People love traditional Thanksgiving dinners, but a lot of them don’t love baking turkeys or figuring out when to pull a pumpkin pie out of the oven.
Restaurants are willing to take those duties on with heat-and-serve family meals for people to pick up and then serve on their own tables.
Most include turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes and/or sweet potatoes, stuffing and bread. But sides and portions vary by restaurant. Also, some restaurants include whole pies or desserts while others offer them as add-ons.
Most restaurants require advance orders, and some have deadlines. Pickup times and dates are also usually set in advance. Some restaurants close on Thanksgiving, while others offer full-service with special holiday menus as well as take-out.
Details listed on chains’ websites may vary by location, including price.
Be sure and check all the details before ordering.
Here are what some chains with more than one location throughout Southern California are offering.
Black Angus Steakhouse: To-go turkey dinners start at $103.95 for a family of four and go up to $311.95 for as many as 12 people. Pickup is 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Nov. 24. blackangus.com
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant: Thanksgiving dinners are $99 for three people and $186 for six Pre-orders are due by 5 a.m. Nov. 22. Heat-and-serve orders can be picked up 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Nov. 21-Nov. 23, and hot orders can be picked up 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Nov. 23-24. bucadibeppo.com
Dickey’s Barbecue Pit: Heat-and-serve feasts for eight to 10 people range from $105-$140 with choice of spiral-cut ham, smoked turkey, Cajun fried turkey and prime rib. They include cornbread dressing, gravy and rolls. Sides and pumpkin pie can be ordered a la carte. dickeys.com
Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar: Lazy Dog’s line of take-out, single-serve frozen dinners includes roasted turkey with mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet corn stuffing and huckleberry-apple cake. Dinners are made in-house and cost $10 each or $50 for six. lazydogrestaurants.com
Lucille’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que: Heat-and-serve family meals cost $199.99 for six or more people and $269.99 for 10 or more. Choices include sliced turkey, ham with Coca-Cola glaze or both. Orders must be placed by Nov. 22 for pickup on Nov. 23 or Nov. 24. lucillesbbq.com
Marie Callender’s Restaurant & Bakery: Heat-and-serve turkey breast feasts for four to six people cost $149.99 with choice of pumpkin or apple pie. Ham feasts cost $179.99. Feasts with both cost $209.99. Restaurants will only offer takeout Nov. 21-24. Dine-in will resume Nov. 25. Mariecallenders.com
Ruth’s Chris Steak House: Heat-and-serve Thanksgiving meals for four are priced at $175 according to the chains website, although it says prices may vary by location. The meal includes cranberry relish, choice of side and pumpkin cheesecake. Pickup is noon-4 p.m. Nov. 23. ruthschris.com
Urban Plates: Heat-and-serve family feasts cost $169.95 and serve six to eight people. Ready-to-eat plates cost $23.95, and ready-to-eat family meals for four cost $99.95. Pre-order deadline is Nov. 20, and pickup is Nov. 22-23. urbanplates.com
Source: www.mercurynews.com