Senior Discounts

[Norm Matthews]

The first time I got one, the girl gave it to me and I had not asked for it- I didn't think I was old enough. I asked how old do you have to be? She shrugged and said "I don't know, you just look old" LOL

I was always carded in bars long after I was plenty old enough so I thought I'd have to start showing my ID again to prove i was old enough. I have noticed some places have a seniors menu section with skimpy meals that are over priced for the value and sometimes are made like my taste buds are as gone as my memory. Other places have only one or two regular items discounted for seniors. The best ones give an across the board discount if you are old enough and ask for it.

I suspect most of you are not that old yet. Just letting you know what to expect in the future.

[KatieLoeb]

She's lucky her manager didn't overhear that exchange. I doubt that possibly insulting the customers is encouraged. Pretty rude, I'd say.

Most places that I've seen that even have a seniors discount are not fine dining or even moderate dining restaurants. Chain places and lower end places that aren't worried about "cheapening" their image would qualify. I don't know. I want to order what I want. I don't want to be dictated to or steered toward bland boring food, thanks.

Speaking as one on the service end of things I find the problem with any sort of discount is that folks forget it's proper to tip on the TOTAL pre-discounted amount. Throw in the fact that a lot of seniors are pretty lousy tippers to begin with and it's often a lot of getting run ragged for little to no reward.

[the old cook]

Maybe I am the odd person out, but as a former waitress when I was young and struggling; I am a very good tipper...always basic 20%, and higher if high end, and exceptional service. I am now 71 years OLD (hate the term young applied to older people, feels like I am being patronized).

when we lived in Florida, people lined up at three p.m. to four p.m. for early bird specials....generally speaking what was offered was less than desirable. However, can certainly understand it, if you are on fixed income and cost rise but your income doesn't; than I would try some "early bird specials" myself.

Find I can cook cheaper at home though, so when we go out for a meal, we try to make it a good one. I agree, have never seen higher end restaurants offer any discounts to seniors.

[threestars]

Well I think Senior Discounts should be a general rule to all restaurants and establishments to serve as a courtesy to the elderly. That move of the waitress is not really polite and I find it a bit rude even though it is for your own compliment to have a discount.

[gfweb]

I think all my meals should be free... as a courtesy to me.

[Boilerfood]

Then my question is, how should a restaurant that has a senior discount go about awarding it? Do they intrusively ask their age? Do they wait for seniors to ask for it? Do they do as the original post said and just give it to people who "just look old?"

I feel like this is similar to the other thread about how should waiters go about the mid meal check up.

[vloglady]

My friend and I, both in our late 40's, were traveling to Howe Caverns in NY. It had been a long traveling day, from Albany to the Caverns and we were tired, but wanted to see it.

We walked up to the admissions desk, and I said, "Two seniors, please." and laughed, saying it had been a long day and we felt like seniors. the cashier smiled and rang us up as two seniors!

[Norm Matthews]

I meant for this thread to be taken lightly and I am glad to see some are responding in that spirit, but at the same time it seems some chain restaurants must think that the elderly are inferior or at least seem to treat them that way. I once was in a chain place and ordered a BLT. It was more than I cared to eat but who is going to ask for a take out bag for the remnants of a soggy sandwich? So next time I ordered the same sandwich from the senior menu. What arrived was less bread, less bacon, the tomato was nearly non-existant and i could swear the bread had been toasted a couple days ago. There were no sides and the price was only a dollar less.

Of course higher end places don't offer discounts. What elderly person who wants or needs to save money would even think about going to Chez Coyteux and expect to get a couple dollars off?

[andiesenji]

There are a number of restaurants that offer senior discounts if one asks. Others do have a "seniors" menu and there are others who actually encourage seniors to identify themselves so they can get a discount.

Here's a site with recent posts about such places that are all over the U.S.

Some of the chains offer discounts on a store by store basis, depending on the management.

The Elephant Bar restaurants - there is one in Valencia - have a Seniors Explorer card. This is especially nice when a party of seniors get together - my book club drives down there once a year.

For those who really like to put on the feed bag, the HomeTown Buffet restaurants have a Seniors Club card that is popular with a lot of folks I know. I seldom go because I simply can't eat that much but I have friends who visit at least twice a week.

One of my neighbors is a frequent visitor to Denny's where she gets a 20% discount with her AARP card.

This is not always advertised and one has to ask if the particular store offers it, but most do.