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Bike Portland broke the news on Tuesday that Portlanders who prefer alternative forms of transportation, like biking or using their own two legs, will no longer be discriminated against by fast-food establishments—it is now against city code to deny drive-through service to those not in cars.
The new code actually went into effect last week, on Thursday, May 24, with Portland’s 2035 Comprehensive Plan. The catchily-named 33.224.070 Multi-Modal Access sub-section of the plan states, “When a drive-through facility is open and other pedestrian-oriented customer entrances to the business are unavailable or locked, the drive-through facility must serve customers using modes other than a vehicle such as pedestrians and bicyclists.”
Essentially, the code makes it so places with a drive-through cannot deny service to those on foot, bike, skateboard, wheelchair, or anything else, so long as the drive-through is the only part that is open. Establishments whose main doors are still open will be able to insist that non-driving guests come in and order their burgers the old fashioned way. This encompasses anything with a drive-through service, from coffee stands to fast food.
Bike Portland also mentioned that local fast food company Burgerville implemented a similar policy years ago, after a cyclist was denied service and wrote an open letter about it.
Sadly, no Trimet routes are currently slated to go through a drive-through, so those who choose public transportation will have to get their Taco Bell another way.
