Trivia at City Fire

[rsetterlund]

This year we joined a team that has been playing trivia Sunday nights at City Fire for three years. We all live here year round so like playing year round. A couple of weeks ago the manager of the Sumter Landing City Fire came around to all the tables informing us that from now on we could not have more players that what was on our team registration. The reason was there were not enough chairs. So when all the chairs are full they start turning people away and won't let them in to stand? Yea right. We were also told that we could not just order drinks, we had to order food as well. Some weeks we did order food, just not every week and not everyone on the team. It was not fair to our servers. I heard, we are not leaving a big enough tip. If we did not agree to the new rules our table would be given to one of the 15 teams waiting to play. I find it interesting that our business is welcome when the snow birds are not here. I have been told that this happens every year when the snow birds and renters are here. :shrug:

[getdul981]

If that's their way of doing business, then don't go there when the snow birds leave and see how long they stay in business. I hate it when the businesses cater to the snow birds. They should cater the people that are hear year round. Let the flames begin!

[Bonny]

This is the time of year that the staff can finally make some good money. Remember we have a lot of young people & single parents trying hard to make a living. It can get really slow in the summer.
Cut them a little slack. After the snowbirds & renters leave we will have the place to ourselves again.

[blueash]

Before it was City Fire, in its previous incarnation as Urban Flats, there was trivia there. You could order what you wanted, food, drinks, nothing. Then one week there was an announcement that everyone had to order a meal as they were not making enough for the time the tables were occupied. So dutifully next week everyone ordered a Flat. Lo and behold the food was a disaster as the kitchen couldn't handle all those orders coming in at once. And within a week or two more, the trivia was cancelled. Hope it goes better this time for you.

[bkcunningham1]

We play trivia on Monday night at Orange Blossom Country Club. We were told basically the same thing about the number of players. They didn't mention the food and drink part of the requirement though. A few people I know who are regular patrons of the business were offended.

It makes me a little curious that two different businesses said practically the same thing.

[OldDave]

As a wannabe who will certainly want to play trivia when/if we move there, I'd like to ask a question. Why don't you play at a rec center instead of restaurants?

[jbdlfan]

Go to Mojos in Belleview for trivia! $1.50 bottled beers and food deals!

[buggyone]

Before it was City Fire, in its previous incarnation as Urban Flats, there was trivia there. You could order what you wanted, food, drinks, nothing. Then one week there was an announcement that everyone had to order a meal as they were not making enough for the time the tables were occupied. So dutifully next week everyone ordered a Flat. Lo and behold the food was a disaster as the kitchen couldn't handle all those orders coming in at once. And within a week or two more, the trivia was cancelled. Hope it goes better this time for you.

I enjoyed trivia at Urban Flats and our team usually did pretty good. We always ordered about 3 drinks each over the course of the evening and tipped appropriately and we always had good service. I do remember the fiasco with the food when everyone had to order. Just poor planning.

I did talk with the owner a couple of months later. He said quite a few of the table did not order much or tip enough so the servers could earn money for the night. He said there were actually a couple of regular tables who would just order ice water (with extra lemon, of course) and leave a $1 tip for the entire table at the end of the evening.

That, basically, is how Joyce and Bonnie got to their present spot as Mad Hatter Trivia at Canal Street Rec Center on Sunday night.

Do not fault City Fire. Fault the cheapo tippers.

[nitehawk]

Before it was City Fire, in its previous incarnation as Urban Flats, there was trivia there. You could order what you wanted, food, drinks, nothing. Then one week there was an announcement that everyone had to order a meal as they were not making enough for the time the tables were occupied. So dutifully next week everyone ordered a Flat. Lo and behold the food was a disaster as the kitchen couldn't handle all those orders coming in at once. And within a week or two more, the trivia was cancelled. Hope it goes better this time for you.

City Fire has been doing trivia for some time now and there is no problem with the service or the food- Yes - there is a wait list just to get a team in play -- Dont blame them for making the teams buy a dinner (and it should be a drink also) If you dont like the rules take you ball and leave -- there are 15 teams waiting for your spot

[nitehawk]

Maybe there should be a minimum - then people dont have to have dinner or a drink

[rsetterlund]

As for taking our ball and playing some where else that is what we are going to do, because our table has already been given to another team. As for ordering food, I said we sometimes did, the problem is their menu is very short on selections.

For tipping, I always over tipped my server when the service was good and tipped 20% of the bill when the service was bad and most times the service was bad. I agree, the tables that order only water and then leave a dollar tip should be asked to leave.

The point that I was trying to make was, everything is always fine in the summer when we are still spending money in there. But in the winter we are not good enough.

There are so many things to do and places in and out of the villages to do them in we do not need to be treated this way.

[rsetterlund]

Won't know how it goes as our table was given to another team so we can not be there.

[rsetterlund]

Many times it is hard to get a room at a rec center. Plus if you do want to order food that is not an option. For drinks it would have to be BYOB, which is not a problem for me but might be for some people.

[mulligan]

Same guy does trivia at Taverna Red on thursday nights

[Cantwaittoarrive]

This year we joined a team that has been playing trivia Sunday nights at City Fire for three years. We all live here year round so like playing year round. A couple of weeks ago the manager of the Sumter Landing City Fire came around to all the tables informing us that from now on we could not have more players that what was on our team registration. The reason was there were not enough chairs. So when all the chairs are full they start turning people away and won't let them in to stand? Yea right. We were also told that we could not just order drinks, we had to order food as well. Some weeks we did order food, just not every week and not everyone on the team. It was not fair to our servers. I heard, we are not leaving a big enough tip. If we did not agree to the new rules our table would be given to one of the 15 teams waiting to play. I find it interesting that our business is welcome when the snow birds are not here. I have been told that this happens every year when the snow birds and renters are here. :shrug:

The other side is yesterday my wife and I couldnt get a table outside, the bar was full and the inside was closed for trivia so they lost our business, of course every since they took sloppy joes off the menu I dont go as offten as I use too

[robertj1954]

:0000000000luvmyhors:agree::agree::agree:This is the time of year that the staff can finally make some good money. Remember we have a lot of young people & single parents trying hard to make a living. It can get really slow in the summer.
Cut them a little slack. After the snowbirds & renters leave we will have the place to ourselves again.

:agree:

[Newbeginnings]

I just started playing Trivia at City Fire by invitation from one of the great neighborhoods in The Villages, I love it and the waitress is great. I don't mind ordering a small salad or soup to keep the money flowing for them. I have a great time and it's really pretty reasonable to sit at a table from 6-8:30 for less than $20.00. Sometimes I'm not that hungry but want to keep the table for all of the good times so I order something light. Food is not all that great sometimes but they are really good at making adjustments to please the table if the food isn't up to par. I think its a great evening and fun time with my friends don't mind paying the xtra for food...

[buggyone]

I just started playing Trivia at City Fire by invitation from one of the great neighborhoods in The Villages, I love it and the waitress is great. I don't mind ordering a small salad or soup to keep the money flowing for them. I have a great time and it's really pretty reasonable to sit at a table from 6-8:30 for less than $20.00. Sometimes I'm not that hungry but want to keep the table for all of the good times so I order something light. Food is not all that great sometimes but they are really good at making adjustments to please the table if the food isn't up to par. I think its a great evening and fun time with my friends don't mind paying the xtra for food...

Please look at what you wrote from the side of the management and from the servers. Ordering a small salad or soup is not going to keep the money flowing for them for the 2 1/2 hours you are at the table. That table could have turned over 3 times with higher revenue for the restaurant and 3 times the tips for the servers.

[gerryann]

The other side is yesterday my wife and I couldnt get a table outside, the bar was full and the inside was closed for trivia so they lost our business, of course every since they took sloppy joes off the menu I dont go as offten as I use too

NO!NO!...not the Sloppy Joes.....tell me it isn't so.........

[graciegirl]

Please look at what you wrote from the side of the management and from the servers. Ordering a small salad or soup is not going to keep the money flowing for them for the 2 1/2 hours you are at the table. That table could have turned over 3 times with higher revenue for the restaurant and 3 times the tips for the servers.

That's it in a nutshell.

They are in business to sell food and drink. They can't stay in business if they don't. The high season is when they make more money to get them though the dry season.

AND.....The restaurants are going to HAVE to up their prices here soon too. I see a huge increase in our grocery bill.

I don't think their changes are meant to be personal, it is just economics 101. Or as they say in Ohio, "making hay while the sun shines.".

[coffeebean]

How often is Trivia played at City Fire? Is this the reason why it is so busy all the time?

[Bonny]

A restaurant is in business to make money. That means selling food & drinks. I actually know someone that brags that they play trivia, get 1 glass of "house" wine & add ice to it. She said it's $4.00 with the tip & she has a nice cheap fun evening out. REALLY ???? :shrug:
Then you hear a small salad or soup to keep the money flowing !! And who can make money off of a small salad ?
If these were our kids working there & trying to make a living on this, I'm sure we would not be happy !!! Just sayin' !

[coffeebean]

This is the first I've heard that Trivia is played at City Fire. I'm trying to understand why the establishment would give up those tables for an extended period of time and forgo the opportunity to generate some real income for the restaurant and tips for their servers.

[Bonny]

This is the first I've heard that Trivia is played at City Fire. I'm trying to understand why the establishment would give up those tables for an extended period of time and forgo the opportunity to generate some real income for the restaurant and tips for their servers.

I agree. I think they should play it in the summer months & not when we are in season. Some people are actually bringing in peanuts & other stuff for their snacks. They need to remember this is a restaurant, not a Rec Center !!!

[mulligan]

We've had 2 tables at trivia (16 people) since April. When the manager asked that we spend $8 +- per person, we had no problem with that. They can't provide the venue and entertainment every Sunday for nothing.

[Newbeginnings]

I order drinks also, I posted that I spend $20 for my bill plus a tip...The whole table of 8 spends at least that per person and more. If $20 a head is cheap, then I will quit playing. I order more on some weeks for food, so if $8.00 is the expectation and $20 + tip is what I spend, and the table is spending $160 or more, why the harsh criticisms? this is why I don't like posting on this site too much, people are so critical and harsh without reading the full thread or the OP..

[tainsley]

A restaurant is in business to make money. That means selling food & drinks. I actually know someone that brags that they play trivia, get 1 glass of "house" wine & add ice to it. She said it's $4.00 with the tip & she has a nice cheap fun evening out. REALLY ???? :shrug:
Then you hear a small salad or soup to keep the money flowing !! And who can make money off of a small salad ?
If these were our kids working there & trying to make a living on this, I'm sure we would not be happy !!! Just sayin' !

I agree! The restaurants are in the business to make money. The servers work hard and are always hustling at City Fire. They rely on tips to make a living! This time of year it is hard to get into City Fire on any given night...I can wait until summer! We do go down to Taverna Red on Thursday nights. We go early and our team has dinner and drinks and play trivia. I have also been to trivia at the rec centers. Try them!

[coffeebean]

I agree. I think they should play it in the summer months & not when we are in season. Some people are actually bringing in peanuts & other stuff for their snacks. They need to remember this is a restaurant, not a Rec Center !!!

You can't be serious! I blame the manager for allowing that.

[coffeebean]

We've had 2 tables at trivia (16 people) since April. When the manager asked that we spend $8 +- per person, we had no problem with that. They can't provide the venue and entertainment every Sunday for nothing.

Generating a minimum of $8 per person for an extended period (someone said 2 1/2 hours) is an absolute joke. I agree that the trivia games should be put on hold while the seasonal folks are here. Give the snowbirds the opportunity to spend some REAL MONEY in these restaurants.

[Bonny]

The place is packed. You can't always see if someone is munching on their own snacks.

[coffeebean]

I order drinks also, I posted that I spend $20 for my bill plus a tip...The whole table of 8 spends at least that per person and more. If $20 a head is cheap, then I will quit playing. I order more on some weeks for food, so if $8.00 is the expectation and $20 + tip is what I spend, and the table is spending $160 or more, why the harsh criticisms? this is why I don't like posting on this site too much, people are so critical and harsh without reading the full thread or the OP..

I've read every word in this thread. Most folks would spend less time at the table than the folks playing Trivia. As someone said up-thread...the tables could be turned more frequently, thus generating much more income for the restaurant and more tips for the servers.

[Deerfly]

Before Donna Moore and Dunning Shaw became very popular at Katie Belles there was no cover charge. Then it became $15/person with all of the money going toward your drinks/food because there were a number of people who came to the show, sat and ordered nothing. Now I think $10 of $15 goes toward your bill. Not hard to understand why they did this.
As far as catering to the Snowbirds; I am very happy that the Snowbirds are here. (except for the heavy traffic) They pay amenity fees, garbage fees, etc year round and actually hold down those costs for year around residents like me.

[Bonny]

Before Donna Moore and Dunning Shaw became very popular at Katie Belles there was no cover charge. Then it became $15/person with all of the money going toward your drinks/food because there were a number of people who came to the show, sat and ordered nothing. Now I think $10 of $15 goes toward your bill. Not hard to understand why they did this.
As far as catering to the Snowbirds; I am very happy that the Snowbirds are here. (except for the heavy traffic) They pay amenity fees, garbage fees, etc year round and actually hold down those costs for year around residents like me.

:bigbow: I agree. If we want to have all these stores & restaurants, they need to make money. Thank you snowbirds & renters for spending your money !!

[bargee]

If trivia is such a problem as some of you suggest and the establishment is"loosing"money on the whole deal, why do they offer it.They can cancel it any time they want.

[rsetterlund]

Trivia runs from 6:30 to 8:00, that is not 2 1/2 hours.

[Bonny]

Trivia runs from 6:30 to 8:00, that is not 2 1/2 hours.

The players start packing the place about 6:00.