Fort Myers, Jacksonville make list of 10 best dinner theaters in United States
USA Today just announced its 10 best dinner theaters in the country — and two of them have Southwest Florida connections.
Fort Myers' popular Broadway Palm came it at No. 10. And another dinner theater owned by the same company — Fort Myers-based Prather Productions — made it all the way to No. 3: The Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Prather Productions CEO Will Prather, who also manages Broadway Palm, says he has 'no idea' how they got nominated, but he appreciates what he calls 'a very nice accolade.'
'Our family's been in this industry now for multiple decades…' he says. 'It's a testament to how resilient our family's been.'
The ranking was announced Wednesday by the USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards, an ongoing series that highlights the best in travel, dining and lifestyle.
For the series, USA Today invites a panel of industry experts to nominate their favorites in a wide variety of categories. Then 10Best editors select the nominees to be presented to the voting public for four weeks.
Broadway Palm wasn't the only Florida place to land in USA Today's 10 best dinner theaters. Jacksonville's Alhambra Theatre & Dining took the top spot at No. 1.
Not bad, considering there are only three professional dinner theaters left in the state, according to Prather. Naples Dinner Theatre along Immokalee Road closed in 2007 after opening in 1975.
He says he appreciates the national attention for an industry that used to be much more widespread. There were 10 dinner theaters in Florida, he says, when he moved to Fort Myers in 1993.
'It was nice to see our industry acknowledged,' he says. 'These dinner theaters have survived all these ups and downs —- and the recessions, and COVID — and they've been able to keep their doors open and they're growing. They're maintaining their customer base.'
USA Today's announcement described dinner theaters as 'a brilliant fusion of culture, cuisine, comfort and community.'
'There's no pairing more iconic for an evening out than dinner and a show,' said the article announcing the winners. 'And dinner theaters provide both fine dining and top-shelf entertainment under one roof.'
Here's what the 10Best Readers' Choice Awards had to say about Broadway Palm, the Dutch Apple and the Alhambra:
The Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre has been putting on dinner theater shows for more than 30 years. Buffet meals are served before each show, and guests can order plated dinners on Friday and Saturday nights in the Main Theater. Menu offerings change with each show, and there's even a special kids' menu for productions in the Children's Theatre. The Main Theatre puts on concerts and Broadway shows like "Annie" and "Legally Blonde: The Musical."
Since 1987, the Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre has entertained the people of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The theatre's dining room only seats 320 people at a time and presents shows that range from "A Chorus Line" to "Hairspray" and "The Full Monty." Buffet-style meals include a wide range of options, and there's a full-service bar on hand as well.
America's longest continuously-operating dinner theater, Jacksonville's Alhambra Theatre & Dining began putting on shows back in the 1960s. With a winning combination of concerts and Broadway favorites like "My Fair Lady" and "West Side Story," the theater's season runs year-round. They offer three-course gourmet meals, which are served as soon as the theater is open to seating. Many shows sell out quickly, so if you're going to Jacksonville on vacation, be sure to plan ahead for this much-beloved local experience.
The News-Press and Naples Daily News are owned by Gannett, the same company that owns USA Today. Both papers are part of the USA Today Network.
Charles Runnells is an arts and entertainment reporter for The News-Press and the Naples Daily News. To reach him, call 239-335-0368 or email crunnells@gannett.com. Follow or message him on social media: Facebook(@charles.runnells.7), Instagram and Threads (@crunnells1) and X (@CharlesRunnells)
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: 10 best dinner theaters: Fort Myers, Florida's Broadway Palm makes cut
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