To the Editor:

I know there are many letters written about our local restaurants, however, I had to “sound off,” too, since frustration has set in after not being able to book a reservation weeks in advance at our newest local restaurant, Blue Fin (snippy attitude received when I asked.)
Evidently Blue Fin, like many other Villages restaurants, stopped taking reservations once the seasonal folks started arriving. Fred Karimipour, who runs the majority of food establishments in the Villages, as well as other restaurant managers, must be laughing “all the way to the bank” at all the Villagers waiting, waiting and waiting, an hour or more, to eat at their restaurants, whether the food, service, or ambiance is mediocre or not. It is simply unfathomable why many of these Villages restaurants do not take reservations particularly this time of year. They could certainly fill the seats if they had a “no-show’ plus it seems logical that reservations would allow for better planning all around; food, staff, and customers.
For those of us who are weary of daily cooking, especially while hosting family and/or friends, it’s very disappointing to not be able to make specific dinner plans, hop in the golf cart and go have a nice meal sans long lines.
One solution, of course, is to simply drive 30 minutes “outside the bubble” to a restaurant that takes reservations and has good food, of which there are several. It’s unfortunate that many Villagers, hoping for some convenience in dining, must put up with a “system” that takes no reservations, has significant waits and long lines;  for a number of folks, driving in the dark, on rural, unlit, single lane roads and/or interstates, doesn’t work well for aging eyes and decreased driving skills.  Some suggest eating dinner at 3 or 4 p.m. during the season. Really?!
To the restaurant managers; how nice that your businesses are “booming” and it is doubtful that there is any concern regarding your customers waiting and waiting to be seated … sometime? … they are likely drinking at the bar….maybe they will get dinner at 6? 7? 7:15? or even 8 p.m.???
Just please remember that the customers you discourage and irritate today may very likely be the ones you’d really like to have support your businesses during the “off season.”.

Jackie Hall
Village of Fernandina