Short Essay 3- Black Eyed Pea

Restaurants come in every type, with so many variations of foods, scenery, and overall atmosphere.  With each varying restaurant, whether it is a spicy Mexican restaurant or a deliciously greasy burger place, there are different types of clientele that are apt to enjoy these types of restaurants more than others might.  For this essay, we were asked to visit a certain restaurant and observe the types of people there, including what they looked like, what they were eating, what they were doing while they were eating, and so on.  Instead of choosing the conventional “burger joint” or fast food franchise, my roommate and I decided to go to the Black Eyed Pea.  Since I had not been to a Black Eyed Pea in ages, I could not remember what the usual atmosphere and clientele was like for this particular place, making it an excellent choice for my field notes.  After a deliciously cooked meal, I was able to successfully assess the overall experience of eating at a Black Eyed Pea.

            When considering my notes, I wanted to determine the different types of people that were eating there.  Although there were a few families consisting of parents and small children, the main clientele of people present in the restaurant were elderly.  If you are familiar with the restaurant Black Eyed Pea, then you know it is a comfort food place, serving meals like roast beef, chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, salads, coffee, and other home cooked specials.  I know when I think of a home cooked meal and comfort foods, I think of the sorts of foods that I would eat if I made a trip home.  When looking at elderly people and the foods of their choice in general, comfort food is often times towards the top of the list.  It is not meant to be processed, or to be considered “junk food” like much of the food younger generations eat today, for instance pizza, boxed macaroni and cheese, or nachos.  A home cooked meal is meant to be made with fresh ingredients that take time and care to put together as a hearty, filling meal.  When looking at the menu for Black Eyed Pea, it is clear that they want that exact experience while eating their food, and to elderly people, that is very inviting.   

            To back up this statement, I did some research to find evidence in regards to elderly people and their draw to comfort foods, such as those served at the Black Eyed Pea.  The Hindawi Publishing Corporation did a survey on twelve elderly individuals, over the age of 65.  They surveyed the subjects on what foods they most favored and why.  It was very clear through quotes from the interview to determine that comfort foods were the top choice throughout the study.  For example, a 94-year-old woman included in the study discussed how she liked being served fresh coffee while eating out. “I feel that when you are out, or come someplace, you should be offered a cup of coffee, that’s what I’m used to. Back home in the country, the coffee would be on as soon as someone walked in the door.”¹  At the Black Eyed pea, the sight of elderly people drinking cups of coffee was extremely prevalent.  In fact, almost every person I saw that looked to be over the age of 60 had a cup of hot coffee.  By offering this specific item, it drew in more of its most dominant clientele. 

            Secondly, the survey determined favorite food groups among the individuals in the experiment.  As expected, comfort food was discussed prevalently.  In this case, an 84-year-old woman stated that “I am used to home-cooked dishes since I was a child, not macaroni and spaghetti.”²   Additionally, an 82-year-old male explains that “food for us elderly people is probably supposed to be cooked with care, but it happens that some food is not properly cooked” and “… It should be properly boiled or fried, depending on the dish. Very important.”³   It is clear from these statements that a properly created, well-made dish is important to those over the age of approximately 65.  They tie in the fact that culturally, they were used to good, home cooked meals as children, and they like that relayed in their food today.  Thus, the Black Eyed Pea, serving its version of a home cooked meal, is the perfect place for elderly people to go when they want to get out of the house, yet still enjoy a hearty meal. 

            Overall, I think it is clear as to why the clientele of the Black Eyed Pea at which my roommate and I had dinner is mainly elderly individuals.  From the homey atmosphere to the well-made, comfort food, it is a place for them to feel at home while out enjoying dinner elsewhere.  If one were to eat at a Black Eyed Pea without the intent of observing its customers, it probably would not be obvious that the majority of the people there are older.  However, it was interesting for me to see the prevalence of elderly persons, and to make the connection between their lives and wholehearted comfort foods.