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HomeMy WebLinkAbout7.1 Lunch Program Survey G�y c5r f)Uzt IR '�� `' ' .441 AGENDA STATEMENT PARKS AND COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION 41IF'O0\� MEETING DATE: AUGUST 3, 2006 SUBJECT: Lunch Program Survey Report Prepared by, Anna Hudson, Recreation Coordinator ATTACHMENT: 2006 Survey Results RECOMMENDATION: Receive Report FINANCIAL STATEMENT: None DESCRIPTION: In 1988 the Dublin Senior Center introduced a Friday Brunch once a week, then twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The soup and sandwich a-la-carte format idea was added once a week on Mondays. When senior patrons expressed preference for the a-la-carte format; it was then offered three times a week on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. The full meal concept was offered monthly .for the Special Luncheons. Since 1995, a full meal program has been offered on Thursdays and the a-la-carte format the rest of the week. Since the 2005 Grand Opening of the Senior Center, Staff has made changes to the lunch program such as: 1. Placing an emphasis on the nutritional value of food, and"heart healthy" choices. 2. Offering a choice of hot or cold sandwiches. For example, offer tuna salad sandwiches and grilled cheese sandwiches on the same day. Lunch Format and Fees _. Currently the Dublin Senior Center offers the a-la-carte menu on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday with choices of the following items: a soup of the day (a cup or a bowl), two choices of sandwiches (half or whole sandwich; and also a hot and cold choice), a salad, and a dessert. As of September 1, the cost of the a-la-carte items will be as follows: $2.00 for a full sandwich; $1.50 for a half a sandwich; bowl of soup is $2.00 and a cup of soup is $1.50; salad is $1.50 and dessert is $1.50. On Thursdays, a full meal consisting of a meat entrée or casserole dish, vegetables, rolls and a special homemade dessert will cost $3.75: Additionally, the Senior Center will be offering a value meal deal. Seniors may choose a whole sandwich or a bowl of soup plus two of the following four items: half a sandwich, a cup of soup, a salad, and dessert for$4.00. The cost of the special luncheons will be $6.50 and includes some form of entertainment. In calculating the cost recovery, the current price of a full meal pays for the food costs but not necessarily the overhead COPIES TO: ITEM NO. 7.1 G:\SRCTRADVCMTE\Statements\2006\8-03-06 Lunch Survey fmalp.doc • costs. It is estimated that both the Staff costs and food expenses are fully covered when there is an average attendance of 50 people. Kitchen Staff One part-time cook is budgeted for a 20 hour work week for the lunch program. Additional hours for a second cook are budgeted for special evening events. The rest of the kitchen crew consists of volunteers who prepare the food, serve meals, and wash the dishes. A minimum of two to three volunteers are needed to assist with the serving of the regular meals, and up to ten volunteers are necessary for special events. Current Attendance During the 2006 spring quarter(March-May), the average daily attendance for the a-la carte lunch was 22 patrons. The attendance for the Thursday Special Luncheons averaged 60 participants and the Crossing Cultures program averaged 45 participants. Generally, the Special Luncheon with entertainment attracts the best attendance and is the most cost effective. General Review of the 2006 Survey A lunch survey was distributed over a six week period to patrons who attended a class or activity on Monday, March 20th through Friday, April 28th. Staff collected 138 surveys during lunch as well as at a special luncheon. Some surveys were incomplete and not all questions were answered. Thirty people (or a third) out of 89 people who responded to question three, indicated that they wanted lunch to be longer and at least extended to 1:00 p.m. The results also indicated that patrons who came for lunch twice a month, for the monthly therned lunch and Crossing Cultures Program, stated they did not mind paying $6.00 if the meal included some form of entertainment. At this time, Staff does not recommend extending the lunch hours mainly for budgetary reasons. The fact that the lunch program draws mainly seniors who come from other activities held at the Senior Center during the day, it is unknown if seniors would come to the Senior Center to just eat lunch, or if attendance would increase by extending the serving time. Staff will consider extending the hours if attendance shows a steady increase. Lunch Format According to the survey, the preference for offering the a-la-carte menu or a hot meal menu was split exactly fifty-fifty. Staff recommends temporarily changing one of the a-la carte days to a hot meal day. The hot meal deal is more cost effective and would not be as labor intensive as the a-la carte day. It may also attract more customers. General Survey Comments The majority of the people who responded to the survey stated that they were generally pleased with the food and service at the Shamrock Café. Additional comments included: 1. Twenty-five requests for water glasses instead of cups. Staff has already purchased 100-9 oz cups. 2. Conflicting opinions on flavor (some said too spicy, others not enough). The cooks will continue to use fresh herbs to flavor the food and allow patrons to use salt and pepper to their liking. 3. Requests for sugar-free desserts. 4. Requests for more seafood and ethnic food. 5. Requests for a menu display that is more user-friendly. Staff will take the comments from the survey into account when planning future menus. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends the Advisory Committee receive the report and provide input -2- • Dublin Senior Center Lunch Survey We are continually working to provide a lunch program that serves delicious and nutritious meals at an affordable price. Please take a few moments to fill out this survey. Your input is critical in order to make this program's success. Thank you. 1.How often do you eat lunch at the senior center? Distributed on: a) Once a month - 15 Distributed to: (specify class) b) Twice a month- 28 c) Once a week- 18 d) Twice a week- 11 e). Thrice a week- 9 f) Four x week- 6 g) Five x week- h) Periodically- 7 every other month • i) I don't attend(Please explain why) 2. I enjoy my own cooking, I'm working 2.What day(s) do you eat lunch? ( Please check all that apply) a) Monday - 15 b) Tuesday - 20 c) Wednesday - 32 d) Thursday - 53 e) Friday - 18 3.Lunch is offered from 11:30 AM—12:15 PM. Is this convenient for you? a) Time is just right 59 b) Prefer a different time 30 (Please specify) 11.30 AM-1 PM,extend to 1+hour long,11:30-12:30, 11:30-1:30, 11:45-12:30, 12:00—1:00 4.Do you prefer having a fixed meal at a fixed price or a la carte menu? a) Fixed meal at a fixed price Thursday's lunch(entrée,veggies, starch, dessert for one price) —45 b) A la carte menu like Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Friday(pay for each item individually)—44 5.Which special monthly luncheons do you attend? a) I don't attend -16 b) I attend regularly-53 c) Monthly themed lunch(example: St.Pat's,Mother's Day,Thanksgiving) -57 d) Crossing Cultures lunch(example: Discover China,Discover Italy) -46 6.What do you enjoy about the lunch program? a) Food 65 b) Cost of food 55 c) Meeting friends 61 d) Entertainment 57 e) Other: (please specify) 36 healthy food, food from different countries, f) Servers are hospitable 35 g) Convenience 24(I participate in an activity just before or after lunch) 7.Please select the options you would be interested in having at lunch. 35 Spaghetti 28 Shepherd's pie 54 Oven-fried chicken 48 Roast Pork Loin 47 Lasagna 41 Beef stew 27 Hamburger 46 Meatloaf 46 Chicken pot pie Soup: What kind? a) Clam Chowder b) Beef Stew c) Cream soup d) Chicken soups e) Minestrone 1) Pea soup g) Vegetable soup h) Clear soups and broths i) All j) Tomato k) Chicken Noodle 1) Chicken Gumbo m) All kinds—No Cilantro Cold Sandwiches,What kind? a) Peanut butter and jelly(strawberry preserves) b) Chicken sandwiches c) Egg salad d) Tuna e) Roast Beef 1) Corned Beef g) Turkey h) Cheese i) Meatloaf j) BLT k) All Kinds 1) Turkey&Ham m) Chicken Salad n) Shrimp o) Crab Hot sandwiches: What kind? a) Grilled ham and cheese b) Lean Pastrami c) Beef d) Tuna melts e) Hot turkey w&w/o gravy f) Grilled veggie g) Smoked salmon sandwich h) Reuben i) French dip j) Chicken k) Grilled tuna and cheese 1) Lean Corned beef m) Grilled cheese n) Pita bread o) Cuban sandwiches p) Roast Beef w&w/o gravy q) All Kinds r) BBQ Beef s) Pork Loin t) Oven Fried Chicken like KFC Dessert:What kind? a) Tapioca Pudding b) Ice creams c) Pies d) Apple crisp e) Bread pudding with lemon sauce on top f) Finger pudding g) Fruit Tarts h) Sherbert i) Je11-O j) Pudding k) Cakes 1) Cookies(chocolate chip&Lemon) m) Anything chocolate n) Strawberry shortcake o) All Kinds p) Crumb Cake q) Parfaits for special occasions r) Chocolate Cream Pie 8. Comments/Ideas: Wish we had glasses for water 25 Chef is good Add more hot meals Prices can be displayed on the menu board Possible use of sugar free substitutes for desserts Very good menu with good prices and good service Very pleased,more ethnic food please Continue food program great for seniors @ low cost, special luncheons well attended The chicken enchiladas were excellent Tired of the Caesar dressing all the time. Ranch would be great Dublin Senior Center has the best food in town More seafood. I would like fish fillets (salmon),Roast Beef This is My first visit so I can't really make good choices; I enjoyed the meal &Jazz Combo Have only been here twice and was a fun lunch.Met new people&had wonderful conversation More pasta and stir fries. Have fixed price$3.50 meal everyday and al la carte also. Choice of soup and sandwich for one price everyday. Have"to go"choices. This was our 2nd visit so it's hard to answer question,but we did enjoy our visit&will be back Could be more flavor, add more herbs and spices. Too bland, add more herbs and spices. So many people are on restricted diets.Possible menu option with"less spices" Today's gumbo too spicy hot, enjoyed the low sodium though. Have cooking classes then eat what we make. 9.May we contact you in the future for more input? (Optional) Name Address City Phone Fifty-nine patrons filled out this portion if we desire to contact them in the future for input.