Eating out may save the labor of cooking, but it sometimes comes with its own hassles: Traffic, parking, long waits. For some restaurant customers there is an added set of difficulties; diners with limited mobility must choose from a smaller list of restaurants that are accessible to them.

When I became the Post-Gazette restaurant critic last year, I took note of whether restaurants were accessible. I was quickly struck by how many restaurants in Pittsburgh that aren't partly or fully accessible.

Richard Meritzer, the Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator for the city of Pittsburgh, said that when the ADA was signed into law in 1990, all businesses that weren't accessible at the time were "grandfathered" in. That meant that a restaurant did not have to accommodate people with disabilities unless it underwent a renovation in which improving accessibility wouldn't cost more than 20 percent of the total construction costs. In fact, even new restaurants that opened after 1990 didn't have to be accessible, so long as the building wasn't changing use (e.g. going from a retail shop to a restaurant).

Given Pittsburgh's topography, it's no surprise that steps and multiple floors are common among Pittsburgh restaurants, the vast majority of which are housed in older buildings. Choosing from a limited list of restaurants is frustrating enough, but this list isn't even clearly delineated. There is no data base, public or private, that keeps track of which restaurants are accessible.

Allan Sampson, who uses a wheelchair and frequently dines out in Pittsburgh and other cities, wrote in an e-mail, "If it is a restaurant I have not been to previously and do not know much about, I need to call the restaurant and ask detailed questions. And even then if I do not ask exactly the correct questions, I can sometimes be unintentionally misled."

Accessibility is not always clear. For some people it may mean simply no stairs. But the place also must have doorways wide enough for wheelchairs, as well as doors that swing open in the right direction with a sufficient amount of clearance. Aisles within the restaurant must be wide enough to allow a wheelchair to smoothly pass through them.

After I review a restaurant, I always call after my visit to check facts and ask about accessibility. Some managers aren't sure what I mean by the question. They might say, "Well, there are no stairs." Or, "Our restrooms are on the first floor, is that what you mean?"

When someone calls a restaurant to inquire about accessibility, every person on the staff should be able to give a clear and correct answer.

This answer should include all of the elements of accessibility. Will a side door need to be unlocked? Will a portable ramp need to be brought outside? Will someone in a wheelchair need to enter through the kitchen, or an "employees' only" area?

The restaurants may be fulfilling the letter of the law, and it is certainly better than nothing, but it is not ideal. It is easy to see why some diners, such as Mr. Sampson, would prefer to avoid some restaurants.

Tina Calabro, a Post-Gazette freelance writer who often writes about disability issues, said restaurant staffs also should be trained on how to treat customers with disabilities.

Most people in wheelchairs can order for themselves. Servers should treat these customers just like any other customer.

Money is the primary reason why more restaurants have not become accessible. Renovations are expensive, and restaurants usually operate on razor-thin profit margins. Starting in 1996, Del's Restaurant in Bloomfield has been undergoing a series of renovations that included becoming wheelchair accessible. Del's was able to secure a small neighborhood grant that helped cover the costs of making the dining room accessible, although the restrooms still aren't. They hope to resolve that in the future.

Currently, at least to Richard Meritzer's knowledge, there are no grants available to help restaurants or other businesses become accessible. Diners, whether or not they require accessibility, can create a financial incentive of their own by choosing to support restaurants that are fully accessible. Restaurants that aren't accessible may be within the letter of the law, but it continues to strike me as odd that in a city with an aging (and shrinking) population, businesses don't make the extra effort to become accessible to all of their possible customers.