[5] A Hypothetical Example

Here's a hypothetical story that illustrates how the "ripple effect" of a basic disability access issue can impact a typical retail business:

Let's suppose you own a neighborhood restaurant. Business has been pretty good recently.

You read in the trade journals recently that people with disabilities spend over $40 billion a year in restaurants, and wanted to increase your share of that market. So you remodeled and made a number of major renovations to attract their business, and now your hypothetical restaurant is fully barrier-free and in compliance with all of the ADA regulations.

As part of your remodeling project, you added several disabled parking spaces in the back parking lot, installed safety railings in your restrooms, and added a wheelchair ramp at the back entrance, because you realized those stairs at your front entrance could be a challenge for anyone, and especially for someone who is disabled or a senior citizen.

Although Brad and Janet Smith are neither disabled nor elderly, they have been excellent customers. For years, they have come in 2 or 3 times a week, usually with their 3 teenaged children. They're satisfied and loyal customers. They're "regulars."

Sometimes the Smiths bring their neighbors in, or relatives from out of town, or clients, or friends from Church. And their kids come in after school, usually with their friends. Teenagers can be especially good customers. They usually eat a lot.

The satisfaction of customers like the Smiths creates a "ripple effect" for your business. Like ripples spreading outward from a stone thrown into a pond, the Smiths' positive image of your restaurant spreads outward to others whose lives they touch in the neighborhood.

You wish you had many more customers like the Smith family.

Then one day, a waitress comments that she hasn't seen the Smith family lately. "They were so regular, and such good tippers, too," she says. And you suddenly realize, you haven't seen the Smiths either, not for several weeks.

And then you begin to wonder, where did they go ...