Why Dining Out for Thanksgiving is the New Trend

Thanksgiving is a favorite holiday for many due to the abundance of delicious, comforting food. It’s a time to gather with family and friends to reminisce about what you’re thankful for and express gratitude for what you have.

Traditionally, preparation for the Thanksgiving meal was something that took place weeks in advance, as local grocery stores only have limited numbers of turkeys. The actual day of cooking is just that: an entire day. For many families, it’s a labor of love; an invaluable part of the whole experience.

Nowadays, more people are choosing to forgo the home-cooked meal and spend Turkey Day eating out instead. A recent survey about Thanksgiving dining preferences claims that over half of Americans want to spend the holiday at a restaurant rather than at home. Why might this be? Let’s take a look at some of the reasons.

Reasons For Dining Out On Thanksgiving Day

Out of 1,000 respondents in the survey, restaurant software company Popmenu revealed that last year, 32% were planning to order takeout from local restaurants. Approximately 17% were planning to eat the holiday meal in a restaurant. These preferences were most representative of people under the age of 35.

Some reasons for preferring to eat out or order takeout on Thanksgiving include the following:

Not Having To Wash Dishes

This reason speaks for itself: doing the dishes is time-consuming and just a hassle, especially with extra guests at the table. The cost of utilities has also increased in most people’s homes, and more dishes means more water (and possibly more than one dishwasher cycle). But going out to eat means that dishes are someone else’s responsibility. Talk about something to be thankful for!

It’s More Convenient

Some people truly enjoy opening their homes to others and hosting family and friends. Others find it stressful, with hours of cleaning required to get the house ready. Some people enjoy preparing fancy meals, while others are just bad at cooking. The convenience of going to a restaurant for what is arguably the most important meal of the year cannot be beaten.

According to the survey, 35% of respondents preferred to avoid cooking and preferred to eat meals cooked by professionals.

Groceries Are Expensive

The cost of groceries has skyrocketed across the country thanks to inflation. Buying enough food for your guests costs a lot more than it did just last year. There is also the added stress of making sure there are enough ingredients to adequately feed the expected number of people; grocery stores can run out of key ingredients throughout the holiday season.

Going out to eat alleviates the concern about having enough food. You can look up the cost of the meal beforehand so you’ll know exactly how much you’re spending, and decide accordingly if it’s a worthwhile investment. About 24% of survey respondents think going out to eat is more cost-effective than grocery shopping for a home-cooked meal. However, this largely depends on where you choose to eat!

Tips For Dining Out On Thanksgiving

Though not nearly as involved as cooking your own meal, there are a few things to consider ahead of time if going out is your plan this year:

Do Your Research

You can expect that most restaurants will serve the basic staples: turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing. However, if anyone in your party has allergies or dietary restrictions, you’ll want to make sure there are accommodations before sitting down at the table. Contact the restaurant a few weeks in advance with any questions.

Order Takeout Directly From The Restaurant

Third-party meal apps, such as DoorDash or UberEats, can have delays with a surge of orders. To secure your pickup time, it’s best to place your meal order directly from your restaurant of choice, either by phone or through their website.

Don’t Be Surprised By Delays

That said, delays during holiday seasons are to be expected. This is important to factor in when planning your Thanksgiving meal. Don’t wait until the day of or even the day before. You can store pickup meals in the freezer for weeks in advance (just don’t forget to leave enough time for thawing!).

Make Your Reservation Early

For dining out, get ahead of the crowd and reserve your spot early: well over a month in advance. Use a reservation site like OpenTable to stay informed about reservations and other updates.

Your Thanksgiving Restaurant Of Choice In South Florida

One of South Florida’s popular Thanksgiving restaurants is Galuppi’s. Our exquisite American cuisine is sure to satisfy everyone in your group. Expect all the traditional favorites, from turkey to pie and everything in between. Celebrate in style, without the hassle of grocery shopping, dishes, or clean-up.

Galuppi’s is also the place to go for weekend relaxation or a mid-week pick me up – join us for happy hour after work, with live music featuring a variety of local talents. Enjoy great food and live entertainment from our plush dining room or spacious patio overlooking the beautiful Pompano Beach golf course. Whatever day you come in, we’ll have something special on offer.

For questions or to make a reservation, contact us online via our website.

View our events package for hosting other special occasions, such as weddings, baby showers, retirement parties, and more.

Come see why we’re one of the most popular dining spots in Pompano Beach!