We have tried a number of "Chinese" restaurants in the local area to include Ocala and haven't found one that we like, a few were terrible. I wish I could get the Chinese restaurant back in Tennessee where we lived to open in this area. For over 10 years we ate there frequently. The food was consistent in taste and quality all the time. Huge, huge buffet where the hot food was hot and cold food kept cold. Very clean restaurant to include the restrooms. Can you tell we miss that place?

Maybe some people, but definitely not most. Even the Chop House doesn't have a dress code.

Well, it should be clear as mud now.
:MOJE_whot:

OP. I hate to be a Debbie Downer but Florida is a much tougher market for Restaurant Business than other places that do not have seasonal residents flooding the place for three months and then disappearing. How do you budget? How do you keep help?? And for heavens sake don't take anyone's advice on some splinter theme like a German Restaurant. Wide appeal is best and not expensive. AND many if not most of us like chain restaurants. Their menu appeal has been tested and their processes have been proven. I love PFChang's and I love Bob Evans and I love Cracker Barrel. And so do a lot of people and a lot of people is who you need to court, not the folks who miss an obscure kind of menu. People have money here but they come from being very thrifty, MOST of them...and the more money they have the more thrifty most are. Please think twice before coming here and risking your life savings.

Why most restaurants fail within the first three years | QSR Web

:) Which one did you go to?

OP you have gotten advise be very careful in learning the market before deciding what to open.

Unusual market we have found a number of places we like and amazed how empty they were even before the virus struck.

Surprised more have not folded.

Tennessee???:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

Try Wo Hop's or 4-5-6, both in Chinatown (NYC). At 4-5-6, the waiters do not speak English and there is one menu in English. We would go there with a Chinese-American, and she would just write what we wanted on a piece of paper. Do not order soup, it's included with the meal (If you are Chinese). Also, they do not collect sales tax (if you are Chinese)

There are many people here who are well off and who are enjoying the fruits of their labor. The more upscale dining restaurants seem to be doing a very good business. Many are not "thrifty" and consider the chain restaurants swill.

Hey you guys from Detroit ever try 3 brothers in Plymouth.?

Would love a Pollo Tropical, also a Boston Market. They aren’t really fast food...but very good for takeout.

How about a western themed bar/restaurant with a bronco riding machine and mud wrestling?

Koegels products are available online but the shipping & handling is outrageous. It's tough to pay $6.75/pound for hot dogs, then add $7 or $8/pound for shipping. That definitely made it worth standing in line for Koegels on the Road. It's also nice to meet a bunch of Michiganders there. However, I had not considered Amazon for Koegels products and realizing that I can get it with free S&H as an Amazon Prime user, I may have to reconsider my next Koegels on the Road event!

EDIT:

I just checked Amazon and found that, yes, shipping and handling are free but the prices are inflated. They mentioned a "Koegel Viennas Qty 32" option for $52.99. Koegels Viennas come packed 8 to a pound, so that's really just another way of saying 4 pounds. AT $52.99, that's $13.25/pound. The Koegels on the Road event I keep harping about sells them for the normal retail of $6.75/pound. The $13.25/pound price is a 96% increase over retail pricing. Thanks, but I'll stick with Koegels on the Road unless I'm bloody desperate for a good hot dog!

We need a place that sells Halal Chicken and Rice. And more Mediterranean and Mid-Eat foods.
All healthy food

We have too many chains and fast food places. Seafood would be great.

Thai......................
 

My thought immediately. We moved to TV from St Pete and between St Pete and Tampa had great choices of real, authentic Thai food. Would not even consider Thai Ruby. Tried it once in that area, didn't like it. Tried again in TV because we wanted Thai food and it is the only choice and swore never again. There is NO resemblance.

Agreed.

Have you tried Kayame?

ewwwww
 

red robin ?? Ewwww .. isnt five guys greasy enough for u ?

Koyame isn't thai food.

It is both Chinese and Thai and we really enjoy their Thai dishes

I don't eat at 5 Guys.

I don't eat burgers at Red Robin. I assume that is what you are referring to as greasy?

k.

Hi, thanks so much for the suggestion. As I read further through the thread I saw this type of option come up multiple times. Sounds like we need some more health conscious options. Thanks for kicking off the thread with such a great suggestion.

Cheers, Dylan

Hi John, thanks so much for the detailed reply and especially for the photos, I found it super helpful. I have always wanted a sports bar, but I totally heed the warnings of the competition. That's a lot of money to sink in and you'd better nail it. I think I am going to poke my head into these spots you suggested when I come down for my April visit. Cheers, Dylan PS - who do you have winning your NCAA bracket?

Bahaha, loved this response!

Thanks so much for the advice, I like this trend towards healthier foods and it has come up a lot in this thread. Cheers, Dylan

B-Dubs!

Here is a sample of the menu at olgas kitchen for you to look at. Yes me too stand in line for koegels on the road.

that's one of the places i really miss, where else could you get a $10 steak that's good enough to eat, lol. i think it would fit the lifestyle very well. we also need a really good Chinese SIT DOWN place, there's enough of the small-storefront types

only in Village of Stu, :1rotfl:

High in fiber and soft bland foods! Organic , our medications don't mix well with Fertilizers that contain nitrogen... good luck ...I'd call the Restaurant Clickbait... jailbait is long gone

red robin really has its devoted fan base. ours was always packed up north, & the kids liked the ice cream sodas

What kind of restaurant did you own or run before? In what state? People are very free with suggestions to your hard earned money. Ask people what restaurants that they NOW frequent most? Find the need, not the want.

Not all all healthy but did like the unlimited fries and the onion rings.

We are looking for a manager so please send in your application with the $ 25 entry fee.

Would love a Durgin-Park type restaurant in TV. If you have ever been to Boston it was one place to experience.

The wait staff was encouraged to be intentionally surly towards customers and everyone loved the experience.

Considering the "complain about everything in every restaurant" mentality from some it would be a refreshing change.

Was open in downtown Boston for generations and closed in 2019. I think there's still one in Logan?

:) Do your homework buddy and good luck if you are serious. :coolsmiley:

:shocked: As far as "health conscious" options, we had a "Nature's Table" franchise here ..... it closed and a Tapas restaurant opened in it's place. That restaurant had a piano bar as well...... it also closed. :oops: Another Tapas restaurant opened and closed in Brownwood.

Most posters/experts on this site never saw any of them. :1rotfl:

I remember Durgin Park. It had communal seating at long tables. It was an experience but probably not one that would go over over well here.

Few ideas:

In and Out Burger (mostly in California) (makes 5 guys taste like mud)

What A Burger (mostly in Texas) (makes 5 guys taste like mud)

Cajun (Only for Southerners)(Gumbo) (Northeast folks would cry)

Real Mexican (mostly in Texas and Mexico)(Not sure what it is here)

Gulf Coast Seafood (Red Snapper, Flounder, Shrimp, Grouper, etc.)

BBQ (Texas Style) with sliced bread, 18 hr Brisket, Fig Pie

Now that I listed all this there really is not much in the way of "good" food here.

I didn't bother to mention In-n-Out in my earlier post because they are not franchised. It is a family-owned company and they only open in areas where they can deliver fresh beef and potatoes to each restaurant daily. Took a long time for them to expand to Texas. (Now there are quite a few there.) Same for the NW.

Few things would make me happier than seeing them move into Florida. Will it happen in my lifetime? Hope springs eternal!

kathy

If we already frequent those other places, there is definitely not a need for more of what we already have plenty of.

The need is for what we don't have. That's why we need it. If we had it, we wouldn't need it.

I frequent the places I frequent now, because there is a lack of alternative.