ASK Italian celebrates braille menu rollout

With research revealing that 80% of those living with sight loss struggle to read menus, restaurant chain ASK Italian is striving to make the dining out experience accessible to all, launching braille menus across its 66-strong UK estate. 

Research by ASK Italian shows that, despite restaurants' efforts to create inclusive spaces, those with disabilities can often feel nervous, intimidated or anxious to eat out, so much so that 76% of those with accessibility barriers – including those who are blind or hard of hearing – have been put off visiting a restaurant in the last five years, resulting in missing key celebrations like birthdays and festive parties. 

To mark the occasion, and as part of its annual local artist collaboration to decorate its locations for Christmas, ASK has partnered with blind artist Clarke Reynolds to install a braille art piece in the window of the chain's Park Street restaurant in central London. Reynolds' installation features a snowflake made using only the braille alphabet and reads three courses from ASK's Festivo menu, plus a Christmas cocktail. 

Reynolds, who lost his sight in his right eye at age six and was later diagnosed in his early 30s with retinitis pigmentosa, has himself experienced the difficulties that can come with eating out and was a keen advocate for the introduction of braille menus. 

"As an artist, I'm on a mission to make braille as powerful as letters in the visual world, and normalise blindness and sight loss using our universal language," says Reynolds. "I'm overjoyed to be creating the first braille window display in the UK and I hope it helps in educating the wider public around how important it is to those in the visually impaired community.

"Having the opportunity to showcase the beauty of braille at ASK Italian is amazing, and I hope that it brings the topic of sight loss to the forefront of people's minds and get a deeper understanding of the struggles of inclusivity in a world made for those who can see."

The introduction of braille menus is one of the first initiatives to launch as part of ASK's ongoing commitment to creating a more inclusive dining environment, covering accessibility and dietary needs. Eighty-three percent of those who live with accessibility barriers also feel as though UK restaurant staff could be trained better in interacting with customers with accessibility issues. From January, ASK is adding to its Menu For Everyone initiative by also rolling out BSL training courses for front-of-house staff and additional braille signage on toilet doors. 

Corinne Prior, marketing director at ASK Italian, comments: "The reminder that so many people within the visually impaired community find it challenging to enjoy a meal out is heartbreaking. Enjoying lunch or dinner with friends should be something everyone can look forward to, but we understand that for some, it's easier than others.

"We're committed to making our restaurants a welcoming and inclusive place for everyone and are always looking for ways to make our restaurants more accessible. The festive season is a time to bring people together and our menus are designed to suit a wide range of tastes and dietary requirements. Now, with our braille menu even more people can enjoy the celebrations, big or small."

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