- Perceivable: Information must be presented in ways users can perceive (e.g., text alternatives for images, sufficient colour contrast).
- Operable: All functionality must be usable via keyboard, mouse, or assistive technology (e.g., screen readers).
- Understandable: Content and navigation must be clear and predictable.
- Robust: The site must work reliably across current and future user agents, including assistive technologies.
In Perth’s competitive dining scene, an accessible website is a competitive advantage. It shows you care about every guest, and it helps you reach the growing market of diners who prioritise inclusive businesses.
The Legal Landscape – Avoiding Lawsuits
Australia’s Disability Discrimination Act 1992 requires businesses to provide equal access to goods and services, including digital platforms. In recent years, hospitality venues have faced legal action and negative publicity for inaccessible websites. A 2023 review found that over 40% of Australian restaurant websites failed basic accessibility checks, leaving them exposed to complaints and potential fines.
While the Australian Human Rights Commission encourages voluntary compliance, overseas precedents (such as ADA lawsuits in the US) show that courts are increasingly willing to penalise businesses that exclude people with disabilities. For Perth venues, proactive WCAG compliance is the smartest way to protect your brand and avoid costly legal disputes.
Contrast Ratios – Making Your Menu Readable for Everyone
Colour contrast is one of the most common accessibility failures on hospitality websites. Low contrast between text and background makes menus hard to read, especially for diners with low vision, colour blindness, or in bright outdoor settings.
WCAG defines specific contrast ratios:
- Level AA (minimum): 4.5:1 for normal text, 3:1 for large text.
- Level AAA (enhanced): 7:1 for normal text, 4.5:1 for large text.
For example, light‑grey text on a white background might have a ratio as low as 1.5:1—far below the standard. A simple fix is to use dark text on a light background or vice‑versa, ensuring a ratio of at least 4.5:1. This small change can make your menu instantly more readable for the 1 in 12 men with colour‑vision deficiency, as well as older diners whose vision may have changed.
Screen Readers and Keyboard Navigation – Beyond Visual Design
Many diners rely on screen readers (software that reads aloud web content) or keyboard‑only navigation (e.g., due to motor impairments). If your website isn’t built with semantic HTML, proper headings, and ARIA labels, these users cannot browse your menu, find your location, or make a booking.
Common pitfalls for hospitality sites include:
- Images of menu items without descriptive alt text (e.g., “DSC001.jpg” instead of “Crispy pork belly with Asian greens at a Northbridge restaurant”).
- Interactive elements (booking buttons, accordion menus) that aren’t focusable or announced by screen readers.
- Poorly structured headings that break the logical flow of the page.
This is another reason why a responsive HTML menu is far more accessible than a static PDF—screen readers can’t read text trapped inside an image‑based PDF, but they can navigate a properly coded menu with ease.
By adopting semantic HTML and ARIA landmarks, you ensure that every visitor can navigate your site independently—a fundamental aspect of hospitality.
The Business Case – Accessibility Boosts Bookings
Beyond legal and ethical considerations, accessibility is good for business. An accessible website:
- Improves SEO: Many WCAG practices (semantic markup, descriptive alt text, clear headings) align perfectly with Google’s ranking factors.
- Expands your audience: You capture diners who would otherwise abandon an inaccessible site.
- Enhances user experience for all: Clear contrast, logical navigation and keyboard shortcuts benefit every visitor, especially those using mobile devices in bright sunlight.
- Builds brand loyalty: Customers remember and recommend venues that make them feel welcome.
In fact, a 2024 study by Accessible Tourism Australia found that accessible venues reported 28% higher repeat‑booking rates than their non‑accessible competitors. That’s a direct revenue impact no Perth venue can afford to ignore.
Case Study – A Perth Restaurant’s Accessibility Overhaul
A popular Fremantle seafood restaurant noticed that online bookings from older diners and those with disabilities were unusually low. An audit revealed multiple WCAG failures: low‑contrast menu text, missing alt tags on dish photos, and a booking form that couldn’t be navigated with a keyboard.
We rebuilt their site with:
- Contrast‑checked colour palette (AA compliance).
- Semantic HTML and ARIA labels for all interactive elements.
- Descriptive alt text for every food image, incorporating local keywords.
- A fully keyboard‑accessible reservation flow.
Within four months, the restaurant saw a 22% increase in online bookings and received multiple positive reviews praising the “easy‑to‑read menu” and “stress‑free booking process.” The investment in accessibility paid for itself in under six months.
How to Get Started – Audit and Implement
The first step is to assess your current site’s accessibility. Free tools like Google Lighthouse, WAVE and axe DevTools can identify many common issues. However, these automated checks only catch about 30% of WCAG problems; a manual audit by an experienced developer is essential for a comprehensive review.
If you’re using a DIY platform (Wix, Squarespace) or a custom‑coded site, the fixes will vary. Often, the most effective approach is to rebuild with accessibility as a core requirement, using modern frameworks like Astro that encourage semantic, performant code. This also ties into the performance benefits discussed in our Technical Pillar article on website speed—fast, accessible sites deliver the best user experience and the strongest SEO results.
Your Digital Front Door Should Welcome Everyone
In hospitality, your website is your digital front door. If that door is hard to open for people with disabilities, you’re turning away potential guests—and risking your reputation. WCAG compliance is not a niche technical exercise; it’s a fundamental part of running a modern, inclusive Perth venue. By prioritising accessibility, you protect your business from legal risk, improve your search rankings, and, most importantly, ensure that every diner feels welcome.
Ready to Make Your Website Accessible?
We offer a free accessibility audit for Perth hospitality venues. We’ll review your site against WCAG 2.1 AA standards, provide a clear action plan, and show you how an accessible design can boost your bookings and strengthen your brand.
Take the first step: Book a free accessibility audit and let’s build a website that welcomes everyone.