I may have missed this on the thread, but a restaurant or store will determine if they want to go to an area by the average number of people that are dining or shopping. They won't build to accommodate December through March and have little or no business the remaining 8 months. Beach areas don't attract a lot of chains. They attract the locals that have a new twist on a burger, wrap, or steak. During the summer months and shoulder months they make their money and close in the winter. A chain going into The Villages can't afford to close during the slower season. Can an upscale restaurant survive when the snow birds are gone? I don't have an answer, simply a question.
We haven't had the pleasure of spending a lot of time in The Villages. What we found was good food, at a fair price. We wanted to try restaurants other than chains because we have them in PA. We had no complaints and when we are there full time, if we find we want something that isn't offered, we'll explore the surrounding area.
The chains haven't been successful because they've made poor business decisions. Plus, from a purely personal place, I would have a hard time spending $175.00 for a meal for two. That's just me and can't judge how others spend their money.
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