Older adults' frequent visits to a fast-food restaurant: Nonobligatory social interaction and the significance of play in a third place

How might older adults' nonobligatory social interactions in a third place be described and interpreted? The ethnographic methodology, primarily participant observation, was used to gather data from a naturally occurring group of older adults who frequent a fast-food restaurant. Emerging themes include the concept of sociability, play, and laughter. Findings suggest that: (a) older adults congregate at this fast-food restaurant to be with their buddies to play; (b) the group is fun for members and there are lots of laughter; (c) group membership in this third place provides structure, meaning, and opportunities for these older adults to engage in personal expression; and (d) the members are sociable, but relatively little social support is exchanged. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.