Looking to spend more time enjoying family or perhaps football this Thanksgiving? A growing number of restaurants and grocery stores are offering options other than spending hours in the kitchen cooking and cleaning this year.
A report on the Nation's Restaurant News website lists restaurants, including Boston Market, Cracker Barrel, Energy Kitchen, Luby's, McCormick & Schmick's, Popeye's and Ruth's Chris Steak House, that are offering consumers a variety of sit-down and catering options for those looking to cut their workloads.
Ruth's Chris Steak House, which prices a sit-down turkey dinner for $34.95 per person, offers seafood gumbo as appetizer option to go along along with a salad, roasted turkey breast with sausage-and-herb stuffing, cranberry relish and a choice from side options. Pumpkin cheesecake and vanilla ice cream are on the dessert menu.
A wide variety of grocers have special catering deals, including a bird and sides, to help cut preparation time and reduce worries over how meals with turn out.
"Sharing beautiful meals at the holidays with those we love can be one of life's deepest joys," said Amanda Roberts, Wegmans catering manager, in a press release. "But every family has a different way of creating these celebrations. We look to make things easier by offering extra help in lots of different ways."
New Jersey-based Kings Super Markets is offering turkey dinners for parties of six to 18 at prices ranging from $99.99 to $269.99. Meals consist of three side dishes, a choice of two extras including turkey gravy, cranberry-orange relish or apple-cranberry compote, a bread option and dessert.
Discussion Questions: Given the economy, do you see more consumers opting out of preparing traditional Thanksgiving meals? How can retailers and restaurants best capitalize on this opportunity?