Why do senior citizens get cheaper prices?

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When you go to movie theaters or to zoos or museums, amusement parks, etc. You notice how the price for 65 and up is almost the same price for a child to get in. Also the bus passes here for senior citizens cost 25 bucks a month while adults have to pay 75 or 86 bucks a month on a bus pass depending on which pass they buy. I wonder why is that? Why do they make things cheaper for them? Is it because they are retired so they want them to save their retirement savings to live off of?

Thoughts? Ideas on why?

I guess it's just a respect thing, seeing as they've lived longer and done what they can for society and can't do much for it anymore. I don't quite understand it seeing as they're generally richer than all of us, but heh, I guess it's just how it works.

Because, They worked all their Lives and raised kids and now got little left. Friends are passed away, kids moved out. What little they saved is eaten by taxes and inflation. They deserve all the help they can get. They feel forgotten. Just waiting to die.

okay I wouldn't go as far as to say that they're waiting to die. Both of my Grandmothers (in their 80's and 90's respectfully) are leading great, fulfilling lives. But...at a drastically reduced income. They've worked, paid their dues, and I think it's awesome that seniors get discounts.

Oh I see because they are about to retire soon, we are giving them a gift, discounts. They have lived a good life and have worked, so now we are giving them a present.

The cost of pharmaceuticals eat up a lot of a senior citizen's fixed income. Sometimes they have to choose between food and medicine.

I respect my elders, and I think others should as well, but I don't think that's the real reason you see senior discounts. I'm sure there are some cases where business owners are doing it out of respect, but I think more likely it's a money-making thing. Many senior citizens live on a fixed-income, and if these discounts were not offered, many senior citizens would opt-out as opposed to paying full price. As it has become fairly standard for many businesses to have senior discounts, if one business did not offer this, the seniors would give their money to the businesses that do have the discounts.

I think it is because after they retire people have less income (often only what they get from Social Security or pensions) so they can't afford as much. Same reason there are often discounts for students, because students have less income than people with jobs.

Social Security doesn't go nearly as far as it used to. And prices have gone up a bit.

Still to young to take advantage of it.

This has nothing to do with respect or being nice; it's classic price discrimination based on different demand curves for different age groups. Basic micro economics.