Going out for a meal should be fun for everyone. However, if you are vision-impaired, how do you know what to order if you can’t see the menu? The answer is very simple. Read on!

 

How does a blind person know what to order?

If you are a person who visits the same restaurant regularly, you have probably learned what they offer and which of the menu choices you like. You simply ask for what you want and there is no need to read the menu. But, what if you are going somewhere new? What if you can’t read the menu? What are your options for having a satisfying meal?

 

What are the three methods for reading a menu at a new restaurant

Depending on how much time I have prior to going out for a meal, I use one of three methods for discovering what is being offered.

 

A word about courtesy. I am not comfortable dining out with friends and having one of the sighted ones go through the entire menu. I believe that this puts a Burdon on the person reading the menu and impairs the impression of independence I work really hard to cultivate. So, I never ask a sighted friend to read the whole menu for me.

 

How do blind people read a menu: Read the menu online

I think it is a pretty safe bet to say that all eating establishments worth anything have their menus available online. This is even truer for chain restaurants.

If I know I am going out to a new place and if I have time, I Google the name of the restaurant and search for a copy of the menu on their website. Many places have their menus in a downloadable pdf format. It is just a matter of downloading the document and checking out what they have to offer. What could be simpler?

 

How do blind people read a menu: Ask your friends.

Even if you and your dinner friends are being spontaneous, there are methods of ordering your choice of food without prior research.

 

When going out with friends, everyone likes to be asked their opinions. Just ask them what they like to eat and choose from those options. It is a good way to easily find a meal that works for you. And, it makes for a good dinner conversation starter.

 

How do blind people read a menu: Ask the server.

Like with having someone in your party read the whole menu, the server’s job is not to be a reader for you. Before asking what is on the menu, ask the server if there are any specials. Then, if that doesn’t match what you are looking for, decide what category of food you want (pasta, meat, or fish) and ask the server to mention the items in that category. Asking the server to read from a given menu category takes a lot less time and the server is more likely to be pleasant about it.

 

Dining out is one of the finer things in life. Being blind doesn’t mean that you cannot participate in the pleasure of deciding which of the delicious foods you want from a menu. A bit of forethought can make an evening out with friends a pleasure for everyone.