[jtdraig]

The thoughts coming through this thread are pretty consistent with discussions I have had with restaurant managers or experienced employees around the Villages. A good kitchen staff, good service, and evidence of caring for your customer is pretty much a given. Within the Villages, this gets magnified mostly because we are a demanding bunch who communicates widely with each other. A restaurant opening "within the Compound" had better have a trained staff, reliable kitchen, and overkill on service the first few weeks or you are pretty much doomed (Whiskey Creek/Copper Pot/Main St Bistro/Juan's Mexicali). If you have been here, started well, you need to maintain that level or you,re doomed (Dominic's). Restaurants outside of the compound like Bone Fish Grlll and Longhorn did it right. They aren't burdened by high rents and percentage fees that you have within the Villages itself and they have their service and food quality thing down pat (Giovanni's). Golf cart access is always best but Longhorn is doing well without it. You can almost always go into a restaurant around here and get a feeling if it will last or not. Villages restaurant managers don't always know about the websites (this one and the Villages Gourmet Club) which they should monitor. I just find it all very interesting.