The Washington Lawyers’ Committee and Arnold and Porter, LLP filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia against Wings To Go, Inc., a franchisor of restaurants serving primarily chicken wings. The lawsuit challenges Wings to Go and the two corporations that own and operate the Wings to Go franchises in DC for failing to comply with Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the DC Human Rights Act. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the Equal Rights Center, a not-for-profit organization in DC whose members are persons with disabilities or disability rights advocates, and on behalf of Lewis Starks, a disabled resident of DC.

The lawsuit alleges that Mr. Starks, who uses a wheelchair, first visited his neighborhood Wings to Go location at 12th Street, NE in the summer of 2013. Upon arrival at the restaurant, he realized that it was not wheelchair accessible because of a six-inch step in front of the restaurant. Mr. Starks was unable to enter and was forced to order his food outside with the assistance of a staff member, and then to wait for his food on the sidewalk.

Additional surveys by the Equal Rights Center of area Wings to Go restaurants revealed wide-spread barriers to accessibility. The lawsuit aims to bring Wings to Go restaurants into compliance with the ADA and DCHRA, and to grant equal and full access to customers with disabilities.

A copy of the complaint is linked here.