Drive-through lane debate raises accessibility issues
March 2022
By Access Press Staff
In Minneapolis and St. Paul, debates over drive-through services are ongoing, with St. Paul Starbucks opting to remove a closed drive-through lane and the fate of two closed Minneapolis fast-food restaurants remaining uncertain. Drive-through services, criticized for emissions and pedestrian hazards, gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic, but city policies addressing climate change may threaten their existence.
Banning drive-through services directly impacts people with disabilities who rely on them for various daily tasks. In Minneapolis, a ban on new drive-through services since 2019 faced opposition from disability advocacy groups, while St. Paul, though discouraging new services, has not imposed a ban.
