Who Let the Dogs In? A Positive Dining Experience
AUDIO VERSION
By Chantal Oakes
Too often, we hear stories about people who are blind being denied access to restaurants or other public places because they are accompanied by a guide dog. While it is important to speak out when discrimination occurs, it is equally important to recognize businesses that get it right.
On July 25, 2026, the AEBC BC Affiliate held a social outing at King Taps in North Vancouver. Twenty-eight people attended, including ten guide dog teams. From the moment we arrived until the end of our meal, the staff treated us with professionalism, courtesy, and warmth.
All guide dogs settled quietly beneath the tables throughout the meal, while the staff carried on as they would with any other guests. No unnecessary attention was drawn to the dogs or to our disabilities. The servers appeared comfortable assisting patrons who are blind, offering help when needed without making a fuss or treating us differently. It was refreshing to experience such a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere.
Positive experiences deserve to be acknowledged because they demonstrate that creating an inclusive environment does not require extraordinary measures, only a willingness to treat everyone as a valued customer. When businesses welcome people with disabilities as equal members of the community, everyone benefits.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the management and staff at King Taps for helping to make our outing such a success. Their welcoming attitude was a wonderful example of what inclusion can look like when a business simply recognizes that people with disabilities are customers too and their rights must be respected. Unfortunately, when a person who is blind and accompanied by a guide dog is denied service or access to a business, the consequences go far beyond one disappointing encounter. Being turned away can interfere with our ability to live independently and to participate in everyday life. It means that a guide dog user may be unable to enjoy the same restaurants, services, activities, and opportunities that others in the community can take for granted.
Full access to society should not depend on whether a business is willing to accommodate a guide dog. We should not have to choose where we can eat, shop, travel, or participate based on whether we will be welcomed at the door. That is why positive experiences like our outing at King Taps are worth celebrating. Businesses that understand this and welcome guide dog teams without hesitation are helping create a community where everyone can participate, belong, and enjoy all that is available in every community. We hope other businesses will take note, not because inclusion is an extraordinary favour but because it is simply the right thing to do.
Once again, a heartfelt thanks to the staff at King Taps for welcoming us without making assumptions about our ability to enjoy a meal the same as everyone else.
