The Traveling Wheelchair

Landmark Center
201 Brookline Avenue
Boston, MA 02215
Phone: 617-247-0174
http://www.panerabread.com/

After an appointment at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Ric, Amanda and I headed to Landmark Center, a shopping mall close to BIDMC. While here we had lunch at Panera Bread which is only partially wheelchair accessible because the pick-up counter is way too high for me to reach.

There are plenty of handicap parking spaces inside the indoor parking garage close to the entrance of all stores. We entered the Panera Bread entrance located inside the parking garage; the entry door is not automatic so Amanda held the door open while Ric pushed my manual chair inside. Once inside we found ourselves in a dining area on an upper level. This dining area has wheelchair accessible tables and some inaccessible booths; a fireplace and free wireless internet access.

We approached a staircase which leads to the lower level where you order your food. I was relieved to see this Panera Bread has a wheelchair lift right next to the staircase to bring me to the first level.

Once on the lift, we noticed we needed a key to operate it; Ric stayed with me while Amanda went down the stairs to get an employee. This can be very inconvenient if you are alone with no one to get the key for you. A kind employee came back with Amanda and used to key to operate the lift for me.

Once on the first level,I saw that this Panera Bread has their typical signature style interior design; a cashier counter where you order your food; a special drink counter where you can order one of their specialty drinks; a pick-up counter where you pick up your food; a self serve beverage counter with coffee and fountain drinks; another dining area with accessible tables and some inaccessible booths.

The front countertop where you place your order is of a good accessible height for my wheelchair. The pastries which are placed on this countertop are easy to see while seated in my wheelchair. The cashier was friendly, courteous and kind.

The counter where you pick-up your food order is NOT wheelchair accessible for it is way too high for a customer in a wheelchair to reach; we approximate the height of this counter to be about 4.5 feet tall. The employees behind the counter can’t even see me because the top of my head doesn’t reach the countertop. The pick-up counters in all the Panera Breads I’ve been to violate the ADA and AAB/MA – Massachusetts Architectural Access Board regulations which requires a counter to be no higher than 36″.This regulation can be found at http://www.mass.gov/Eeops/docs/dps/aab_regs/521007.txt.

The restrooms are spacious, wheelchair accessible and fully ADA compliant; the faucet, soap dispenser and hand towel dispenser are within my reach.

I give this Panera Bread in Boston THREE STARS for wheelchair accessibility. In order to earn the other Two Stars, they would need to install an automatic entry door so a person in a wheelchair can enter independently; provide easy and quick access to the key that operates the wheelchair lift; and lower the height of the counter where you pick-up your order so a customer in a wheelchair can independently access their food.