What’s New at RiverWoods

Weekly Buffets a Success at RidgeCrest Restaurant and Cafe

September 5, 2006

The RidgeCrest Restaurant and Café, located on the campus of RiverWoods Senior Living Community in Lewisburg, PA, has had great success in their weekly ‘all you can eat’ buffets held every Wednesday, Sunday, and the second Friday of each month.

About a year and a half ago, Gary Verruni, RidgeCrest Restaurant Manager, decided that he wanted to offer the residents and staff of RiverWoods a wider selection of menu choices. Gary knew of several hotels that held theme buffets and thought the same idea would be well received at RiverWoods.

Verruni and his staff serve a lunch buffet on Wednesdays and brunch on Sundays from 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. The cost is $4.95 for lunch and $10.95 for brunch ($7.95 for children 12 and under). A dinner buffet is held from 5-7 p.m. every second Friday of the month. The cost is $14.95.

Cook-outs, Chinese, Mexican, pasta, and pizza themes have been popular. Many of the buffets include four to six entrees and soup, salad, and beverage stations. They occasionally highlight a carving station and made-to-order items like milkshakes. The dinner buffet sometimes presents a variety of entrees, featuring seafood, prime rib, BBQ and fried chicken, etc. to attendees. The brunch buffet includes breakfast items, such as pancakes, eggs, and omelets; and a full lunch menu, including six entrees, and a salad bar.

“Many of the residents talk about Sunday’s buffet in church and compare it to the Country

Cupboard, a popular buffet restaurant in Lewisburg,” Gary said. “The residents enjoy eating at the buffets not only because it’s a good deal but because it has turned into a social event for them.”

Although RidgeCrest is open to the public, Gary only advertises the buffets to the residents and staff since seating could be an issue if too many people were to come in from the community. To get the word out about an upcoming buffet and what will be served, Verruni designs flyers that are posted in the restaurant and café. He also attaches the flyer to an email that is sent to the employees the day before a buffet.