Kent senior center lunch program to return to five days on May 18
Kent’s senior center lunch program is set to return to five days a week on May 18 under a new caterer, with the standard meal price rising from $9 to $10.
Kent seniors who rely on the lunch program at the Kent Senior Activity Center are set to get weekday meal service back next month under a new catering contract.
Kent Reporter reported that city leaders approved a $200,000-per-year contract with Lavish Roots Catering and Hospitality. The company is scheduled to begin service on May 18, 2026, returning the center’s lunch program from the current three-day schedule to five days a week.
This is not a brand-new program. The City of Kent’s senior programs page shows the existing Senior Deli & Cafe already operates at the Kent Senior Activity Center on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., with meals priced at $9. The city’s facility page identifies the center at 600 E Smith Street.
What is changing
For regular participants, the changes are practical: a new caterer, more days of service and a slightly higher standard meal price. Kent Reporter said the regular price is expected to rise to $10 from $9, with city staff linking the increase to higher food, labor and operating costs.
Reduced pricing for qualifying seniors is expected to continue through King County Veterans, Seniors and Human Services levy support. That means lower-cost access is still expected to remain available for eligible older adults even as the standard meal price goes up.
Why it matters for Kent residents
Bringing the program back to five days a week matters because the lunch service is more than a meal pickup point. It is part of the routine for older adults who use the center for food access, activities and social contact. Kent Reporter said city staff described food insecurity and social isolation as two of the main issues the program helps address.
A three-day schedule kept the service going, but it did not offer the same consistency for people who build part of their week around the center. A return to five-day service should make the program easier to rely on for both meal access and regular in-person connection.
What happens next
The near-term date to watch is May 18, 2026. That is when Lavish Roots Catering and Hospitality is expected to take over operations and when five-day lunch service is set to resume.
The city had already opened a formal request-for-proposals process for the lunch program, according to a City of Kent procurement notice. For residents, the main takeaway is straightforward: the lunch program is continuing under a new operator, the standard price is rising by $1 and qualifying seniors should still be able to get reduced-price meals.
