Sodexo formally will launch a new restaurant concept later this month to supplement the traditional dining service in the senior living communities it serves.

Designed as a flexible option, Bistro 464 allows for a locally focused site name at each venue. The Gaithersburg, MD-based company expects the option to be available at more than 100 locations within its first year.

Bistro 464 features a specially created menu that includes casual as well as more upscale meal selections, in keeping with Sodexo’s consumer research. That research, the company said, indicates that older adults increasingly expect more from their dining experiences, given their travels and life experiences. Baby boomers, currently aged 51 to 70 years, want to eat high-quality food with an emphasis on variety, local and seasonal menu options, as well as plenty of healthful options, according to Sodexo. Also, the company said, they want to be able to choose between casual or formal venues that emphasize good service.

“The feedback we received during the pilot phase for Bistro 464 was overwhelmingly positive,” Shelley Kalfas, vice president of marketing for the Sodexo seniors segment, said in a press release. “Residents shared that they liked the menu, the ambience and the casual and friendly setting Bistro 464 created.”

One of the test communities for the concept has been Arbor Glen, a continuing care retirement / life plan community in Bridgewater, NJ. In the six months since The Bistro at Arbor Glen opened, Felix Rosenwasser, president and CEO of Arbor Glen said, resident satisfaction has increased by 25% in independent living and by 15% in the healthcare area.

“In addition to being warmly embraced by the community, The Bistro at Arbor Glen has become a congregation spot and a place where residents are proud to invite their friends and family,” he added.