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The Speedy Hostess. This is my own personal experience. One of my friends had experienced an injury to her leg and was using a cane. We went to a popular and somewhat pricey restaurant and politely said “Two for dinner please.” The hostess took off on a dead run (mind you we never heard the starting gun go off but apparently she did.) The restaurant is large with several rooms. She was so far ahead of us that she disappeared from view altogether leaving us somewhat bewildered at the intersection of the two dining rooms. She eventually returned to find us. Parking “If the parking lot is in shambles we won’t go back. What I don’t need is another fall!” Lighting “I have macular degeneration and a bad leg. I always ask for a table close to the door and with the most light. Macular degeneration isn’t anything that ‘shows’ so the waitress doesn’t realize I can’t read the specials or the menu. My friends do that for me. But at least when I can sit in a lot of light, I have a better chance of seeing what’s on my plate.” “While I still enjoy a romantic setting, I enjoy seeing where I’m walking and my food more. When they turn down the lights to create an atmosphere, we laugh and hope that we can remember what’s where on the table. It would be nice to have a choice of lighting in a dining room, maybe something like a dimmer switch on the table lamp.” The issue of lighting becomes significant as we age. Aging eyes need about three times more light than younger eyes. A 40-year-old requires two times the light of a younger person and a 60-year-old requires 5-6 times the amount of light. This change explains why it becomes harder for us to read menus in a darkened room and why most falls occur in the first and last steps of a staircase. If a restaurant has entry-way steps, it would be of benefit to older customers (and their liability insurance) to light the entry way more brightly. Another improvement is to change the color or pattern of the carpet at the beginning and end of the steps to give people a visual cue. Portions Readers differed greatly in their portion preference. Some expressed disgust at the over-sized portions “I just don’t have the appetite I used to – I can’t eat all that.” “The portions are generous so I really get two meals for the price of one when I heat up the leftovers.” From another reader, “I like the places that have a senior menu with smaller portions and a smaller price!” Praise “Michael’s Valley Grill on Penfield Road across from Panorama Plaza. Pricey, but good menu, good service, food presented well, served hot, and I always take a leftover box home. Nice place for a special occasion and lighting is good and depending upon where you are seated can carry on a normal conversation. No steps to negotiate into restaurant and parking area is in front of the restaurant. Another place I like is Panera Bread for lunch because you can order soup and a half sandwich. Busy at lunch time, so go early or wait ‘til about 1 p.m.” We will keep this discussion going another two weeks as we have other reader responses to share. So make your opinion known and send me your thoughts to The Marketing Strategists, PO Box 663, Mendon NY 14506 or e-mail me at marketingstrategists@rochester.rr.com. Lynette M. Loomis is former vice president of Preferred Care Gold and is a long-standing advocate of mature consumers.
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