On A Roll Cafe And Catering — Restaurant in Lenox

Unacceptable Treatment Toward a Guest with a Service Animal

Today, my family and I visited On A Roll Café in Lenox, MA. My mother, who has a medically documented PTSD diagnosis, was accompanied by her two fully trained service dogs. We had no intention of sitting inside the restaurant or at the main outdoor tables — we simply walked through the gate to reach a quieter table off to the side, far from other patrons.

At that point, my mother briefly walked toward the front door just to check the menu. Before she could even approach it, a man — who appeared to be a staff member, possibly the chef — came outside and immediately confronted her in an aggressive and hostile manner. Without any greeting or respect, he demanded to know, “What is the nature of your ailments?” and began questioning how the dogs were trained.

This line of questioning is a direct violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Staff are only permitted to ask two things:

Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability? What work or task has the dog been trained to perform? They cannot legally ask about the person’s specific medical condition.

To make matters worse, after my mother explained that her dogs were trained service animals for PTSD, he repeatedly stated, “That’s a therapy dog, and therapy dogs aren’t allowed in restaurants in Massachusetts.” This is factually incorrect and reflects a lack of understanding of the law. This is not a therapy dog. Her dog is specifically trained to assist with disabling symptoms of PTSD. If she is having a flashback, the dog can guide her safely to her vehicle. If she becomes disoriented while walking, the dog is trained to orient her and bring her home. During episodes of panic or dissociation, the dog is trained to perform deep pressure therapy by sitting on her lap or leaning against her to help regulate her breathing and reduce escalation.

Even after this was explained to him, he continued to act as if she was in the wrong and reluctantly offered, “Do you want to sit outside?” as though he was doing us a favor. Shortly after, a kind waitress came out and asked whether we were staying or leaving — which, based on how we had just been treated, was an easy decision. We left.

This encounter triggered my mother into a severe PTSD episode that we are still working through. We are now considering legal options due to the emotional distress and discrimination she experienced.

In a place like the Berkshires — where kindness, inclusion, and dog-friendliness are usually the norm — this experience was not only deeply disappointing, but completely unacceptable. I hope On A Roll Café takes this feedback seriously and ensures that staff are trained in disability rights and how to interact respectfully with all guests, especially those with invisible conditions.

Additional Information: PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) is recognized as a qualifying disability under both federal and Massachusetts law when a service animal is trained to perform specific tasks to assist the individual. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 272, Section 98A, individuals with disabilities have the right to be accompanied by a service dog in places of public accommodation, including restaurants. Businesses may legally ask only: Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability? What work or task has the dog been trained to perform? They may not ask about the nature of the person’s disability or make assumptions based on appearance or type of condition. Failure to comply with these laws can result in both civil penalties and legal consequences. Respect and education...

Absolutely fantastic! On A Roll was a gamble for us, as we were visiting the area for an overnight after seeing local show. We're pretty picky about our breakfast sammiches, so we were on the hunt for some of the local strong contenders. On A Roll had a welcoming feel after finding a spot in the ample parking lot, luring us in with Brunch Jazz playing from a carefully placed speaker hidden outside the restaurant. The vibe inside was calm and quiet, just what you need at 11AM on a Sunday morning. We got a table right away, and had a short wait to get served coffee and water. The coffee is on point, not the usual diner pour with tannins that slap your tonsils, but instead a warming miasma of no-nonsense arabica delight.

The food: cannot give the place enough props for doing the basics right, including making their own bread in-house, and even more tantalizaing, their own handmade sausage. I make my own bread and sausage for my wife in our own house, so it was nice to meet another chef who gets it. French Toast was comprised of thick multigrain slices with real local maple syrup, while the pancakes had real strawberries and granola in them in perfect ratios. Food overall was quick, yet very high quality, and really made us feel home away from home. The sausage itself was the highlight of the show (for me), and had strong notes of brown sugar, fresh sage, and crushed rosemary along with plenty of salt, all in a generous patty that seems grilled with a weight on top so it doesn't curl on you. Perfectly cooked, 10/10, once you try it you'll never go back.

See you...

OMG, this was the worst eatery of our trip out East to visit our haboobi. I wish we went to McDonalds! But it was my fault wanting to try local The prices were ridiculous but that's what things cost on the East coast but the BS of home baked bread, false advertising, it was like store bought Arnolds bread from Kroger would have been better. I ordered the Avocado toast for $14, it was an avocado watered down, not with lemon juice or a real tomato, NO just water, and spread so thin you can see the bread, the avocado was not whole or chunky mashed. It was what you'd buy from Costco in a plastic container, GROSS. That place is a rip off run by fakers and posers who have no business being in the kitchen or heart to provide nutrition for visitors. The outdoor space, nature was nice, so lovely, but it was too chilly to sit outside for bfast. This place is near Tanglewood, with gorgeous trees and nature. Again, I hate myself for not sending my plate back. Coffee was gross too but that's most places so I don't want to be unfair to them.

Don't be fooled!

People of MA, NY, you have no idea what you're missing when it comes to food, yes you've got Tatte in Boston area. But seriously, DROP everything and visit Dearborn MI for REAL wholesome HEALTHY authentic delicious food for working people for a bargain.

Berkshires has beautiful trees, clean air, yeah, but bad food leaves a bad taste &...