Forming a Traveling Dining Club

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Old 05-05-2016, 02:42 PM
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Default Forming a Traveling Dining Club

Looking for input to forming a traveling dining club. Would be great to have a mid sized bus that could take diners who like fine dining to out of the area restaurants.

There are so many great restaurants in St.Pete, Tampa, Cocoa-but don't want to risk driving home or having to spend the evening in a hotel.

Just because we would travel in a group doesn't mean we would have to eat at one large table unless the experience warrants it.

There is a truly fabulous Chinese Restaurant in Cocoa Beach, called Yen Yen--check out their menu-this where a table of 10 could have one hell of an experience.
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Old 05-06-2016, 12:46 AM
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What a great idea.
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Old 05-06-2016, 08:31 AM
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Default Dining

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Originally Posted by Chatbrat View Post
Looking for input to forming a traveling dining club. Would be great to have a mid sized bus that could take diners who like fine dining to out of the area restaurants.

There are so many great restaurants in St.Pete, Tampa, Cocoa-but don't want to risk driving home or having to spend the evening in a hotel.

Just because we would travel in a group doesn't mean we would have to eat at one large table unless the experience warrants it.

There is a truly fabulous Chinese Restaurant in Cocoa Beach, called Yen Yen--check out their menu-this where a table of 10 could have one hell of an experience.
If you're looking for a 20 passenger bus call Evelyn Stetler at JP Tours. 352-753-0736. Nice company to deal with, and they take small groups. Sounds like a great idea. Len & Mary
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Old 05-06-2016, 10:12 AM
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Very interested.
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Old 05-06-2016, 10:37 AM
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Our group looked into it already and found it cost-prohibitive.
By the time you add the food, beverage, tax & tip expenses to the cost of chartering a bus plus driver gratuity, we were at $80-100 per person.
Very few in our group would spend that much, so we couldn't fill a small bus.

The Villages Gourmet Club forms small groups for Dining-Out each month and most people car-pool to Mount Dora, Ocala or even Orlando for a new dining experience. One restaurant everyone seems to love is Seasons 52 Fresh Grill. The club caters to both singles and couples too.

Check them out: TheVillagesGourmetClub.com

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Old 05-06-2016, 02:16 PM
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$80.00-$100.00/ person is not a lot for transportation + fine dining.

I honestly believe a group who want to spring for a once a month or once every 2 weeks would not be deterred by the $$$-we Spent $300.00 to see a show @ the Sharon & spent $188.00 to see another show last week.

If you are on a tight budget or if you don't care to spend $$ for fine dining-don't join.
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Old 05-06-2016, 02:19 PM
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Keep me posted!
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Old 05-06-2016, 02:59 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chatbrat View Post
$80.00-$100.00/ person is not a lot for transportation + fine dining.

I honestly believe a group who want to spring for a once a month or once every 2 weeks would not be deterred by the $$$-we Spent $300.00 to see a show @ the Sharon & spent $188.00 to see another show last week.

If you are on a tight budget or if you don't care to spend $$ for fine dining-don't join.
I agree, I don't think it will be that difficult to put together a group!!
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Old 05-06-2016, 03:39 PM
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I'm interested in enjoying food and experiences that are not available inside the bubble, we drink, like fine wines & cocktails-don't want to risk a duo or worse

Again, experienced the Willow Tree in Sanford this Tues & realized what we've been missing.

Last edited by Chatbrat; 05-06-2016 at 03:54 PM.
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Old 05-06-2016, 04:36 PM
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We were in a group like this when we lived in Miami. Seems the same people had a sensor for the time the bill would arrive or forgot their wallet. That is a trick you can only do once. Same two fellas did it twice. Just a bad scene. Seems like the ones who loved the best places were not the nicest to be with finding fault with everything and everybody. Sending the meal back is not a sign you know about good food it just shows you are a fool. Arguing about the tip was the last straw. My best advise would be get everyone's money up front. We're out.
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Old 05-06-2016, 05:06 PM
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We are a couple that would be interested in this. Probably have to run it like the deep sea fishing club. You might need 500 members to fill a 20 person bus once a month but it could work. Maybe two trips a month, sign up and get your transportation money in by a certain date. I know we would be interested.
Keep us posted.
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Old 05-06-2016, 08:53 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chatbrat View Post
Looking for input to forming a traveling dining club. Would be great to have a mid sized bus that could take diners who like fine dining to out of the area restaurants.

There are so many great restaurants in St.Pete, Tampa, Cocoa-but don't want to risk driving home or having to spend the evening in a hotel.

Just because we would travel in a group doesn't mean we would have to eat at one large table unless the experience warrants it.

There is a truly fabulous Chinese Restaurant in Cocoa Beach, called Yen Yen--check out their menu-this where a table of 10 could have one hell of an experience.
Great idea. Think the idea of the bus is the best. Restaurant often far and unknown directions, bus gives piece of mind to enjoy a special dining experience. Bus money should be paid upfront. Each couple person pays their own dinner bill. This could be a grand experience. Keep us all informed. Very interested.
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Old 05-06-2016, 08:59 PM
Fraugoofy Fraugoofy is offline
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We would also be interested depending on how often the group would go out...

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Old 05-06-2016, 09:09 PM
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Yea, $80-100 per person was a normal restaurant. One person in the group priced a 3 course meal at Bern's Steakhouse for a group of 18 and it came to $175 pp with everything. No takers. That's when we looked at a normal restaurants at $80-100 pp and had a hard time filling a bus or even picking a mutually agreeable date. Then there were those lactose and gluten intolerant that had special needs. Some didn't want to pay up front too, not even a deposit so they could "cancel anytime". The group was from Bridgeport Village. For a group dinner, some restaurants will tell you: ONE BILL. It was a nightmare. Never got off the ground.

But good luck to you if you tackle it.

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Old 05-07-2016, 03:08 AM
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I'm not talking about just one restaurant-let the bus take the group to Central Ave,St Pete-there are tons of good restaurants-you're on you're own, to what restaurant you want, or to pair off with others, the same goes for Main St in Sanford.

None of the big table nonsense unless its Chinese restaurant that has a huge rotating setup like Yen Yen, then everything must be paid for up front-this is a typical shared meal experience.
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