✨Dining

I agree 100% about thoroughly researching your dining options and make sure it is in writing. I thought I had done my homework but unfortunately, what I thought I was going to get for dining options is not what I am getting and I have been told that will not change.

How wise you are to seek information on Dining Options in CCRCs! Choose wisely because every system has pros and cons.

When I looked into the topic in the past, the most workable system for most was the five-option plan whereby the menu is offered and the resident can order 1 entre and 4 sides (soup, salad, vegetables, deserts). Auxiliary foods such as condiments, coffee, drinks, bread, butter are free. Modest charges are added for extra servings of these five choices. Daily menus include several choices of all food items, so there is plenty of variety. Some systems include an auxiliary menu of foods available all the time.

The system with food allowances tend to cause "food rushes" at the end of the month where many are making sure they don't lose out by not getting all that they paid for. Human nature works that way. One CCRC allowed food allowances to be used in the gift shop, so there were "candy rushes" at the end of the month.

You might look for articles in the professional literature for food service directors and the like.

Good luck and thank you for reaching out in our Forums. In this way we all learn.

A CCRC Dining Director's Guide to Meal Plans.

https://www.volantesystems.com/blog/guide-to-meal-plans/

Here is one overview about how that might work.

https://mylifesite.net/blog/post/food-for-thought-how-ccrc-meal-plans-work/

Maura Conry

NaCCRA Board of Directors

Forum Monitor

Hello,

Our community has always had optional dining with meals tracked and charged after the end of the month.

Recently there has been discussion, for our next fiscal year, of changing to a specific dollar allowance for dining that would be included in the monthly fee. This would probably be set up as a declining balance "use it or lose it".

Two reasons that this is an issue now:

1. To increase participation in the onsite dining service and decrease the approximate 65 percent "subsidy" (cost of providing dining services including cost of food versus revenue from meals).

2. There is discussion of adding a monthly 2nd person fee and our peer communities who have this extra fee include a meal allowance for the 1st person and the same meal allowance for the 2nd person.

Question: is anyone familiar with a community who has done a change of this sort within the current community? Or, only for new entrants? What issues were encountered?

Thanks,

Deborah Ryan