Why Accessibility is Hospitality’s Most Overlooked Growth Strategy

If you work in hospitality, you already know that every empty cover is a missed opportunity. While we focus a lot on the physical layout of the dining room, the digital front door often gets overlooked. According to the UK government’s 2025 report on private sector accessibility, a huge number of potential guests are being shut out by websites that simply don’t work for them. For a restaurant, this means if a guest can’t easily read your menu with a screen reader or navigate your booking platform, they’ll just book the bistro down the street instead. An accessible website opens the door for people using assistive technology (they want to order your food too). Prioritising digital accessibility is a strategic move that fills more tables and ensures your brand appears when potential customers are searching for a place to eat.

Access Barriers Are Widespread

The report surveyed 1,545 disabled adults across multiple sectors, revealing major gaps in accessibility:

• 65% of disabled people reported access barriers in retail, 57% in entertainment and hospitality, and 49% in wellbeing/personal care.
• 47% of people with vision impairments said they experienced difficulties in the technology sector, including websites and online services.

Barriers appeared at every stage of the customer journey: from researching products, to purchasing, to post-purchase support. The most frequently cited problem was “using or accessing the product or service.”

These findings show that inaccessible websites and services are major obstacles preventing people from engaging with your business.

The Many Benefits of Accessibility

Making your digital services accessible brings direct, measurable benefits:

• Expand your customer base: Disabled people represent a large and growing market. Providing accessible services ensures you’re not leaving money on the table.
• Increase sales and loyalty: Friction-free experiences reduce cart abandonment and increase repeat visits. Accessible services also tend to reduce errors, confusion, and customer support requests.
• Boost brand reputation: Businesses that are visibly inclusive are perceived as trustworthy, forward-thinking, and socially responsible.
• Reduce operational friction: Accessible design reduces the need for workarounds and repetitive support, saving staff time and cost.

Accessible design is ethical and profitable.

The new way guests find you: AI and Voice Search

The way people find a table has changed. In 2026, many of your potential guests aren’t just scrolling through Google; they are asking AI assistants or voice-activated devices to “find a nearby Italian restaurant with gluten-free options and a quiet atmosphere.” These AI agents “read” your website in much the same way a screen reader does. If your site structure is messy or your menu is trapped inside an unreadable PDF, the AI can’t find the information it needs to recommend you. By making your site accessible, you are essentially providing a clear map for AI discovery. It ensures that when someone asks for a recommendation, your restaurant is the one the technology can actually understand and suggest.

Most restaurants still do not provide accessible menus or booking or ordering options

Restaurants face unique challenges and opportunities when it comes to accessibility. The government report highlights that disabled customers experience high barriers in the hospitality sector:

• 57% of disabled adults reported difficulties using hospitality services.
• Common problems included booking online, accessing menus, ordering systems, and in-person navigation.

For restaurants, this represents lost revenue and dissatisfied customers: not just from disabled patrons, but also from companions, family, and friends who might choose a more accessible competitor.
By improving accessibility in digital services and physical premises, restaurants can:

• Capture more reservations and orders from currently underserved groups.
• Increase repeat business through smoother, inclusive customer experiences.
• Strengthen their brand reputation as welcoming and socially responsible.

Restaurants with accessible websites win customers and loyalty. You might be surprised at how quickly your bookings increase once you’ve fixed the inaccessible form you’ve been using for the last five years.

What “Accessible” Means for Digital Services

According to the report, difficulties arise from inaccessible information, poor product design, and inadequate communication/support. For websites and digital services, accessibility includes:

• Clear, understandable content: Headings, labels, alt text, and logical structure for screen readers.
• Smooth user flows: Navigation, search, booking, and checkout that work with assistive tools (keyboard, screen readers).
• Accessible communication: Contact forms, customer support, and feedback channels designed inclusively.
• Inclusive design from the start: Accessibility as a core principle, not a retrofit.

These changes make services usable for everyone, reduce friction, and increase conversions and loyalty.

The Early Bird Gets the Booking

The 2025 UK government report makes it clear: inaccessible services leave large portions of your potential market behind. Businesses that act early will:

• Gain access to loyal, high-value customers.
• Reduce frustration, complaints, and customer support costs.
• Improve brand reputation, social responsibility, and competitive positioning.

For restaurants and other customer-facing sectors, accessibility is directly tied to bookings, orders, and repeat business. Every barrier removed is an opportunity gained.

Make your website and services accessible, it’s the easiest way to expand your market reach. We build custom audits for clients that are based on business type, size and client needs. Book a meeting with us and we will send you a complimentary sample audit.