Unboundedway

Expanding project to cover all restaurants & bars in Europe. Our mission: Enhance restaurant accessibility, respect diverse needs, & create a barrier-free dining experience. "Accessible Place" sticker.

We started working on this project after meeting as a mentor and mentee. We decided to collaborate because we shared similar ideas and a common goal of making the world more accessible and inclusive. Our initial focus was on assisting restaurant owners in enhancing accessibility and creating a welcoming environment for people with disabilities. During the process of designing solutions for both sides, we engaged with various individuals within these communities to comprehend their challenges and requirements. This helped us gain a deeper understanding of why accessibility features, particularly in restaurants, are crucial for people with disabilities, who would willingly visit such establishments if they knew they were accessible. Subsequently, we began brainstorming ideas and working on ways to facilitate both parties in a simple and non-overwhelming manner, leading to the development of three main pillars of our project:

1. Accessibility Evaluation: We assess the digital and architectural accessibility of restaurants, assist them in improving accessibility, and educate them on how to effectively communicate their accessibility features to customers. For the most accessible places, we provide our "Accessible Place" recommendation sticker, add them to our database, and showcase their accessibility features to our viewers with disabilities.

2. Accessible Menu: We created a solution called "Accessible Menu" to assist individuals with visual disabilities, but it is designed to benefit everyone. Restaurants receive a QR code that customers can scan to access an Accessible Menu. The digitally accessible menu is not only designed with WCAG 2.1 AA principles in mind but also includes information about vegetarian or spicy dishes and highlights the venue's accessibility features. Owners can easily modify and update the menu content themselves.

3. Our latest innovative product aims to facilitate communication between deaf individuals and restaurant staff throughout the entire ordering and payment process. In collaboration with a Polish Sign Language Translator, we developed a website containing short instructional videos that guide deaf individuals through each step, effectively bridging the communication gap.

Currently, we are conducting product testing with restaurants and their clients in the Wrocław area. Since our launch in June as Unbounded Way, nearly 1,000 people have utilized our solutions, and we have reached an organic audience of 4,000 individuals. Through this journey, we have had the privilege of meeting remarkable individuals who have faced challenges as restaurant owners or people with disabilities. Listening to their experiences and tailoring solutions specifically for them has reinforced the understanding that accessibility is crucial for both parties. What was missing was a unifying element that could simplify the process of making restaurants more accessible and also provide a means of showcasing these accessible places to people with disabilities. Hence, we are here, to connect people, as we firmly believe that food brings people together.