In a landmark legal move, a visually-impaired woman has filed a class action lawsuit against a prominent fast-casual dining company for allegedly failing to make its website accessible to blind and visually-impaired users. Erika Alexandria lodged the complaint on November 26, 2025, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York against CAVA Group, Inc., claiming that their website violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by not being compatible with screen-reading software.
The plaintiff, Erika Alexandria, who is legally blind and relies on screen-reading technology to access digital content, argues that CAVA Group’s website is not designed or maintained in a way that allows her and others with similar disabilities to independently use it. According to Alexandria, this failure constitutes discrimination under the ADA as well as New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL). The complaint highlights that approximately 8.1 million people in the U.S. are visually impaired, including 2 million who are blind. In New York alone, about 400,000 individuals are affected by visual impairments.
Alexandria attempted multiple times to place an online food order through CAVA’s website but was thwarted by various accessibility barriers such as missing alt-text for images, improperly labeled forms, and non-functional links when using screen-reader software like NVDA or JAWS. She emphasizes that these issues prevent her from enjoying services available to sighted customers and thus constitute unlawful discrimination. The plaintiff is seeking injunctive relief requiring CAVA Group to modify its website policies and practices so they comply with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 standards.
The lawsuit seeks not only changes in corporate policy but also compensatory damages for those affected by these alleged violations. It demands that CAVA Group appoints an accessibility consultant to ensure ongoing compliance with accessibility standards and train staff accordingly. Furthermore, Alexandria requests certification of two classes: a nationwide class of all legally blind individuals in the U.S., and a subclass specific to New York City residents who have been denied equal access due to these barriers.
Representing Alexandria is attorney Rami Salim from Stein Saks PLLC based in Hackensack, New Jersey. The case has been assigned Case No.: 25-9862 in front of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Source: 125cv09862_Erika_Alexandria_v_Cava_Group_Complaint_Southern_District_of_New_York.pdf
