4 key senior living dining trends to watch in 2025

What trends can we expect to emerge in senior living dining this year? Senior living food service provider, Aramark SeniorLife+ has some ideas. 

Here are five trends poised to grow in segment over the next 12 months according to the foodservice provider.

1.  Experience Dining 

For today’s seniors, dining is more than a meal, it’s also a way to socialize and connect with others. Operators can play up this trend by offering themed special events and collaborating with restaurants to bring unique dining experiences to residents. 

2. A focus on wellness 

As we head into 2025, overall wellness will continue to be a major trend in senior living communities. 

Armark SeniorLife+ developed a wellness platform that is customized to each senior living community’s needs. The platform provides residents with tips and ideas to lead a healthier lifestyle a covers topics such as healthy eating, physical activity, mental health and more. 

“Promoting a culture of health and well-being is a cornerstone commitment of ours,” Laurie Van Cleft, MS-RDN, director of clinical nutrition at Aramark SeniorLIFE+, shared in a statement. “We take a holistic approach to health to ensure that residents thrive physically, mentally, and emotionally.” 

3. Technology to drive efficiency, quality, and satisfaction 

AI, mobile ordering and other forms of technology will continue to be used in the senior living segment to drive efficiency, quality and satisfaction among residents, according to Aramark SeniorLife+. 

The foodservice provider’s Culinary Co-Pilot program for example uses AI for menu creation and reduces food costs, while its micro-markets allow friction-less shopping where residents can purchase items without ever having to interact with a traditional cashier. 

4. Creating a culture of hospitality 

As residents expect dining staff to be courteous, friendly, and welcoming more than ever, creating a culture of hospitality will continue to be imperative. 

One of the ways the foodservice provider aims to achieve a culture of hospitality is through an Hospitality Enablement team whose focus is making sure that fellow Aramark SeniorLife+ employees have success in operational excellence, culinary and menu enablement, housekeeping and laundry services, facility management, marketing, and safety and risk solutions. 

“We invest in our team members with the training, tools, and systems they need to embody the values of hospitality—and to successfully deliver on them,” Barbara Ferguson, director of hospitality and resident experience for Aramark SeniorLIFE+, said in a statement. “Leveraging Aramark’s Service Excellence platform is how we embody a hospitality culture.”