So, I confess that I like to choose a place that matches my age group. If you're honest, you probably do too. Does it matter? Well in an odd way, it does. The thing that eventually causes restaurants to drift into the equivalent of terminal old-age is an older, less demanding clientele. Especially when they have a tendency to riot, if the menu changes even slightly. It's the restaurant version of hardening of the arteries (not exactly a good example when talking about food). Once it happens it's too late to reverse the changes and the best you can hope for is to prolong existence for awhile.

It is always sad, when a restaurant that has become an institution, quietly closes its doors for the last time or a place that you enjoyed a few years ago has taken on a blue-rinse tinge and is still serving a 10-year-old menu. So we have to strike back, make an effort, take a stand – okay maybe not. There is a way that we can ensure the longevity of both our favorite restaurant and the restaurants we dine at regularly. The secret is to try everything on the menu. Never settle for that same old favorite, but always reach out for something new, live a little. Then even if you parked your walker by the door, you can dine well, knowing that your helping to keep the restaurant young and the chef awake.