# Restaurant-Style Retirement Cafeterias Atria Hearthstone's Cafeteria Uses Servers and Menus By Joey Haar | Published 2016-12-05 | Life-Stages Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/atria-hearthstone References: [cjonline](http://cjonline.com/news-life-local-retirement/2016-10-10/topeka-retirement-communities-offer-restaurant-style-dining) & [atriaseniorliving](http://www.atriaseniorliving.com/retirement-communities/atria-hearthstone-topeka-ks/) Most [retirement communities](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/yutjuwala-djwarr) incorporate a buffet into their cafeteria to best satisfy the different needs of the senior residents, but [Atria Hearthstone](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/alexa-smart-properties) 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](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sunday-buffet-brunch). 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. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.6/10 - Popularity: 22% | Activity: 17% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Life-Stages](https://www.trendhunter.com/life-stages) > [Seniors](https://www.trendhunter.com/seniors) ## Key Themes ### 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. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Community-Centered Dining Experiences](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/joyous.md) - [Chef-Led Institutional Food Services](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/anne-burrell.md) - [Neighborhood-Like Retirement Complexes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cobham-bowers.md) - [Micro-Market Breakrooms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/canteen-1.md) - [Renovated Vegas Food Halls](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/canteen-food-hall.md) - [Semi-Open Community Centers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/house-for-the-elderly.md) - [Senior Living Farmhouse Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pioneer-senior-living.md) - [Senior Housing Projects](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ellen-browning-building.md) - [Dilapidated Mansion-Themed Restaurants](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/le-courage.md)