If the thought of spending hours in the kitchen on Thursday just doesn’t sound like a good use of your time, what with family all around and the prospect of Black Friday shopping beginning at 7 a.m. that day, there are a variety of restaurants that just may have the answer for you.
Several chain restaurants and many local ones are open on Thanksgiving, with options ranging from dining in to carrying out to catering the whole affair.
Important note: Not all restaurants listed below will be open on Thanksgiving or offer special deals. Some franchise restaurants of certain chains may be closed. It is important to call the restaurant closest to you to confirm the hours and deals.
These restaurants are set to be open on Thanksgiving.
- Acapulco Restaurant and Cantina will have a special Thanksgiving buffet with a roasted turkey and ham-carving station and a taco al pastor and seafood station.
- Bob Evans will have the Farmhouse Feast carryout menu that offers a turkey or ham feast (with all the trimmings) that feed up to four ($49.99) or eight people ($79.99). You can get both turkey and ham for $109.99.
- Boston Market will offer a traditional plated Thanksgiving meal. Choose between turkey or rotisserie chicken, with side dishes of mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potato casserole, green beans, and vegetable stuffing.
- Buca di Beppo will open at 11 a.m., and you can dine in, get catered meals or get a to-go dinner.
- Charlie Brown's Fresh Grill will be serving an all-you-can-eat turkey dinner (three-courses) for $21.99. Children 12 and under eat for $9.99.
- Chevys Fresh Mex is offering a three-course Thanksgiving meal. They are open 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
- Chompie's is open until 3 p.m., and is offering a Thanksgiving dinner for $19.99 per person, with options to dine in or get your meal to-go.
- Claim Jumper Restaurants will be serving a Thanksgiving dinner from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. at most locations.
- Country Cookin' will be offering a "Thanksgiving Day Feast" with turkey or ham and all-you-can-eat holiday salads and sides for $10.99 (kids 10 and under $4.49).
- Cracker Barrel will be open from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m., and will feature a Thanksgiving dinner for $12.99 for dining in ($7.99 for children), a $67.99 to-go meal and a fully catered dinner for $99.
- Denny's has a breakfast and dinner available on Thanksgiving.
- El Torito will offer an all-day buffet (11 a.m.-7 p.m.) with traditional Mexican dishes, along with a turkey and ham-carving station, traditional Thanksgiving dishes, and a pasta bar.
- FATZ is open on Thanksgiving from 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
- Fleming's Prime Steakhouse opens at 11 a.m. and will be serving a three-course Thanksgiving meal for $39.95 per adult. Children under 12 will have a Thanksgiving menu available for $15.00.
- Furr's Fresh Buffet will serve a Thanksgiving dinner with carved turkey breast, carved ham, butterfly shrimp, pan-grilled pork chops and several other entrees, plus sides and desserts.
- Golden Corral will have a Thanksgiving buffet in addition to their usual offerings.
- HomeTown Buffet will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. serving among other entrees and side dishes, carved turkey, steak, carved ham, butterfly shrimp and roast beef.
- Hooters will be open on Thanksgiving serving wings and beer, along with the rest of their regular menu.
- Humperdinks will begin serving a Thanksgiving feast at 10 a.m. featuring turkey and gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet yams, green beans and pecan or pumpkin pie. Price is $21.99 for adults and $11.99 for kids under 12. Kids under 5 eat free.
- IHOP restaurants will offer pumpkin spice pancakes for breakfast, with a full menu all day.
- K&W Cafeterias will be offering a Thanksgiving special for $7.99 that includes roast turkey with dressing, cranberry sauce, two vegetables, fresh baked bread, dessert and refillable beverage.
- Legal Sea Foods will serve turkey breast with sausage stuffing, mashed potatoes, butternut squash, gravy and cranberry sauce for $24.95 per adult and $8.95 for children 12 and under. Hours may vary by location. Reservations are recommended.
- Luby's will be open for dine-in or to-go meals, serving a Thanksgiving Day Special for $11.49.
- Maggiano's Little Italy will serve a four-course, family-style Thanksgiving meal.
- Many of Landry's Restaurants – Big Fish, Charley's Crab, Chart House, Gandy Dancer, Grand Concourse, Landry's Seafood (all locations except Huntsville, Alabama, and El Paso, Texas), Meriwether's, Mitchell's Fish Market, The Oceanaire Seafood Room, and River Crab Blue Water Inn – will offer either a special turkey dinner menu or a holiday buffet. Laundry's also owns Saltgrass Steak House and Morton's The Steakhouse, and both will be open on Thanksgiving serving steak.
- Marie Callender's has a Thanksgiving dinner for $21.99 for guests dining in. Kids eat for $8.99, choosing between a turkey or ham dinner. They also have carry-out options ranging from $99.99 to $149.99. Pickup starts after 11 a.m. on Thanksgiving.
- McCormick & Schmick's Seafood & Steaks is serving a roasted turkey dinner at participating locations. Reservations are recommended. The dinner menu is also available all day.
- Mimi's Cafe offers a three-course turkey supper on Thanksgiving. It's $18.99 for adults and $8.99 for children.
- Old Country Buffet will again offer its family-style meal.
- Ponderosa will have a Thanksgiving buffet with turkey with all the trimmings, along with ham, fried chicken, chicken wings, pork, and a salad bar. The restaurant closes at 4 p.m.
- Romano's Macaroni Grill will be offering a three-course Thanksgiving dinner for $24.99.
- Roy's is offering a three-course Thanksgiving dinner for $39.95 for adults and $16.95 for items from a kid's menu.
- Ruby Tuesday locations, for the most part, will be open on Thanksgiving.
- Ruth's Chris Steak House will be serving a three-course turkey dinner for $39.95 (kids eat for $12.95).
- Ryan's will have a Southern-style Thanksgiving menu with sliced turkey, sliced ham, fried chicken, steak, chicken pot pie, butterfly shrimp, and more. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
- Seasons 52 is taking reservations for Thanksgiving dinner. For adults it's $26.90; for children it's $12.90.
- Shari's has a special slow-roasted turkey or ham dinner for $14.99. The special is good at all 94 Shari's locations throughout Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, Nebraska and Wyoming.
- Sizzler locations will be open and will serve a turkey dinner with sides.
- Ted's Montana Grill will have a Thanksgiving menu, featuring roast turkey and the trimmings.
- TGI Friday's restaurants are open Thanksgiving.
- The Dixie Cafe is serving a turkey and dressing feast for $10.99 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Waffle House restaurants will be open on Thanksgiving.