Just back-Observations

I%26#39;ve read the Sanibel forums for months and just got back from my first trip there. Here%26#39;s what I%26#39;ve learned.

1. All of the dozen or so restaurants that I visited were fine. Although we walked out of Che Burger when the place wasn%26#39;t even half full and they said it would be a 15 minute wait.

2. The prices at Baileys, gas at 7/11, stores were all reasonable.

3. The Mosquitoes/no see ums were no worse here than they are in the Caribbean.

4. Never stepped on a stingray, although one flew out of the water 30 feet from me. Wow.

5. Had 2 dolphins casually swim 10 feet from me.

6. Wasn%26#39;t aware there were 2 movie cinemas. Very nice.

7. There is no Red Tide.

8. People still don%26#39;t know how to turn off cellphones prior to going into a restaurant.

9. SWest/Ft. Myers airport is very nice and relaxed.

Overall, I love this island! Best kept secret in Florida. I%26#39;ll Be Back!

Just back-Observations

Cheeburger won my %26#39;Worst Service%26#39; award in 2007. Looks like they be a shoo-in for 2008. :-) Glad you had a good first trip!

Just back-Observations

There are two movie cinemas? I only know of Island Cinema. Where is the other one and what is it called?

Thanks

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Keep Sanibel the best kept secret!

Cheeburger Cheeburger did the same thing to us last summer. Just when we were thinking of leaving, they tried to sit us in the center circle in the middle of the gift shop. The place was EMPTY when we walked in. I said no, I think we will have one of these lovely empty window seats instead.

Just for the record, my companion and I had dinner at Cheeburger just five days ago (28 May 2008). We live on Sanibel year-round.

We had no wait at all to be seated. The burgers were even better than usual. The Coconut Cream Pie shakes were sheer heaven!

Here%26#39;s the main thing--we talked with the manager, and learned that the restaurant is really hurting because of the economic downturn and end of season. Cheeburger will survive, but the servers, in particular, are having to work two jobs just to make enough to survive. I noticed that several were not young people. Some are having to leave the area.

So we smiled at the staff, said, ';Thank you!'; a lot, lsft a big tip, and we will continue to return.

Kinda like a marriage, you know--for better, sometimes, and sometimes for worse. But we%26#39;ll not divorce Cheeburger.

Spiritmom,

I love your attitude! Yea, sometimes you just have to be extra nice to someone having a bad day. I did notice when we visit, we always get an older waitress. I just wondered during our last visit, WHO are they saving the good tables for?!

Glad you had a nice trip. Many of the comments about restaurant service make me want to not eat at any of them. We weren%26#39;t planning to eat out a lot anyway, but now perhaps even less -- will save me money by not.

We used to have a Cheesburer Cheeburger just a couple miles from my house, but it has since closed shop and currently there are none in Ohio. I could see us stopping in if we have to be right next to it when we%26#39;re hungry, but we won%26#39;t be LOOKING to go there.

We have a chee burger by us, so we don%26#39;t go usually on island. I like the burgers at Island Cow the best -fries are to die for. Well, maybe not die for, but worth stealing your neighbors share :)

Great post - thanks.

Hey, Bean!

I don%26#39;t know for sure, but I think certain servers are assigned to certain tables. If there are empty seats, it may be there are no servers to staff those particular tables at that time. (I know--seems as if some shifting could occur.)

As for the center section, it%26#39;s a shorter distance from there to the kitchen. I would hope the older servers could be assigned to those. But last Wednesday, the most elderly man--one who works another job at a fine restaurant on Ft. Myers Beach--

was waiting on the most distant areas. Sad.

Island Cinema has 2 theatres in it. Both movies play at 5 and 8pm.

Thanks....I was thinking two seperate buildings. We already went to see Indiana Jones. So thank you for clarifying.