a TGI Fridays owned and operated by Briad.

The lead plaintiff is represented by Evan J. Smith of Brodsky & Smith LLC.

The TGI Fridays Wheelchair Access Class Action Lawsuit  is Chris Hicks v. Briad Restaurants Group LLC, Case No. BC546927, filed in the Superior Court of California, Los Angeles County.