Thanksgiving Restaurant Specials: Creative Ideas & Examples

Thanksgiving restaurant specials give guests their holiday meal without the stress. Not everyone wants to roast a turkey or bake pies, but they still want the flavors and traditions of the season. 

For restaurants, that means an opportunity to offer family-style feasts, à la carte sides, or festive dine-in menus that deliver comfort, convenience, and celebration.

Keep reading to explore why Thanksgiving specials matter, the types of promotions that work best, and creative real-world examples to help your restaurant make the most of the holiday.

Key takeaways

• Thanksgiving restaurant specials let you meet guest demand for convenience while boosting seasonal revenue.

• Offering a variety of options — from family-style feasts to à la carte sides and desserts — appeals to different customer needs.

• Creative spins, like cultural twists or chef-driven prix fixe menus, help your specials stand out.

• Clear communication and strong promotion (social, email, delivery apps) are essential for maximizing pre-orders.

• Well-executed holiday specials can create lasting guest loyalty that extends beyond Thanksgiving.

Why Thanksgiving specials matter for restaurants

Thanksgiving is a holiday built around food, but not everyone wants to spend hours in the kitchen. This creates a valuable opportunity to step in and provide convenience, comfort, and celebration all at once. Restaurant specials tailored to the holiday can do more than just boost short-term sales — they help strengthen long-term guest relationships.

• Convenience for guests: Offering easy pickup or delivery options positions your business as a reliable solution during one of the busiest food holidays of the year.

• Revenue opportunities: Thanksgiving specials tend to be high-ticket, group-focused orders. Family-style meals, catering trays, and pre-ordered bundles can raise average check sizes and give your kitchen more predictable demand.

• Brand loyalty and visibility: A guest who picks up a Thanksgiving bundle this year may return for catering, takeout, or dine-in down the line. Specials can also introduce your restaurant to new customers who might not otherwise have visited.

Types of Thanksgiving restaurant specials

Not every guest wants the same thing on Thanksgiving. Some want the full turkey feast, others just need sides or desserts, and plenty are simply looking for a break from cooking. Offering a mix of promotions lets your restaurant meet those varied needs while maximizing revenue opportunities.

• Family-style meals: Full-course packages that include turkey, stuffing, sides, and dessert appeal to families who want the holiday experience without the stress. Pre-ordering is key here, since it helps your kitchen plan portions and staffing.

• A la carte sides and desserts: Selling items like mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, or pumpkin pie as add-ons positions your restaurant as the perfect “extra set of hands” for at-home celebrations.

• Dine-in Thanksgiving menus: Some guests prefer to skip the home prep altogether and enjoy a restaurant meal. Prix fixe menus, seasonal specials, or buffet-style service can make dining feel festive while still streamlining kitchen operations.

• Takeout and catering bundles: Offering takeout platters or catering trays makes it easy for hosts to feed a crowd without cooking from scratch.

• Thanksgiving Eve specials: Known as one of the biggest bar nights of the year, Thanksgiving Eve is a separate opportunity. Bars and restaurants can draw crowds with drink specials, bar bites, or entertainment before the holiday itself.

Creative Thanksgiving special ideas

Thanksgiving looks different depending on the guests you’re serving. Restaurants across the country are getting creative with cultural twists, chef-driven menus, and pre-order feasts.

Cultural and non-traditional twists

Not every Thanksgiving celebration has to be built around a traditional turkey plate. Some restaurants are leaning into cultural roots and creative spins, offering guests unique ways to mark the holiday. Examples from San Diego include:

• Lia’s Lumpia: Thanksgiving Kamayan to-go boxes with turkey lumpia, pork belly deviled eggs, and Cornish game hen adobo.

• Del’s Hideout: Texas-style smoked turkey, brisket, and sides like candied yams and collard greens, available dine-in or to-go.

• Pop Pie Co.: Seasonal turkey pot pies plus specialty holiday desserts like bourbon pecan or salted caramel apple crumble pies.

Upscale prix-fixe and special menus

For diners who prefer a more traditional sit-down experience, serving chef-driven menus that combine local flavor with holiday classics can elevate the Thanksgiving meal into a festive night out. Here are three examples from restaurants in New Orleans:

• Couvant: Three-course feast with heritage roasted turkey, Gulf fish chaudrée, and sweet potato pecan pie.

• Curio: Cajun fried turkey with crawfish cornbread dressing, green bean casserole, and sweet potato pecan crumble.

• Ruth’s Chris Steak House: A three-course Thanksgiving menu featuring oven-roasted turkey, garlic mashed potatoes, and pumpkin cheesecake.

Take-home feasts and bakery specials

For guests who prefer celebrating at home without the stress of cooking, ready-to-heat meals and handcrafted desserts give families a restaurant-quality experience around their own table. Sonoma County restaurants and bakeries have built an impressive lineup of pre-order feasts and holiday treats:

• Glen Ellen Star: Full Thanksgiving dinner package for eight, including spatchcocked roast turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, Parker House rolls, and pumpkin pie — with à la carte options like “just the sides” or turkey-only.

• Delicious Dish: Turkey breast dinners for four with seasonal sides, plus a range of add-on pies like brandied pumpkin, Calvados apple, and pecan shortbread torte.

• Bay Laurel Culinary: “Everything But the Turkey” menu featuring deviled eggs, prawn cocktail, multiple stuffings, Brussels sprouts, baked ham, and an extensive dessert list including pecan tart and pumpkin white chocolate cheesecake.

• Petaluma Pie Company: A holiday pie lineup with classics like pumpkin and apple alongside unique spins like pear ginger cardamom and maple pumpkin.

How to make your restaurant’s Thanksgiving specials a success

Running Thanksgiving promotions requires more than just putting turkey on the menu — it’s about preparation, visibility, and execution. Here are some key ways to ensure your specials run smoothly and profitably:

• Adjust staffing for prep-heavy days: Thanksgiving meals often involve larger portions and packaging for takeout. Plan schedules with extra kitchen and prep support, and consider reallocating front-of-house staff toward takeout fulfillment.

• Manage inventory carefully: Seasonal ingredients like turkey, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin desserts can sell out fast. Forecast based on pre-orders and past holiday sales, and stock conservatively to reduce waste.

• Offer clear pickup instructions: Streamline takeout and catering orders by setting designated pickup times and areas. Clear labeling and organized packaging reduce confusion and keep the line moving.

• Promote through multiple channels:

  • Social media countdowns build anticipation and urgency.

  • Email blasts remind customers of deadlines for pre-orders.

  • Website banners and pre-order pages make specials easy to find and buy.

  • Delivery app visibility ensures your bundles are front and center for online shoppers.

Get on the gravy train with the right Thanksgiving specials

Thanksgiving may only come once a year, but the opportunity it brings for restaurants is lasting. Guests are looking for convenience, variety, and memorable ways to celebrate — whether that means full-on holiday catering, picking up a few sides, or heading out for a festive night.

By offering creative specials and promoting them effectively, your restaurant can meet guests where they are, boost holiday revenue, and build loyalty that carries well past the season. 

FAQ

When should I start planning Thanksgiving specials?

Most restaurants begin planning in early fall, around September or October. This gives enough time to test menus, secure ingredients, and launch promotions before guests finalize their holiday plans.

Should I offer both dine-in and takeout options?

If your kitchen capacity allows and your customers are interested, yes. Some guests want the full dine-in experience, while others prefer to pick up meals or sides.

How do I price Thanksgiving specials competitively?

Factor in ingredient costs, packaging, and extra labor, then benchmark against local competitors. Bundle pricing for family-style meals and à la carte add-ons can help balance value with profitability.

What if I don't want to serve traditional Thanksgiving food?

You don’t have to. Many restaurants offer cultural twists, seasonal chef’s menus, or creative takes on holiday flavors. Positioning your specials as “Thanksgiving with a twist” can attract people looking for something different.

How far in advance should I take reservations?

At least 3–4 weeks before Thanksgiving. Early reservations help you manage staffing and inventory, while also giving customers peace of mind that their holiday plans are set.