When my mom had knee surgery and we were putting her in a wheelchair to take her out to eat, and we'd go places and they'd walk us all the way into the back of the restaurant, thru crowds of people. I hated that. For one, it was embarrassing to have to say "excuse me" to all the people we were rolling my mom over. Two, it's another pain in the !ahem! to walk back out thru that crowd when you're done.

Now that I use a cane, my dad uses a cane, and my mom uses a walker, first thing I do when going into a restaurant is to ask for a table close to the exit if at all possible. We also go out to eat a lot earlier in the afternoon. (4pm, sometimes earlier) Today (tuesday) when we went to Famous Dave's, going early, and asking for a specific table worked.

Last week, when we went to a different restaurant it didnt quite work out. At that place, I asked for a regular table (not a booth) and said we'd like it close to the exit. The moron hostess still walked us all the way into the back of the restaurant, past several tables that were in areas closer to the door that were obviously being staffed. We put up with it. I wasnt having a problem walking that day, and my dad said not to complain.

I've started to post reviews to the restaurants that make us walk thru crowds to seat us. If we had decent service, other than the hostess being a bit rigid in where she seated us after we've made our request, I'll still give good reviews for the food and the server. Hopefully by name, so that the business will know that we were treated great by the server, but that the hostess needs lessons in listening (and critical thinking)

I hardly ever go out to eat but I agree with you, Erin. It seems like when I do go out we're seated as far away from the front as possible. Could be it just seems that way (to me) because it takes me longer to walk it.

I've found that if I ask nicely.....and even make it seem like they're doing me some huge favor......they're more than happy to accommodate. I figure it's one of those "pick your battles" moment!

I've found that one thing I truly dislike is having someone walk behind me. Anywhere. I usually step aside and ask them to go ahead and usually they try to refuse but I hold my ground and ask them nicely to please go ahead of me - that it's easier for me to walk without someone behind me. The reason I do this is because so many folks get so close to me when I'm walking with a cane that it trips me up and makes it hard to keep my balance. Sometimes I end up having to explain why....which is tiring and often leads to questions. It's just easier to stay home. Now I understand why so many handicapped folks seem irritable! They're tired of having to explain their every move!

I never go out anymore, but when I did, I smoked
then and so did DH, so we got seated with the rest
of the smokers, in another far away room.. LOL

Sometimes I get the feeling that the people doing the seating dont want to see any handicap people, and so they're shoving us into the back so that we dont scare away the "normal" people.

Yep, an evil smoker who is also handicapped...Not popular..