On Monday, August 3rd, The Mayflower Community (Grinnell IA) reopened the independent living Buckley Dining Room. In response to the pandemic, the space has been closed to sit-down meals since last March. During the intervening period, the Mayflower kitchen has been serving and delivering meals directly to residents’ homes.
At this time, service is available only to Mayflower residents (no visitors or family members). Service hours are 7:00am to 6:00pm. Seating is available in the main dining room, the Buckley Bistro, and the Anchor Room with two chairs each at tables socially-distanced six feet apart.
The day’s menu is available at each table where servers take orders. All food and beverage is served by staff. Condiments are available upon request in single-service portions.
On the first day, residents renewed acquaintances. Some married couples are planning to split up in order to dine with someone that they likely hadn’t talked with for a quite a while. (It is possible that during the four-month stay-at-home period, married folks had plenty of time to talk with each other!)
Besides having home-cooked food on china plates, a couple of residents mused that the best part is a glass of Mayflower special ice tea!
For the time being, Mayflower will continue to offer free meal delivery to residents’ homes.