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5 Chain Restaurants That Will Cater Your Thanksgiving Dinner





Thanksgiving can be a chore, whether you’re cooking all day or socializing, not to mention the daunting task of cleaning your kitchen afterward. Sometimes people get sick because of flu season or foodborne illness due to food recalls or accidental cross-contamination while preparing a roasted turkey. Others may live far away in another state or country. There may be family members who just can’t (or don’t want to) cook. All in all, getting a large group of people together for a banquet is exhausting.

So don’t worry: There’s no judgment here if you want to opt out of the Thanksgiving cooking chaos by ordering a restaurant-quality meal from a chain near you. Most Waffle Houses, Halal Guys, fast food restaurants and Chinese take-out restaurants remain open throughout the holiday for those who want to skip the festivities altogether. However, if you’re looking for a more traditional Thanksgiving meal, these five restaurant chains have something for you: Cracker Barrel, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, Maggiano’s Little Italy, Popeyes and Bob Evans.

Cracker Barrel offers a complete holiday offering

It only makes sense that a country restaurant like Cracker Barrel would offer a full Thanksgiving-themed catering menu — just make sure you give them 24 hours’ notice before the meal is needed. The Thanksgiving Heat n’ Serve Feast seats eight to 10 people and includes two roasted turkey breasts as the main course. It also comes with turkey gravy, cornbread dressing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, green beans, sweet yeast rolls and sweet potato casserole with pecans. To make things even sweeter, the meal includes pumpkin and pecan pies for dessert.

Cracker Barrel also offers a smaller Heat n’ Serve Family Dinner, intended for four to six people, with one turkey breast. However, this option does not come with mashed potatoes or pie. According to the restaurant’s website, any of the available Thanksgiving feasts can be prepared from oven to table in just two hours.

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse serves special tableside meals

If you’re wondering what a Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse actually is, all you need to know is that the restaurant chain will cook up some delicious food for you on Thanksgiving. Dine inside for a fresh, hot meal prepared by the beloved chefs or pre-order a complete dinner to-go. The establishment takes reservations, so we highly recommend that you make that in advance if you want to eat there (and avoid having to do the dishes at home).

What makes Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse stand out as a bougie Thanksgiving choice for dining out is the wine pairings, which can take away the hassle of going to the liquor store during the holidays. If you’re in the beverage department, the catered take-home meal comes with a choice of salad, half a roasted turkey breast, gravy, cranberry sauce, sausage and herb stuffing, two classic sides and pumpkin cheesecake. The entire dinner serves four people, but you can also request a side dish of your own, according to the Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse website.

Maggiano’s Little Italy gives the traditional dinner an Italian touch

Maggiano’s Little Italy brings a piece of his homeland to your table for the perfect Italian-American Thanksgiving dinner. The chef-curated takeaway bundle includes everything you could want and more. Make this year unique by serving four-cheese ravioli, spaghetti and meatballs, and chocolate cake with the usual ingredients like mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce. Enjoy a warm appetizer by dipping the restaurant’s freshly baked ciabatta in seasoned olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

In addition to the traditional roast turkey, the takeaway comes with an additional protein choice of smoked ham. Place an order in advance to pick up cold to prepare at home or hot to eat right away, or make a reservation to dine at the restaurant itself on Thanksgiving, which will give you access to a larger menu. Don’t expect the grab-and-go bundle to feed a large gathering, though, as it only serves a family of four to five people, according to Maggiano’s website.

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen makes a specially seasoned turkey

Let’s face it: turkey sometimes tastes bland if it’s not prepared properly. It often takes quite a bit of seasoning and creative ways to add succulence to bring the bird to life, so to speak. But who knows how to add spices like Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen?

Avoid a boring bird with the fast food chain’s Cajun Style Turkey. It has a spicy kick and lots of flavor, and pairs well with the many other sides the restaurant has to offer. Also order biscuits, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes with Cajun gravy, coleslaw and cinnamon apple pie pastry. Although you can pick up the Cajun Style Turkey in store, Popeyes also delivers it to your home, according to the chain’s website.

Bob Evans offers a range of meals of different sizes

Bob Evans really thought of everyone and offered Thanksgiving dinners for four, eight and ten guests respectively. At the farm festivals you can choose from turkey, ham or stew. In addition to the usual breakfast boxes, the chain is even serving a special Thanksgiving breakfast menu on the day itself. Like some of the other options on this list, Bob Evans offers meals that are packaged cold to reheat later or served hot to enjoy immediately, such as the Premium and Thanksgiving Celebration Platters.

A self-proclaimed “turkey expert,” Bob Evans has been perfecting the recipe for more than 30 years, according to the company’s website. Other menu highlights include buttered corn, fresh rolls, house-made bread and celery dressing and an array of pies. The restaurant chain offers a large, traditional Thanksgiving menu that probably won’t steer you wrong on the big day.