Papa John’s Sued Over Website Accessibility For Blind Customers

A visually impaired New York man has filed a lawsuit against pizza making giant Papa John’s, accusing the pizza chain of failing to make its website accessible to blind and visually impaired customers. 

The lawsuit alleges that the company’s website, which allows customers to browse menu options and place orders, is incompatible with screen-reading software, violating the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Papa John's Website Inaccessible to Blind Customers

Henry Tucker, who filed the proposed class action lawsuit, is legally blind and relies on screen-reading software to navigate websites. According to the lawsuit, Tucker attempted to order a “Papa Bowl” from the company’s website in December 2024 but was met with numerous accessibility barriers, including missing alternative text for images, broken links, and an inability to add items to his cart.

These issues, the lawsuit claims, prevented Tucker from completing his purchase, leaving him frustrated and excluded from an experience readily available to sighted customers. Tucker, a previous Papa John’s customer, wanted to continue ordering from the chain but was unable to do so due to the website’s design flaws. He argues that the barriers he encountered not only prevented him from placing an order but also deterred him from returning to the website in the future.

Website Violates ADA, Lawsuit Alleges

The Americans with Disabilities Act, passed in 1990, requires businesses to provide equal access to goods and services for people with disabilities. Over the years, this has come to include websites, especially as more businesses shift their services online.

The U.S. Department of Justice has affirmed that the ADA applies to digital spaces, stating that an inaccessible website can exclude people just as much as a physical location with stairs and no ramp. However, there is no official federal standard for website compliance, leading to inconsistent accessibility practices across industries and an increasing number of lawsuits over the issue.

Ensuring accessibility for blind and visually impaired users is not complicated, the lawsuit argues, and companies have clear guidelines they can follow. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) provide industry standards for digital accessibility, including requirements such as providing alternative text for images, ensuring website compatibility with screen readers, and designing intuitive navigation.

If Papa John’s had followed these guidelines, Tucker and other blind customers could have independently accessed the website, viewed menu options, and completed their orders without assistance. Instead, the company’s failure to implement these basic accessibility features has allegedly resulted in digital discrimination against blind and visually impaired individuals.

Digital Accessibility Lawsuits Target Companies

Papa John’s is not the only company facing legal scrutiny over website accessibility. In recent months, similar lawsuits have been filed against major corporations, including Verizon, Concordia University, and women’s clothing retailer Maurices.

In September, Verizon was sued for allegedly failing to make its website fully accessible to blind customers. The lawsuit claims the telecommunications giant’s website lacks essential features like alternative text and descriptive links, making it difficult for visually impaired users to shop online. Similarly, Concordia University and Maurices have been hit with class-action lawsuits over digital barriers that prevent blind users from navigating their websites independently.

With online services playing an increasingly vital role in daily life, digital accessibility lawsuits are becoming more common. For Tucker, he says he wants to revisit Papa John’s website as soon as the barriers are removed and he is suing to get a permanent injunction so the website becomes accessible to blind and visually-impaired consumers. He wants to represent people from across the U.S. in his claims of violations of the ADA and NYCHRL and he is also seeking damages, costs, fees, and interest.

Case Details

• Lawsuit: Tucker v. Papa John’s International, Inc.
• Case Number: 1:25-cv-00149-PAE-KHP
• Court: U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York

Plaintiffs' Attorneys

• Michael A. LaBollita, Dana L. Gottlieb, and Jeffrey M. Gottlieb (Gottlieb & Associates PLLC)

Have you experienced accessibility issues on Papa John's website? Share your thoughts on this lawsuit in the comments below.