Here's the thing - most of us will live to the age of 90, and be eating out well into our 80's.

There's big business in the 50+ demographic: they want a nice place to eat, drink and relax, and most restaurants, cafes and bars let them down. In their 50's, they're at the peak of earning power, with fewer responsibilities (like kids) and ready to play. By their 70's they may be slowing down, but there's still plenty of demand for good places to visit.

How many people in this age group are in your area - compare the visitors on a typical day of trade with what the census figures show about your area - it may be a surprise!

How Do We Keep Them Happy and Coming Back?

• Make the Noise Bearable: aging reduced our ability to hear high frequencies - they're the ones that help us understand speech. So sitting in a noisy restaurant means we can't work out what our friends are saying, and it's no fun if you want to chat. It's the #1 dislike of most customers 40+, and is usually the result of thoughtless design. Think about how sound works: noise is like bullets bouncing off hard surfaces and being absorbed by soft ones. If you insist on hard floors, there need to be other surfaces to soak up the racket. Another bonus: your thoughtful selection of music will be noticed if you improve the acoustics. See the article Turn down the *#!#$! Noise!

• More Food Options: Do you have delicious, almost-healthy choices that mean people can order without sounding like an invalid? Or is the choice a prison diet of salad and water? Everyone's looking for options that are gluten free, lower in salt, light on sugar, missing the caffeine. These are people with money in their pocket who will hand it over many times if you make them happy. And smaller options for the elderly - large plates of food distress them. The alternative is usually to eat at home.

• Faster Service: seniors don't understand slow service, missing orders or failure to clear plates when they're empty. But no-one likes this, do they?

• More Readable Menus: it's not just cool people who 'forget' their glasses when they go out. Most people have readers by the time they're 40, so use size 14 type on menus and wine lists. And check how easy the menu is to read outside on a dark night - it may need to be a different format to what's on the table.

• Allow Eating for Pleasure: for retirees, lunch, dinner or a cake & coffee may be an important part of the week. An excursion, not just a grab-and-go lunch. Enjoy the custom of people who will notice and enjoy what you do, even if they don't rush in and out.

• Offer Small Treats: can I have a small slice of your triple chocolate cake? Small treats' is a hot restaurant food trend - here's another keen group of customers. Anyone for tapas?

• Politeness Matters: not over-familiar - these are people who may have been managers, teachers or business owners. They don't want a young punk saying 'you right?' or calling everyone 'guys'. Seniors like to be recognised and remembered, but who doesn't? More at Rudeness, Manners & Etiquette: what should staff know?.

• Don't Ignore Us: grey hair makes some young staff act strangely - some customers even become invisible! It may be intimidating for them to serve older 'manager types' who are used to getting their way, but this is an essential part of hospitality training. And with half a century of experience in life, love and human nature, seniors know when they're being patronised, ignored or taken for granted.

• Offer Value Options: while some people in their 50's are high-earners, after 60 many are on fixed incomes. Unwilling to 'trade down' their lifestyle, they're keen to find special deals. A great opportunity to offer fixed-price meal deals early in the week or the day - see the next point.

• Time is Flexible: once people have more time on their hands, dinner at 6pm can be attractive, or an early lunch. This is a group that will respond to the right early-bird special - a great way to get the kitchen busy at 5.30pm instead of waiting two more hours for the 7.30pm regulars.

• Opportunities for Grandparents: if you have Kids Menu specials and welcome children, is the whole package one that make it easy for grandparents to use? This is not a once-a-week market but is very loyal when they know you have the right combination of food, access and price. Promote it directly to grandparents who want to have a meal experience that's enjoyable and easy.

• Clean is Important: from bathroom hygiene to wiping tables and fresh uniforms, cleanliness is noticed and expected. This one's easy to fix, and who won't benefit?!

• Make it Easy to Move Around: sore feet and bigger hips mean it's hard to squeeze between close-packed tables. If you have more than one or two steps, add a handrail so it's easy to use. Most modern building codes now require a degree of 'disabled access'.

• Comfortable Chairs: good seats for larger back-sides, and a few chairs with arms to help people get themselves up. Stools and ottomans are not favourites - there's nothing to lean back on. Notice how clever cafes have a range of seating options so everyone's happy.

Difficult? You can do all of this without making your venue any less attractive to people under 50! Only the music mix may need to change - if you make your place great for 50+, everyone wins!

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