Most retirement communities incorporate a buffet into their cafeteria to best satisfy the different needs of the senior residents, but Atria Hearthstone in Topeka, Kansas, has taken a different approach. The retirement community's cafeteria is designed to mimic the experience of a restaurant.
The Atria Hearthstone dining hall offers most of the amenities that one would encounter in any restaurant. That includes a menu stocked with both standards and changing daily specials and servers who come to the table to take residents' orders. The benefit of such a system is that residents get far more choice than with a buffet system.
Atria Hearthstone also offers more casual dining during off-peak times. The facility has a snack bar that is open 24/7 with yogurt, fruit, baked goods, and drinks.
What's Driving This Trend
- Restaurant-style Retirement Cafeterias
- Opportunity for retirement communities to create a more personalized dining experience by incorporating restaurant-style menus and table service.
- Increased Menu Choice in Retirement Communities
- Opportunity for retirement communities to enhance resident satisfaction by offering a wider range of menu options in their cafeterias.
- Casual Dining Options in Retirement Communities
- Opportunity for retirement communities to attract residents by providing casual dining options like snack bars with extended hours.
Who This Affects Most
- Retirement Communities
- Opportunity for retirement communities to differentiate themselves and attract residents by creating restaurant-style dining experiences.
- Food Service Industry
- Opportunity for the food service industry to cater to the growing population of seniors by offering customized restaurant-style dining experiences in retirement communities.
- Hospitality Industry
- Opportunity for the hospitality industry to expand their services by providing casual dining options in retirement communities, such as 24/7 snack bars with a variety of food and drink options.
