The purpose of this study was to analyze the satisfaction level on hospital foods in elderly and middle aged patients. The subjects were selected among the patients treated in the Inha University hospital during July of 1999. One hundred thirty five elderly patients aged over sixty(68 men, 67 women) and sixty five patients aged in forties(35 men, 30 women) were surveyed through questionnaires in terms of satisfaction level on hospital foods and the food preferences. Satisfaction on general taste, saltiness, serving temperature, appearance, texture and variety of hospital foods was not significantly different according to age. However, elderly men showed significantly higher satisfaction level than elderly women in terms of general taste of hospital foods(p<0.01). The preferences of cooking method for meat, fish, vegetable and the preferred kinds of kimchi and milk & milk products were not significantly different between the two age groups. However, elderly women significantly preferred sauted meat to broiled meat compared to elderly men(p<0.05).