Blind and Visually Impaired Community
↑
16
↓
Restaurant menus and online accesibility (self.Blind)
submitted by WEugeneSmith
When I am going to a restaurant, I like to review the menu online ahead of time. This way, I do not rely on my friends to read the menu to me, even though I know they are glad to do so.
Lately, it seems that many restaurants' ' menus are posted as images, which cannot be read with JAWS. I would like to send these restaurants an email requesting that they post menus in a way that is accesible. I assume most of these places do not realize that their menuse cannot be read by the blind and Vi community.
Can any tech- savvy members of this community help me with the wording? Is it just as easy (or not?) for restaurants to post menus as pdfs or in html? I
I appreciate your help and advice.
ETA: There have been so many great suggestions on this subject. It really helps to be able to come to this sub for information.
Lately, it seems that many restaurants' ' menus are posted as images, which cannot be read with JAWS. I would like to send these restaurants an email requesting that they post menus in a way that is accesible. I assume most of these places do not realize that their menuse cannot be read by the blind and Vi community.
Can any tech- savvy members of this community help me with the wording? Is it just as easy (or not?) for restaurants to post menus as pdfs or in html? I
I appreciate your help and advice.
ETA: There have been so many great suggestions on this subject. It really helps to be able to come to this sub for information.
akrazyho 8 points 1y ago
How good are you at using your screen reader on your phone? I cheat and use the following I use either the UberEats app or the DoorDash app and that way I have full access to the menu without having to worry about whether or not the menu is accessible online. Both Uber eats and DoorDash have done a phenomenal job of making their menu system very accessible to the point where it reads the description of every item if the restaurant put one in.
[deleted] 3 points 1y ago
Hopefully they are on there though.
PriorVacation7 3 points 1y ago
I would recommend switching to the pick up option for more accurate pricing. I've noticed increased prices in the subtotal when delivery is selected.
WEugeneSmith [OP] 3 points 1y ago
This is a great idea!
ukifrit 1 points 1y ago
That's a nice trick. But lots of places in my town just don't have an Uber eats or other app's account. That's something to consider.
DHamlinMusic 7 points 1y ago
Not sure how to write this but good luck to you for putting in the effort. I’m pretty cynical and sorta assume they probably don’t care to start, and would not put in the effort regardless, but that's just me.
Crafty_Dragon_roll 5 points 1y ago
I have an easier time with menus on my phone than I do with a computer. There are still some menus that are inaccessible though.
Laurax-1994 5 points 1y ago
If you download the image and open it in adobe, you can OCR it with jaws. Not as good as solving the problem outright, but it does work pretty well; jaws key plus space, then o, then d.
WEugeneSmith [OP] 3 points 1y ago
Which Adobe program? Photoshop?
Laurax-1994 4 points 1y ago
Sorry should have specified, adobe reader. You will need to save the image in pdf format.
[deleted] 2 points 1y ago
I didn’t think of this but yes you can do it this way or any ocr type software open book or kurtzweil 1000 will work too.
LilacRose32 5 points 1y ago
This is a great idea - I do the same thing and have come across the same hurdle.
I also hate when they post a sample or don’t keep it up to date
I also hate when they post a sample or don’t keep it up to date
[deleted] 5 points 1y ago
I would write to them and just say it gently but honestly. This menu isn’t readable by my screen reader. Screen readers can’t read menus. It is not accessible to everyone. Would you mind making this a online web page, or a pdf everyone can read?
WEugeneSmith [OP] 3 points 1y ago
Thank you. I do intend to approach it with the attiude of being helpful. Is it just as easy to post as a pdf as it is as an image?
[deleted] 4 points 1y ago
Maybe not as easy no because with an image they can just take a picture of the menu or scan it in. I am guessing this may be what they are doing.
With text they would have to type it or actually ocr it which most people don’t know how so they’d have to type it or someone with more skills in that would have to ocr it.
Some websites do have it up as text so I guess those bothered to type and make a proper webpage for it?
With text they would have to type it or actually ocr it which most people don’t know how so they’d have to type it or someone with more skills in that would have to ocr it.
Some websites do have it up as text so I guess those bothered to type and make a proper webpage for it?
HegemoneMilo 3 points 1y ago
Though, in theory, they should have a digital file of the menu that they send to the printer... so they should be able to make a pdf of that.
[deleted] 3 points 1y ago
Agreed. One hope they still have it but yes if it was would be easy enough to make it pdf or webpage or html text.
WEugeneSmith [OP] 3 points 1y ago
Ah, that is what I was afraid of.
I am hoping the restaurants (esp the smaller ones) would have a file somewhere. Originally, somone had to type this for the printed menus and, if they have access to those files, maybe they could post them?
It can't hurt to ask. I am in a fairly small community and I am hoping that some (most?) of these businesses will want to be able to serve their VI and blind patrons.
I am hoping the restaurants (esp the smaller ones) would have a file somewhere. Originally, somone had to type this for the printed menus and, if they have access to those files, maybe they could post them?
It can't hurt to ask. I am in a fairly small community and I am hoping that some (most?) of these businesses will want to be able to serve their VI and blind patrons.
[deleted] 3 points 1y ago
Yeah, sorry for the bad news. Haha!
Hopefuly they have the typed files somewhere for sure. I am sure most of them didn’t write them by hand.
Hopefuly they have the typed files somewhere for sure. I am sure most of them didn’t write them by hand.
PrincessDie123 4 points 1y ago
Not sure but you can download the images and put them into a couple free iOS apps like SpeechCentral or SeeingAI which will translate images
ar243 3 points 1y ago
+1 for SeeingAI
thebluedanube15 3 points 1y ago
My boyfriend is visually impaired and when we’ve searched restaurants to order at he also likes reviewing the menu ahead of time and he runs into the same problem. What we’ve found helpful is sometimes some restaurants when searching on Google have a “menu” option and it shows the menu in an accessible way where his screen reader Voiceover can read it. If that option isn’t available we just search the restaurant up on Uber eats, DoorDash, or other food restaurant platforms and he reads the menu there like another user here mentioned. I hope this helps ☺️
Mister-c2020 3 points 1y ago
Hi, I'm the Boyfriend! As my SO has mensioned, I use platforms such as UberEATS, DoorDash and Google to look at restaurant menus. I usually don’t use my computer to look at restaurant menus because I’m usually moving around when I’m about to go to a restaurant. I also have had relative success with apps such as seeing AI to scann the menus. It's not perfect but, in my case it works when you have a Sighted person nearby to clarify certain options that may not come out right. Also, QR codes are very helpful. My advice is to make sure you have someone who could help you scan the code properly. In my experience, the code can sometimes be facing upside down or, certain lighting conditions can make it hard to scan. I don’t guarantee that these pieces of advice work 100% of the time. But, in my experience this has really helped me and made it easier for me to browse through menus while ordering or eating out.
PS: I know certain restaurants used to have Braille Menus! Honestly, from a person who is a native braille reader. I would strongly suggest not even looking for or asking for these menus bc many places don't have them anymore and also if they do they're probably extremely dirty or hidden in a crummy basement/storage. please note that this is just my personal point of view. If you feel you definitely need it when it’s available, there’s no shame in asking! I hope this helps you!
PS: I know certain restaurants used to have Braille Menus! Honestly, from a person who is a native braille reader. I would strongly suggest not even looking for or asking for these menus bc many places don't have them anymore and also if they do they're probably extremely dirty or hidden in a crummy basement/storage. please note that this is just my personal point of view. If you feel you definitely need it when it’s available, there’s no shame in asking! I hope this helps you!
Yeldece 2 points 1y ago
u/akrazyho 's idea is amazing, but if they're not available in your region:
If you're using iOS, No need to share your images with a third party app especially with Microsoft.
Firstly you can try screen regognition which is accessible via rotor. When you turn it on your phone will scan the app, also the images and will read them to you.
Second option is and which I use, save image to galary via taking a screenshot or an otherway, go to galary and boom it will scan the text and voiceover will read it to you.
If you're using iOS, No need to share your images with a third party app especially with Microsoft.
Firstly you can try screen regognition which is accessible via rotor. When you turn it on your phone will scan the app, also the images and will read them to you.
Second option is and which I use, save image to galary via taking a screenshot or an otherway, go to galary and boom it will scan the text and voiceover will read it to you.
PriorVacation7 2 points 1y ago
You could also leave a review on Google Maps, Yelp etc to pressure them into making the menus accessible.
[deleted] 0 points 1y ago
[deleted]
This nonprofit website is run by volunteers.
Please contribute if you can. Thank you!
Our mission is to provide everyone with access to large-
scale community websites for the good of humanity.
Without ads, without tracking, without greed.
scale community websites for the good of humanity.
Without ads, without tracking, without greed.
©2023 HumbleCat Inc • HumbleCat is a 501(c)3 nonprofit based in Michigan, USA.