From observing the perennially crowded restaurants around here, it would appear that Villagers as a whole spend many times the average per household on dining away from home. I have several friends that frequented establishments like Ruth's Chris prior to retiring and continue to do so at least once a week on their "fixed" incomes.

IMO this area could support at least one truly upscale eatery. We live in area where there are over 165,000 annual opportunities for birthday/anniversary celebratory dinners (530/day), not to mention the entertaining of visiting friends and relatives.

A Ruth's Chris will serve an average of about 130 dinners per day at $75/diner. That would be about .12% of the Villages diners (25% of the celebratory dinners) not counting the draw from surrounding communities. Put me down for 12 dinners per year!!

That was a corporate decision.............they closed restaurants all over the country.
What is wrong with groups going out to dinner?
What are you inferring with the "keep their hat on" comment?

The hot dog guy will be a millionaire.

Having spent most of my life living on the road, entertaining clients on my expense account, I must have lost my taste buds for expensive meals - bottle of over priced wines. We chose to live here in TV for the lifestyle and golf.. that was our top criteria. We visited once, then rented for 6 months before signing on the dotted line.

What I look for here in our new home town are friendly waiters, a decent cocktail that doesn't cost $12.. quality meat and veggies. Our personal favorite watering hole and restaurant is Palmer's. I'm trying to eat in a healthy style now, so I won't be bothering with steak (I can grill a great filet on my weber at home). I love watching the actions of big groups of Villagers - living the life and having fun. And, sometimes we are part of those big groups - making too much noise and having fun. There is nothing that makes me happier than sitting in front of the fireplace outside on the deck with my honey (husband).

For those of you who long for high end restaurants, you obviously didn't do your homework before you chose to live here. I'd love for you all to tell me how many high end restaurants you could get to by golf cart back in your old home town.

Me too!...... I can't believe people want other places to eat when we have a Chucky Cheese right here in Ocala.

I agree. Also from NY and just like good food. Hate chain restaurants. Everything taste the same and is full of salt and preservatives. Cook a lot more since moving here.

I think "high end chain restaurant" is an oxymoron

Maybe Morton's is the exception. But nice post.

Have you ever had a meal at a Ruth Chris (which was mentioned by the OP)? We think they are consistently very good.

Proper seasoning and fresh spices go a long ways. I think a lot of CC food is pre-packaged and not made fresh. When you are served fresh food, you know it. I'm hoping for improvements.

With 11 country clubs, you would think just one of them could have a restaurant that would be considered up-scale---requiring reservations, proper attire and some ambiance . Only one left to build..........

1 more person who thinks that most of the food in TV is MUCH worse than where we came from. And that doesn't mean that I am unhappy here-just want TV to be better for everyone. Someone told me (and I have not confirmed this) that the population of TV is higher than that of Ocala, and they have many more and more varied restaurants than we have here. So, I don't think it will matter much when we are at total build out. We had been told by our salesperson that TV wouldn't be getting any more restaurants until they started construction below 446A. Then we heard that we probably wouldn't get any more restaurants until they completed construction down to RT 44. Since we haven't seen or heard of a new surplus of restaurants, I guess we will have to wait until Fruitland Park is built. Or longer.........
One thing I don't understand is how TV can create this wonderful place, and through word of mouth, advertisements or whatever , are able to have a place that 100K + people come to live, move thousands of miles away from their families to be a part of. Some of this sight unseen. If they advertised for restaurants, I can't believe restaurants aren't begging to come here. I DO believe we have the expendable income.

I agree with you completely. Many people I know say the same thing about lack of good restaurants. We have a large group of friends here, and we make trips to Ocala and Orlando on a regular basis to go to the better restaurants. In my mind there is no lack of people here with expendable income willing and able to go to upscale restaurants. Its a shame there are none.

I have removed my response and no longer support this website. Search for the truth in all that you do.

I hear all this talk about "Higher End Chain Restaurants" but me and the wife are very satisfied with the current choices here in The Villages. While eating out is more of a Social Event than anything else we really have no desire to spend a small fortune doing it. Many others are on budgets and fixed income and simply could not afford to eat at these "High End Restaurants". So I will go against the general consensus and say we feel the choices here are plentiful. Food is only worth so much $$ these days!