Cura Hospitality location allows senior-living residents and staff to order ahead with new app

Residents and staff at Presbyterian Senior Living’s Westminster Woods at Huntingdon in Huntingdon, Pa., can now place online dining orders through a new app.

The app was created by the senior-living community’s dining services provider Cura Hospitality and allows diners to place orders at the community’s Garden Cafe and The Commons Dining Room, as well as sign up for special foodservice events.

According to Cura Director of Dining Paul Sprowls, 90% of residents have been able to successfully use the new ordering system. Before the rollout, staff met with residents to teach them how to use the new technology. 

“Step-by-step, we took them through the process from how to create an account, log in, navigate the menu and place an order,” Sprowls said in a statement. “We also provide a tablet in the dining room, so residents can place orders there, or if they have questions about the system, we can help them to troubleshoot.”

Friends and family can also log in and place orders for residents.

Staff say that the new system has also benefited them since they can order their meals beforehand and have more time to enjoy their lunch or dinner break.

Before implementing the app, a dining employee used to receive and track food orders by phone. Now, the team uses a laptop and printer to manage orders.

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“A chime alerts the team when a new order has been received, and allows us to track sales, record what items are popular, the number of times residents have logged on or just viewed the menu,” said Sprowls.

Cura Hospitality plans to expand the technology to other Presbyterian Senior Living communities where Cura manages foodservice.