Four of us visited the Tacos Tequila Whisky Denver Highlands location last month for dinner. As my readers know, I am blind and on this trip I brought my guide dog Fauna. I followed the group in and the hostess was going to seat us inside until she saw that I had my guide dog. Fauna wears a traditional guide dog harness which says in large letters guide dogs for the blind. When I entered the restaurant I was rudely informed that because I had a dog that I was required to sit outside. I identified myself as blind and her as a guide dog. I was told that I needed to sit outside since this is their policy. We were seated outside (in the cold) and were the only ones in that outside seating area.

Perhaps Tacos Tequila and Whisky are not aware of the ADA rights associated with guide dogs users? As a guide dog handler I have every right any other paying customer has as long as my dog is not misbehaving (she never made a sound and she is impeccably groomed). I don’t think a wheelchair using customer would be asked to sit outside because they use a wheelchair, a guide dog should not be any different.

From my poor experience, it is apparent they need to take time to train their staff about legitimate service dog users and how to properly treat them. Now, I am willing to put my time where my mouth is, I am happy to offer assistance in directing to resources which will give their staff the information they need to better serve their disabled customers – so future guide dog users do not have a similar situation.

I have dined at this establishment in the Highlands many times and have never been so disappointed by wait staff as I was this visit. I took the time to inform them via their Facebook page, and never got a response until I sent them a second query. They finally responded with “we will look into it”. It is painfully apparent that Tacos Tequila Whisky need to take some time and review the rights of your disabled customers, and look up the ADA.