Johnny Rockets in Braintree
South Shore Plaza
250 Granite # 196
Braintree, MA 02184
Phone: 781-843-5250
http://www.johnnyrockets.com/
After using the
Auto Ambulator at Braintree Rehabilitation Hospital, Kelly, Kevin and I went to South Shore Plaza and decided to have lunch at Johnny Rockets. Johnny Rockets is located at the corner by the Mall’s Food Court.
Entry is easy for it is a wide open entry from inside the mall. Once inside, I was very disappointment to find that this restaurant is completely inaccessible for my wheelchair :<)
This is especially disapointing because this restaurant is NEW to this mall and I usually find new restuarants fully accessible.
The customer service counter where you place your food order is way too high for me to reach :<)
There is no wheelchair accessible seating in the entire place :<)
The counter where you can eat your food at is NOT accessible. It is way too high for my wheelchair. Even if the counter was at a wheelchair accessible height, I wouldn’t be able to access it because the tall chairs are permanently bolted to the floor and not moveable for me to fit my chair :<)
Johnny Rockets has only booths. The path between the booths and counter is very narrow and a tight squeeze for my wheelchair to fit :<)
The booths are NOT at all accessible. The pole holding up the table of the booth blocks my leg rests on my wheelchair, preventing my wheelchair from fitting under the table :<) The space between the two booth seats are too narrow for my chair to fit. Even if I managed to squeeze in at the end of the booth, my wheelchair would stick out into the aisle and I would block access for others trying to pass by me :<)
There is no public restroom inside this Johnny Rockets.
My friends ordered my lunch for me and we brought our food out to the Mall’s Food Court.
I give Johnny Rockets ZERO STARS for wheelchair accessibility, as it was completely inaccessible to me. In order for Johnny Rockets to earn any Stars they would need to: lower a section of the customer service counter where you place your food order to a wheelchair accessible height; widen the narrow path between the counter and the booths; lower a section of the counter where you can eat your food to a wheelchair accessible height; enable some of the tall chairs to be removable so a wheelchair can fit at this counter; and add some wheelchair accessible tables in this restaurant.
February 17th, 2009 at 10:49 pm
Hey Kenny, I think all Restaurant owners should spend one full day in their restaurants in a wheelchair. Then they would understand the importance of accessibility !!
February 19th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
Hi Kenny & Co,
As usual your advocacy for individuals with disabilities is incredible! I want to comment on the legal obligation of any building inspector, Commissioner or other licensed building official. Under M.G.L. Chapter 22 section 13a all building officials are required to enforce 521 CMR which is also referred to as the AAB regs(Mass Architectural Access Board rules & regs); http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/22-13a.htm
If any building official shows a pattern of non-enforcement of the Mass. AAB regs, a formal complaint can be made to the Massachusetts Dept. of Public Safety BBRS (Board of Building Regulations & Standards)
Board of Building Regulations and Standards
One Ashburton Place, Room 1301
Boston, Ma 02108 Attn: Robert Anderson
Out in Western Mass. and particularly Hamden, Hampshire and Franklin County there are many access code violations of which the lack of enforcement is the primary reason. The Executive Director of the AAB does many municipal training conferences each year, coincidently I attended one this week and many building officials were present (25-40). One factor of the lack of enforcement is that many building officials don’t understand the regs and do not recognize violations when they exist and/or just don’t make it a priority. The AAB regs are unique to Massachusetts and, of which I would say do add to the many many structural codes and safety issues that building officials are responsible to enforce.
Either way individuals with disabilities do suffer from non-enforcement by experiencing architectural barriers and are denied full, free access to the many aspects of daily living that others enjoy everyday.
Don’t fail to speak up about the many non-compliant buildings and facilities that you experience. Put the pressure on the Dept. of Public Safety, The BBRS, your state Reps & Senators and local officials. Make it known that individuals with disabilities will not accept being treated as second class citizens and planning for the Commonwealths economic future must be fully inclusive!
Scott Ricker
Volunteer
Access Specialist
Email- ptbagger@verizon.net