The Illusion of Accessibility: When Good Intentions Fall Short

The above picture was excerpted from Lotte GRS.

The Illusion of Accessibility: When Good Intentions Fall Short

Siyoon Hyeong, 2025 / 1 / 4

Recently, I visited a fast-food restaurant to grab a hamburger. While placing my order, I noticed a kiosk with a wheelchair icon. Unlike the other kiosks, this one was visibly shorter and labeled as "Customer Eye-Level Access." It was designed to cater to wheelchair users, shorter individuals, and others who might need an alternative height for ease of use.

Excited, I thought, “At last, this fast-food chain has taken a step towards inclusivity by installing kiosks for wheelchair users!” However, my excitement was short-lived. A glaring issue caught my attention: a step at the restaurant entrance that made the building itself inaccessible for wheelchair users. Just to be sure, I looked around for an alternate entrance—but there wasn’t one.

Curious, I did some research. The company had promoted these kiosks last summer with much fanfare, emphasizing their commitment to inclusivity. Their press release boasted about introducing "accessible kiosks," reducing the height to 1,530mm and implementing a "low-screen mode" at 1,200mm to create a more user-friendly experience for people with mobility challenges. Yet, without a ramp or alternative entrance, these kiosks felt more like a hollow gesture than genuine progress.

This wasn’t the first time I had encountered what I call "performative accessibility." For example, a major supermarket recently introduced shopping carts designed for wheelchair users. However, the store’s energy-saving, single-direction refrigerators are highly inconvenient for wheelchair-bound shoppers. Retrieving items often requires an awkward reach, and the limited range of movement can make it impossible to access desired products. Such poorly thought-out measures leave disabled customers wondering: Why bother with wheelchair-friendly carts if basic shopping needs remain unmet?

These examples highlight a broader issue—accessibility features designed without truly understanding or addressing the needs of those they aim to serve. While these initiatives are often introduced with good intentions, their execution is frequently flawed, leading to frustration rather than empowerment for the people they’re meant to help.

True inclusivity demands more than surface-level solutions. It requires comprehensive planning, attention to detail, and a willingness to listen to the voices of those with lived experience. A kiosk that is technically accessible but placed in an inaccessible location serves no purpose. A shopping cart for wheelchair users is meaningless if the rest of the shopping experience is riddled with barriers.

As businesses and public spaces increasingly tout their commitment to inclusivity, it’s time for a shift in perspective. Accessibility isn’t a marketing checkbox or a design afterthought—it’s a fundamental right that must be integrated into every stage of planning and execution.

In the end, accessibility isn’t about grand gestures or public relations victories. It’s about creating spaces where everyone, regardless of physical ability, can live their lives without unnecessary obstacles. True progress will only come when accessibility is treated not as an exception but as a standard. Until then, the sight of a "wheelchair-friendly" kiosk at an inaccessible restaurant will remain a symbol of how far we still have to go.