In theory, banquette seating is wonderful. You meet up with a bunch of friends at your favorite restaurant for a boozy brunch or a celebratory dinner, and you pack yourselves cozily into an L- or U-shaped bench upholstered with one supple fabric or another — Leather? Brushed cotton?— to talk shit about that weirdo cousin who keeps trying to involve you in a multilevel marketing scheme on Facebook.
Most notably, banquettes, especially the L- or U-shaped versions, are often inaccessible to wheelchair users and people with other disabilities. In these instances — which make up a not insignificant number of restaurant banquettes — the portion of the table that does not abut any part of the bench is generally meant to be where servers approach the seated party to discuss the menu, take down orders, and drop off food. It’s not meant to be where a diner using a wheelchair can sit.
The inability to accommodate wheelchair users isn’t the only accessibility issue created by banquette seating, of course. I’ve spent years with my older brother, who has cerebral palsy and is visually impaired, as he’s struggled to navigate unnecessarily tight spaces. To slide into a booth or banquette, he must contort his body in ways that are uncomfortable and sometimes painful.
And, for many, banquettes can be claustrophobic. If you are the unfortunate soul who ends up seated in the middle of a big group, it can be overwhelmingly difficult to get up to go to the bathroom, step outside for a breath of fresh air, or simply enjoy a moment free from knocking knees and elbows and thus messing up the entire table’s vibe. This can be even harder for people with larger body types or different ability statuses.
The allure of the banquette is obvious — having a sense of intimacy while still being engulfed by a given restaurant’s atmosphere is exciting! — but its many hindrances nullify its appeal. Groups have been sitting around ordinary tables in ordinary chairs since time immemorial without feeling as though they’re somehow missing out on something — and without excluding entire groups of people. Banquettes are terrible; it’s time to get rid of them.
And don’t wear velvet...wear silk...😉
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Source: Newsweek - 🏆 468. / 52 Read more »
Source: TODAYshow - 🏆 389. / 55 Read more »
Source: MSNBC - 🏆 469. / 51 Read more »
Source: seventeen - 🏆 412. / 53 Read more »
Source: MSNBC - 🏆 469. / 51 Read more »
Are these the chicest video game characters of all time?What do Waluigi, Lara Croft and Final Fantasy’s Lightning all have in common? Their LQQKS!
Source: i_D - 🏆 32. / 68 Read more »