Perkins American Food Co. — Restaurant in Lady Lake

Occasionally a restaurant grows to tramscend the limits of it's commercial, programmed fare and ambience, or lack thereof, as the case may be. Such has long been the case with this Perkins, to which Lady Lake and Villages residents can attest.

This restaurant has long been noteworthy for both it's stellar service AND it's expertly prepared and VERY tasty menu offerings.

Perkins Restaurants offer mostly home style cooking pared with more typical commercial offerings. Breakfast could be considered a specialty, and the many choices are tasty and interesting. Baked pies, cookies, select pastries and jumbo muffins are available while you dine or to carry home.

For the last several years, both service and food at this location have been exceptional. Both, alas, have suffered somewhat in recent months. Not to the extent that I can no longer recommend this place. In fact, if you aren't a regular patron, you might easily decide that everything is running as it should. Service is still quite good, and the food is not awful.

Neither is what it was just a few months ago, however. There are noteable faces missing, and clearly there are new servers and kitchen staff... perhaps with a few small kinks still to smooth out.

The staff seems motivated to reachieve greatness. I wish them success. This Perkins was a local gem. It's not all that far, really from being such again.

Thus, I shall continue to patronise this location, anticipating a rapid return to the stellar level of service and quality of fare to which this excellent breakfast/dinner restaurant has long left me...

My husband and I went out for dinner on Wednesday to celebrate Mother’s Day. Our daughters gave us an gift certificate for Mothers Day and Fathers Day. We chose to go early on Wednesday night so it would be less crowded. They also have a promotion special on Wednesday nights, buy one meal and get one free. We both ordered the Turkey dinner which was hot and yummy. We did have to wait outside before, we were able to get seated inside and before we were seated at a table, which was about 25 minutes. After we were seated our hostess promptly took our order. Then we waited another 25 minutes for our dinner. All the service takers,hostess and bus boys were hustling trying to accommodate the crowd of customers. As I was waiting for our meal I noticed that there was at least 5 empty tables that they were using for customers. My husband and I thought the tables were left empty so they would not over whim staff. They had a help wanted sign by the door. The entire staff was very polite and friendly. We often go to this restaurant on or near holidays and always enjoy our meals at a reasonable price. Hopefully they will fix the help wanted problems in the near future, yes we plan on going again near Father’s Day. There are a lot of businesses short of help and they handle it well. I know what it’s like to be short handed, I was a restaurant manager for 27...

Worst service ever! Walked in at about 1 PM. Not busy in the restaurant at all. Saw 3 waitresses, one about 4 ft from me. Not one acknowledged my presence. A nod or a smile or a "be right with you" would have sufficed. Nothing. I waited. An older couple walked in behind me. They waited. No one acknowledged any of us. We stood there nearly 15 minutes. I looked over my shoulder at the couple and asked, "Can you see me?" They nodded and the woman agreed that she was feeling invisible too. Finally a manager in a blue long-sleeved shirt came out of the kitchen. He was on his phone. He pointed and said someone would be right with us. It was another 2-3 minutes before someone asked if we wanted a table for three. I was seated separately and the waitress was friendly and efficient. Food OK, not great. I went to the counter to pay but no one was there. I waited again. A full 7 minutes. Out of desperation I left the cash and the ticket in front of the register drawer. As I walked to my car I passed the same blue-clad manager, outside, again on his phone, explaining to someone that the kitchen was backed up but no one told him that customers were unhappy. Saying that he had had to comp a meal and that about 8 people in one party was going to leave a bad review and that they knew his name. I wish I knew his name. Lousy management for sure. I...