100 Communities to Roll Out New Senior Living Bistro Model

Senior living operators have been experimenting with a variety of new dining options in recent years, including wine bars, rooftop restaurants, and grab-and-go markets. Now one of these on-trend offerings, bistros, is set to become even bigger, thanks to a new offering being rolled out by a major senior living dining services provider.

The Bistro 464 concept was developed by Sodexo, a France-based global company that provides a variety of services—including dining—to 32,000 sites across multiple industries. About 6% of its on-site services are in the seniors segment, and this is the target market for Bistro 464, which officially launches this month.

“Boomers want a focus on great food in a choice of casual or formal venue with an emphasis on service, local and seasonal menu options and plenty of healthy options,” Sodexo stated in a press release issued Tuesday. 

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Bistro 464 was designed to meet this need. The menu includes a variety of items, including quesadillas, burgers, herbed rack of lamb, and maple-glazed roasted chicken. The idea is to mix homier tastes with more upscale, restaurant-style choices.

Communities that introduce the bistro venue can choose their own name for it, as the Arbor Glen Seniors Community in Bridgewater, New Jersey did. The nonprofit continuing care retirement community (CCRC) dubbed its venue The Bistro at Arbor Glen.

“The Bistro has increased resident satisfaction by 25% in independent living and by 15% in the health care area,” Felix Rosenwasser, president and CEO of Arbor Glen, stated in the press release.

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Sodexo received positive feedback during the pilot phase of Bistro 464, with residents saying the bistro became a social space as well as a place to eat, said Shelley Kalfas, vice president of marketing for the company’s seniors segment. 

More than 100 locations are expected to open a Bistro 464 within the next year, according to Sodexo. 

Written by Tim Mullaney

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