Arcos Dorados ordered to retrofit 49 McDonald’s in Puerto Rico to comply with ADA
The renovations will be carried out in four phases, with a deadline of Dec. 31, 2027.
The U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico has ruled against Arcos Dorados Puerto Rico LLC, the operator of McDonald’s on the island, in a civil rights case filed last year concerning alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
The lawsuit, originally filed by Walberto Hernández-Reyes and Faustino Xavier Betancourt-Colón, who is now deceased, sought to address “widespread and systematic illegal discrimination practices” at multiple restaurant locations.
The plaintiffs, represented by Vélez Law Group LLC, claimed that several McDonald’s locations in Puerto Rico were not in compliance with ADA regulations, particularly in terms of appropriate parking spaces for vans, access routes to the main entrance and ADA-compatible bathrooms.
As a result of the federal court’s decision, 49 McDonald’s restaurants on the island will be retrofitted to meet ADA standards. The renovations will be carried out in four phases, with a final deadline of Dec. 31, 2027.
“The ruling represents a significant milestone in the fight for accessibility in Puerto Rico, setting a precedent that could influence future legal actions against other businesses,” the Ley ADA Puerto Rico group shared on its Facebook page.
“This case proves the power of legal activism to promote significant social change, marking a turning point in the accessibility of fast-food establishments in Puerto Rico,” the group added.
The court’s order also requires the implementation of smartphone apps and accessible digital kiosks for ordering, with trained staff available to assist customers with the new technologies.
Additionally, Arcos Dorados must appoint an ADA coordinator to ensure ongoing compliance with the regulations.
In a statement sent to News is my Business, Arcos Dorados said, “We’re very satisfied with the result of this agreed agreement, as it adequately reflects our commitment to implementing initiatives for the inclusion of people with functional diversity, whether they are employees or customers. This implementation began in stages in 2020, and the agreement incorporates the progress plan that we had already designed until 2027.”
The first group of locations required to comply with ADA regulations by Dec. 31, 2024, includes the following restaurants: 65 de Infantería Avenue, Loíza Street, Caparra in Guaynabo, Aguada, and Isabela.
The second group, with a compliance deadline of Dec. 31, 2025, includes: Montehiedra, Vega Baja, and Alejandrino in Guaynabo.
By Dec. 31, 2026, the following locations must comply: Las Cumbres in Guaynabo, San Agustín in San Juan, Hato Rey, Santa Rosa in Bayamón, Bayamón Oeste, Corozal, Santa María in Guaynabo, Naranjito, Levittown, Toa Baja, Santana in Arecibo, Barceloneta, Manatí, Morovis, Caguas II/Degetau, Caguas Progreso, Las Catalinas in Caguas, Bairoa in Caguas, and Río Cañas in Caguas.
The final group of locations, with a compliance deadline of Dec. 31, 2027, includes: San Francisco, 65 Xtra and Barrio Obrero in San Juan; Buena Vista, Rexville, Magnolia and Drive Inn in Bayamón; Cataño; Dorado; Plaza Guaynabo in Guaynabo; Toa Alta; Riverside in San Germán; San Sebastián; Camuy; Cabrera in Utuado; Caguas Sur and Caguas Cordero in Caguas; Gurabo; Cayey 2; Cidra; and San Lorenzo.