Have you seen the prices on the menu at Cattle Baron recently?

[Talk Host]

Our dinner club ate at the Cattle Baron Saturday night. Most of us took advantage of the $9.99 coupon which was find. And, while looking over the regular menu, I almost choked.
There was a whole page of steak and lamb entrees that were $50. There was a (I believe porter house) that was $72. These were not for two people, they were for one people.

There were lots of other entrees that were in the $15 to $25 range, but the other high prices really surprised me. Are people actually buying those high priced items? I honestly cannot remember being in a restaurant anywhere, not even Ruth's Chris Steak House where the prices were that high.

I realise that nobody is forcing anybody to buy those higher priced items, but it seems odd that they would be so high in a restaurant that doesn't seem to be all that busy and has to have a $9.99 special to get people in the door.

[Donna]

With those prices, I'm suprised they are still in business! :o

[Rokinronda]

Those items are on KB's menu also. I did notice a couple with a coupon for dinner (lifestyle tour?) that were directed to those menu items and did order steak w/double lobster tails ($72? + + for each tail). I don't think anyone pays those ridiculous prices, but with a free dinner coupon, why not?

[samhass]

I think ronda just answered the question. I used to get the 300.00 per oz caviar at Paradise Island....comped of course. I wouldn't order that if I had to pay out of pocket.

[mrgumwood]

those expensive prices are meant for the lifestyle visitors who are entitled to anything on the menu. they walk away with a good feeling after being comped for a $100 dinner. i had the veal chop and lobster tail which was approx $72 and certainly not worth it. the price in good restaurants in nyc would be a half for a much better veal chop.

[Talk Host]

those expensive prices are meant for the lifestyle visitors who are entitled to anything on the menu. they walk away with a good feeling after being comped for a $100 dinner. i had the veal chop and lobster tail which was approx $72 and certainly not worth it. the price in good restaurants in nyc would be a half for a much better veal chop.


Isn't that kind of targeted price an insult to somebody. I can't figure out if its insulting to residents or sales prospects.

[JohnM]

those expensive prices are meant for the lifestyle visitors


That was our conclusion as well and not just at Cattle baron but at most/all Villages restaurants on the Lifestyle Preview. Most of the items on the menu were "normal" prices. Often our server, who automatically received 15% of the value of the meals, pointed out these "specials"...we viewed it as a marketing ploy, but, hey, it was free...

John

[Rokinronda]

Isn't that kind of targeted price an insult to somebody. I can't figure out if its insulting to residents or sales prospects.
BOTH! :agree:

[colleenj]

I think those prices are for the lifestyle preview people. When I came down in May, the waiter tried to talk me into the $72 steak (I wasn't paying and he would get an 18% gratuity so he wanted me to have the most expensive thing). I thanked him but said that ordering a 24 oz. steak that I could not possibly eat was a major waste of good food. I ordered a smaller steak that I could eat and he still still got a decent tip. NO, I cannot imagine paying that amount of money for ANY entree if I had to pay out of pocket- the $9.99 coupon is more my style!

[Just Susan]

As a lifestyle preview ploy, the compt'd menu does make the prospective buyer feel like they got a deal. It can make them feel pampered and pursued as a buyer, all good marketing strategy.

It can also be bad for restaurant business in TV. As a lifestyle participant, you are not really offered the regular menu. Wait staff emphasize the lifestyle menu. The prospective buyer may come away feeling special, but they can also be also thinking that they probably won't be going back to that/those restaurant(s) very often for ordinary food at ridiculous prices...could this be why they need $9.99 Specials?

[Floridagal]

I also believe that the new prices shown are for lifestyle previews. These people feel they are getting a real bargain with the free comps. The $9.99 dinner was great and I think they are doing this in the summer to keep the business going.

Had friends come down for the lifestyle preview, went to Cattle Baron and ate for $300 and the waitress made a nice tip. They kept ordering the lobster cause they were getting it free with the comp.

I know we wouldn't be going back with the prices, unless we have a coupon.

[Cassie325]

If I saw those prices, even if it was comped the first time, I would never go back. I wouldn't think that they had decent prices (as most places do) and would go elsewhere. there are many new restaurants opening and they are national chains...so most people already know the cost is reasonable.

[Rokinronda]

I believe if they want preview guests to be impressed, a great, varied, expansive, and fairly priced menu should be presented. We actually laughed when we saw these new items on the menu. We have witnessed others doing the same, looking shocked and dismayed, shaking their heads at the shame of it!!! What a joke! WHO manages this place and makes these decisions??!! It doesn't take a rocket scientist to plan a great menu!!!

[pm10]

We also ate at KB's on our lifestyle preview. Our waitress of course steered us toward the really high priced meals. But we chose smaller steaks - and weren't at all impressed with the food. We said we certainly wouldn't rush back to KB's for the food. (the evening was a blast, with the music and people watching, though)

[Rokinronda]

I had chicken parmesian and thought it was quite good and fair at $13.95!!!

[villages07]

The $9.99 specials must be working....been here a year and a half and had never eaten there. Went there Fri night with another couple. Dinner, drinks, and dessert for 2 of us was $35...pretty reasonable. The food was decent...not outstanding and not bad. Certainly was a good value ($1 beer drafts and $2.50 for house wine). I, too, noticed the very pricey selections on the menu and had a laugh at that...figgered it was for the lifestyle preview guests.

[l2ridehd]

On our preview, Palmer restarant did the same thing. A "kobe" beef special, that turned out to be like $60 and way not worth it. Comped, but did not make me a fan of the place.

[Skip]

What a joke! WHO manages this place and makes these decisions??!!

Answer: The "developer". All the developer-owned restaurants have special offerings for LifeStyle Preview Visitors. Expect Havana CC will also.

Skip

[Rokinronda]

Answer: The "developer". All the developer-owned restaurants have special offerings for LifeStyle Preview Visitors. Expect Havana CC will also.

Skip
Give the Lifestyle Visitors a seperate special menu and not have ridiculously priced items on the regular menu. They are making a mockery of themselves!

[Talk Host]

I think those high prices telegraph two things to prospective residents:

1. That current residents routinely pay (and can afford to pay) those kinds of prices.
2. That they will be expected to pay those prices when they move here.

[Russ_Boston]

We also ate at KB's on our lifestyle preview. Our waitress of course steered us toward the really high priced meals. But we chose smaller steaks - and weren't at all impressed with the food. We said we certainly wouldn't rush back to KB's for the food. (the evening was a blast, with the music and people watching, though)


Our exact thoughts as well.

[renielarson]

I had chicken parmesan, too, at KB's for $13.95. ;D ;D ;D

It was a lot of food for the money, however, I was surprised that I had to pay extra for a house salad. Most places a salad comes with the entree so that surprised me.

Like...spaghetti, chicken, and lettuce aren't the most expensive items to buy at the store...duh? You would think a salad would be included at no extra charge!

Ooops...sorry about the "duh"....a little sarcastic, huh? Oh well, many of you know me and know that is how I talk.

[zcaveman]

I saw those prices on the outside menu about a year ago and asked the guy at the door about it. I thought it was a typo. He told me that the lifestyle visitors buy them to get rid of the money on the credit card they get during the preview. Back when we got Village dollars we had a number of places to spend it. Or we could give it to a friend or sell it to a friend at a discount. The new life style credit card is for the holder only and expires when the visit is up. So if you have lots of money left on it you go to one of the restaurants that takes the card and get the most expensive thing on the menu. In this case the $72 T-bone or the $69 pork chop.

I know it sounds ridiculous but it maxes out the card.

[pm10]

Maybe we didn't look close enough - but we never saw any amount on the cards we got, for the freebees during the preview. We just had 4 restaurants that we could go to, and have whatever we wanted. :dontknow: Each waitress we dealt with pushed like crazy, for us to have dessert................ so since we left...............I've had a constant craving for key lime pie!!!!

[Russ_Boston]

They used to do 'dollars' on the preview but now they just give whole dinners and/or lunches. Yes the waitress will push meals since they want the biggest tip. My waitress at two places told me about meals the chef could pull together just as a treat for our preview visit. The price of the treat was over double the average. But boy where they good!

They do spoil you on those preview visits.

[Muncle]

With all this talk about some prices at Cattle Baron being so high that they were insulting -- to some one, not sure who -- I got a little worried. So I dug out the paperwork for my home purchase and checked it pretty thoroughly, especially the CCR parts. I couldn't find anywhere in there where it said I had to go to Cattle Baron.

On the other hand, I've been to a lot of restaurants over the years where there were items on the menu that I could not afford or would never choose to buy. I've seen wine on a menu that cost as much as I paid in rent for a month. Somehow, the existence of these items did not detract from the quality of the food and drink I did order.

On the third hand, I've heard several people comment over the years that TV needed at least one X (3, 4, 5 -- whatever scale you're using) star restaurant. Some have tried to be and some thought they were, but none were really class restaurants. No, they would not be high volume and for folks like me, they would be a very rare treat. But not everyone need be able to afford everything. It's not an insult to me or anyone else that something exists that is beyond my means. That's life.

[Talk Host]

With all this talk about some prices at Cattle Baron being so high that they were insulting -- to some one, not sure who -- I got a little worried. So I dug out the paperwork for my home purchase and checked it pretty thoroughly, especially the CCR parts. I couldn't find anywhere in there where it said I had to go to Cattle Baron.

On the other hand, I've been to a lot of restaurants over the years where there were items on the menu that I could not afford or would never choose to buy. I've seen wine on a menu that cost as much as I paid in rent for a month. Somehow, the existence of these items did not detract from the quality of the food and drink I did order.

On the third hand, I've heard several people comment over the years that TV needed at least one X (3, 4, 5 -- whatever scale you're using) star restaurant. Some have tried to be and some thought they were, but none were really class restaurants. No, they would not be high volume and for folks like me, they would be a very rare treat. But not everyone need be able to afford everything. It's not an insult to me or anyone else that something exists that is beyond my means. That's life.



You seem to have missed the entire point. Oh well, that's life

[poromo]

What kind of Dinner did you get for $9.99 at the Cattle Barons?

[villages07]

poromo....

They had several chicken choices (marsala, hawaiian, francese); 8 oz prime rib; grilled salmon, a shrimp dish etc. An assortment of their usually more moderately priced entrees. You also get the soup and salad bar with dinner. It was a very good value.

[poromo]

WOW!! CB has a great salad bar and their soups are the best.
I'll have to make it there next time there is a coupon. Was the coupon in the Villages Sun?

[Russ_Boston]

Agree on the soup and salad bar - the best part of CB.

[Talk Host]

WOW!! CB has a great salad bar and their soups are the best.
I'll have to make it there next time there is a coupon. Was the coupon in the Villages Sun?


There was a coupon in the Sun, but the coupon said something like, "if you forget to bring your coupon, that's okay because we will have one for you when you arrive."
which means you get the special with or with a coupon.

[zcaveman]

On the third hand, I've heard several people comment over the years that TV needed at least one X (3, 4, 5 -- whatever scale you're using) star restaurant. Some have tried to be and some thought they were, but none were really class restaurants. No, they would not be high volume and for folks like me, they would be a very rare treat. But not everyone need be able to afford everything. It's not an insult to me or anyone else that something exists that is beyond my means. That's life.



Background: Katie Belle's used to have the entire corner (before Chico's). They had a daily salad bar and great seating. It was the showcase. That was where you took your guests and visitors. Then Chico's came along. Then (I think it was after Chico's) they decided to make the upper floor a place called Cattle Baron's. It was supposed to be an exclusive resident only restaurant. $300 a year and if you did not spend $300, they billed you the difference. Not too many takers. So they lowered the fee and forgot about the difference. Still very little takers. So they dropped the membership and you have what you have now.

I refuse to go to Cattle Baron's for what they did to the overall Katie Belle's environment. I do go to the Katie Belle's area for the breakfast buffet and an occasional lunch.

[sandybill2]

Did the lifestyle preview last May with my in-laws. (we moved here--they didn't). We were given cards which entitled us to lunch or dinner at three diff establishments--Cattle Baron was included. It was a punch card--also good for movie, golf, tennis, etc. No dollar amount on it. When we went to CB and saw the menu being discussed--I assumed it would be excluded but we were actually steered towards those items by the waitstaff. We all had lobster tails---something I usually can't afford---the total of our bill was absolutely ridiculous but included the tip and I am sure that is the reason the waitstaff was anxious for us to order off of it. (did not include alcohol) Haven't been back since our move here the end of Oct but plan to take advantage of the 9.99 offer.

[blueeagle65]

We dined there a couple weeks ago and took advantage of the coupon specials and I had the worst prime rib ever! It was the driest piece of meat that I've tasted this side of jerky! The server was very sweet and brought a 2nd piece, but it was equally dry. The sides, salad and soup were just fine, but I may have found out what happened to our buffalo. The wife's fish was only fair as well. I guess you get what you pay for, huh?

[graciegirl]

We dined there a couple weeks ago and took advantage of the coupon specials and I had the worst prime rib ever! It was the driest piece of meat that I've tasted this side of jerky! The server was very sweet and brought a 2nd piece, but it was equally dry. The sides, salad and soup were just fine, but I may have found out what happened to our buffalo. The wife's fish was only fair as well. I guess you get what you pay for, huh?


You know getting a menu item that is not good, at places that we dine frequently is happening a lot to us. The quality of the food is more inconsistent than I remember it. My husband and I attribute it to the cook on duty at the time. I have gotten pasta that wasn't even drained enough and watered down the sauce. That is obviously a lack of cooking skills. The next step to wonder is why it is hard to find people who know how to cook and want to work?

[njgranny]

On our Lifestyle preview last month, we had dollar amounts on our free dinners. My husband had a small steak, a lobster tail, and seafood chowder, so he used his $$$ amount easily. I couldn't eat that much, so I ordered lightly. He said the steak was delicious, and I told him to enjoy it because at those prices, he wouldn't be having one any time again soon. :) :) :)

[graciegirl]

A friend told me that she had the steak and lobster at the Cattle Baron and that is was expensive.

Did you all see the Cattle Baron had recently sponsored a large charity event to support Cancer research?

[Niels]

My wife and I were just down to TV last week for the lifestyle preview. The lifestyle preview cards now have a limit of $50.00 per person for dinner at either Cattle Barons or Katie Bells.

So now even lifestyle preview visitors cannot order many of the higher priced items on the menu unless you want pay the difference in price.

[chuckinca]

We were in a party of about 20 in Cattle Baron's a few years ago and had the dumbest servers in the world. They got all the orders to us very late and in random order so that one person at a table had their food for a half hour before the remainder of the table got theirs. Most of the orders were completely wrong. Half the people sent theirs back which was a BIG mistake because it took them another hour to get fed. Lots of drinks were dispensed waiting for the food.

Then the biggest joke of all was that they couldn't figure out what to charge each person or group of people. They finally asked each table who was paying for what and then went and made up bills and brought them back for payment. You could have had the $72 special and told the waiter you had a $10 meal and that's what you would be charged.

[rshoffer]

I've only eaten there once... when we were here in Sept 07 on our "lifestyle package". Of course we ate for free, in fact, the waitresses were asking us to take "some lobster tails back to our room'. that place is there to entertain and impress lifestyler's. i bet no Villigers eat there.

[gemorc]

I've only eaten there once... when we were here in Sept 07 on our "lifestyle package". Of course we ate for free, in fact, the waitresses were asking us to take "some lobster tails back to our room'. that place is there to entertain and impress lifestyler's. i bet no Villagers eat there.

My wife and I had dinner there last Monday. We each selected entries off the daily specials menu that is advertised in the Daily Sun. She had the blackened grouper, while I had the 8oz. prime rib. We received excellent service. The soup and salad bar above average for this area. Neither one of us drank any alcohol so our bill came to $31.00. We will definitely return again.

[collection6]

Went to Cattle Baron Club sun evening. Read the menu outside and saw all of the specials listed and decided to go and eat. Got upstairs and was seated promptly. Waitress took our drink orders and told us to go ahead while she got them. I asked her what see meant as we had not ordered yet. She replied that the kitchen was being remodeled and todays menu was a buffet only. I asked her why that was not posted outside, and she said that she did not know. As I have a handicap walking, and felt I could go no further without a rest, we decided we would settle on the buffet. What a mistake! Buffet was a small salad bar, tilapia, ham, roast beef too tough to eat, and three vegetables and soup. It was awful. On top of that instead of being $9.95 like the specials, it was $14.95 each. Talk about a come-on, from very nice sounding specials to a terrible, inadequate buffet. It will be the last time we eat at this location.