Accessible Websites: The BFSG for Gastronomy

The Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (BFSG, accessibility act) is Germany's implementation of the EU directive known as the European Accessibility Act. Its goal is that certain digital products and services are usable by everyone – including people with visual, hearing, motor or cognitive impairments. The law has applied since 28 June 2025.

• The BFSG targets products and services that are offered to consumers.
• Among other things it covers services in electronic commerce, meaning the online sale of goods or services.
• For gastronomy this matters when a website goes beyond pure information and offers a purchase or booking process.
• Technical implementation is measured against recognised web accessibility standards, in practice oriented at the WCAG.
• A purely informational page without a sales function is generally less within scope than a real online shop.

This article is general orientation and not legal advice. Whether and to what extent your business is affected depends on the individual case. Clarify any doubts with the competent authority or qualified legal counsel.

What usually matters is whether your website only informs or whether a transaction is actually concluded through it. If you sell online, the likelihood that the BFSG applies increases. If your page only shows opening hours, the menu and contact details, the scope is narrower.

Selling raises the likelihood

• Online ordering of food and drinks for pickup or delivery counts as electronic commerce.
• Selling vouchers directly via your website is likewise an online transaction.
• Paid or binding online bookings, for example for events or prepaid menus, are more likely to fall within scope.
• A pure information page with a map, address and phone number but no purchase step tends to be less affected.
• There is a micro-enterprise exemption for services: very small businesses below certain size thresholds may be exempt for services.

We deliberately do not state the exact thresholds of the micro-enterprise exemption here, because details and interpretation can change and must be checked case by case. Verify your specific situation and do not rely on a rough classification alone. When in doubt, the competent authority or qualified advice can help.

Web accessibility is oriented at the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). The basics below cover a large part of the typical requirements and make sense regardless of any legal obligation. Work through them step by step.

1. 1Ensure sufficient colour contrast between text and background so content stays readable even with limited vision.
2. 2Make all functions operable by keyboard, so menus, forms and buttons can be reached without a mouse.
3. 3Provide meaningful alternative text (alt text) for meaningful images so screen readers can read them out.
4. 4Structure pages clearly with logical headings (H1, H2, H3) and a coherent reading order.
5. 5Use legible fonts at a sufficient size and avoid text that is too small or hard to decipher.
6. 6Label form fields unambiguously and give clear hints when entries are missing or incorrect.

These points are basics, not a complete proof of conformance. Depending on the scope of your site and your sales functions, further requirements may apply. Starting early avoids last-minute rework and makes the site usable for more guests at the same time.

An accessible website is not just a possible obligation but simply good practice. You reach more people, make the ordering or booking path easier for everyone and often improve general usability along the way. Guests without any impairment benefit too.

• More guests can use your offer because content and ordering paths are accessible to them.
• Clear structure and good readability also help everyone on a smartphone and in poor lighting.
• Keyboard operability and clean code often improve the technical quality and findability of the site as well.
• Understandable forms reduce drop-offs in reservations and orders – regardless of any impairment.
• An accessible site signals care and respect towards all guests.

So do not see accessibility merely as a legal hurdle but as a contribution to a better website. Many measures are manageable and take effect immediately. What you make accessible today, you will not have to fix later under time pressure.

gastronomx values accessible, mobile-first guest-facing pages – from the digital menu and the QR menu to the website, reservations and online ordering. We orient ourselves at established basics and work to deliver good readability, clear structure and clean operability as a standard.

Honestly framed

gastronomx does not replace a legal review and does not guarantee fulfilment of every individual BFSG requirement. Whether and to what extent your business is affected remains a question of the individual case that you must clarify yourself. We support you on the technical side with templates that bring solid foundations.

Use the central overview to maintain your menu, ordering and content consistently and in multiple languages. This keeps your guest communication tidy while you work on accessibility and readability at the same time – without maintenance getting out of hand.