I can help with this!
My suggestions for your aunts are mostly chains but we've had excellent luck with these specific restaurants and I know that you will be pleased. Farmington Hills is a huge city so depending where your aunts are living, any of the recommendations should be "close by."
We have a Cheesecake Factory at the Twelve Oaks Mall in Novi - the only one in Michigan. Usually a wait because it's one of the smaller Cheesecake Factories but the menu is set up to please. And if everyone is good smileys/wink.gif, you can have cheesecake! They have an excellent Happy Hour in the bar (no wait if tables are vacant) from 4-6 M-F with all (ALL!) appetizers at 1/2 off and wonderful drink specials. If you come around 5 (or slightly earlier), leave your guests in the entry and walk straight through into the bar to bypass the "usual 30-60 minute wait time". Bring a couple of sweaters to snag a table. They are bar high tops - will that be a problem for your aunt who rides the scooter? You can eat from the regular menu in the bar area, if you'd like. We usually have apps, drinks and dessert. Or, put your name on the waiting list for the main dining room and grab a drink/appetizer in the bar!
Across the street from Twelve Oaks Mall is a superb Carrabba's. The restaurant is exceptionally well run. They also have 1/2 price appetizers and drink specials in the bar from 3-7 and they have several booths there which might be more comfortable for your aunts. Stop at the hostess stand and ask to be seated in one of the booths. At Carrabba's, you can also sit at 1 of two counters (on bar stools) facing into the kitchen and watch the chefs/cooks as they work - the chefs share tastes with you! The wait for a table in the main dining room on a normal weeknight is not very long, the dining room is laid out well for a scooter and the food is excellent for a chain. We have a Carrabba's closer to our home but we travel the 30 minute drive in rush hour to Novi. Their special wine dinners are very well done - maybe one will be scheduled when you plan to visit.
I've not been to the Livonia Fleming's Steak House - we frequent the Birmingham Fleming's - but have several friends who rave about it. They also have a wonderful Happy Hour menu in their bar and comfortable booths. Their appetizer and small plates menus are fun, steaks are great (of course), fancy "club" atmosphere. We go to Happy Hour for the calamari and Fleming's burger but on a Sunday, their prime rib dinner is well priced and excellent - so take a table in the main dining room! Share the molten lava cake for dessert - order it when your dinners are served.
Both Carrabba's and Flemings are part of Dine Rewards (along with Bonefish and Outback). Sign up with Dine Rewards to get free meals. Join their individual frequent diner programs to get great coupons. Right now, $50 gift cards purchased include a $10 bonus good thru 7/15 at all Dine restaurants. Please PM me with your email address if you decide on either of these. I usually have excellent coupons I can forward to you. Look to the top of this eat@ page - my banner ads are for Carrabba's, Flemings and Bonefish.
Right across the street from Flemings is PFChangs (Northville). Lovely restaurant, great staff/service, fresh and tasty menu.
Our favorite Farmington restaurant is Thai - Bangkok Kitchen - just west of downtown. It's NOT at all fancy and although they have a huge dining room, they rarely have more than 3 other tables seated at dinner. Big carryout and lunch crowd. Everything is tasty but our favorites are Pad Thai and Green Curry. It's in a strip mall and I would NOT recommend it for a special dinner out unless you all really love Thai (and atmosphere is not at all important). In fact, if by some wild chance you're dying for Thai, carryout smileys/wink.gif Tell the owner, Sue, that Colleen says Hi!
California Pizza Kitchen in Farmington is a nicely laid out restaurant with an aunt-friendly menu (so is the Livonia one at Laurel Park Mall - over by Flemings and PFChangs). Making a whole bunch of assumptions about your situation based on your comments, this is where I would take them. Great food, well priced, spacious dining room, friendly staff. We love everything we've eaten there!
Right up the street from Farmington CPK is J Alexander's - my husband's favorite lunch place for salmon. You will be very well treated here at dinner. I find it expensive - I'd rather go elsewhere for the money - but they do know how to treat the business crowd.
We love Beans and Cornbread for lunch. A nicely varied menu, great portions (smaller lunch sized), and always busy. The food is fresh and staff are professional. If the restaurant was larger, I would consider it a top contender but worry that it will be too crowded for the scooter.
Hogan's and Beau Jacks are family-owned restaurants I would take my aunts to. They are a bit north and east of Farmington, but I think that they are great choices - you will be pleased with either. Neither is "special dinner" fancy but Beau Jacks is fancier. Colleen
