Where have you have Thanksgiving dinner outside of a home setting?

[bcla]

Just thinking of the years where I found myself on the road or otherwise eating Thankgiving dinner at some restaurant somewhere. As a kid I remember my parents thought Reno or Vegas would be a reasonable choice - usually some sort of buffet. There was almost always turkey though.

One year my mom was away for a business trip, so it was just my dad and myself at Sizzler. They were also only open until 7 PM.

As an adult I've ended up spending quite a few Thanksgivings at various casinos. They're open every day and as such made a logical choice. The prices were typically jacked up, but there was usually a good spread. 2013 we spent Thanksgiving weekend in Vegas where it was ridiculously cold. A family friend was already seated at the buffet at the Cosmopolitan, and as a result we were allowed to join them rather than wait what was estimated at 3 hours to get in. It was $50 a head, but our kid was free. That was possibly the best buffet I've ever had.

 

[SaintsManiac]

Last year was the first time I ate Thanksgiving dinner in a restaurant. It was Garden Grill and it was delicious.

After hosting today I am so happy I will be back at Epcot next year.

 

[disneychrista]

I think the only time I did was the year we were at Disneyland. No clue what or where we ate but it was unlikely turkey.

 

[neverlandsky]

I think this year is my last year cooking. I made our Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday and this morning threw out 5lbs worth of leftovers. We’re eating out next year.

ETA: Oops forgot to say we’ve never eaten out on Thanksgiving. So given that we will probably never eat out. So next year I’ll find a one dish meal to make at home and throw in a pie.

 

[bcla]

I think the only time I did was the year we were at Disneyland. No clue what or where we ate but it was unlikely turkey.

Forgot about our 2012 trip to Disneyland. We didn't specifically plan on having Thanksgiving dinner at Disneyland, but we were staying at San Diego that night and couldn't figure out what might be open along the way other than Denny's. We just had turkey with stuffing at Carnation Cafe.

 

[Professor_Cookie]

I’ve worked a couple in hotels, but the only time I haven’t been working and ate somewhere outside the home was Stein Ericsson lodge. Really enjoyed it.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Growing up we drove to Disney World every year the second half of November.
We'd often have Thanksgiving dinner at Cracker Barrel or in the parks and we'd get whatever we wanted.
My dad loves his turkey dinners so that's a no brainer but I'm not a fan so I loved that I could get something else.
Last time I was in the parks on Thanksgiving was 2012.

 

[NHdisneylover]

As a teenager my family would go skiiing in Crested Butte for the long weekend and we'd have Thanksgiving at a restrurant called the Idle Spur.

when my kids were little Thanksgiving week as low season at WDW and we'd get annual passes and be able to book the Values at $49 a night (ah, the good old days!)----for several years we had Thanksgiving dinner at the Garden Grill in EPCOT.

 

[SteveH]

Growing up we were always at home or my Aunt/Uncle's home.

With my kids we have often gone camping with a few other RVers so it's a community Potluck Thanksgiving other times it's just our family, but nice to get away from the home.

 

[bigbabyblues]

We were at WDW one year for Thanksgiving and ate at Boma. The past two years, we went to the Outer Banks for Thanksgiving week, just the 4 of us. We cooked Thanksgiving dinner in the house we rented.

The few restaurants we have here aren't open on Thanksgiving. We drove to my aunt's house yesterday, about 30 miles away and the only place open was McDonalds. We came home around 6 pm, and McDonalds was still the only place open.

 

[mumto3girls]

My DH has been away for work a few years on Thanksgiving. One year he was in England, so it was just another day. A few years ago he could find nothing open by the time he was done working and just ate in a gas station. I am not even sure which state/city he was in.

The only time I can recall not eating at the my house or the house of a relative was one year when my grandmother was in a nursing home and past the point of being able to leave for the day. They invited people in and served the traditional dinner so the patients could have dinner with their families. A lovely thing for them to do. I know my mom was working as a nurse that day, but I suspect we still had Thanksgiving at home later that night, but I don’t recall. I was in college at the time. My dad came along and at least 1 or 2 of my sisters.

ETA: I remembered another time when I was in high school we went to Florida for Thanksgiving and made the traditional dinner in the condo.

 

[winterman]

Several years ago, I had Thanksgiving dinner at a large truck stop instead of cooking at home. It was just me, DH and my mother (who was close to 90).

 

[Kitty 34]

MGM at WDW back in '05 on our HS band trip. We ate at Toy Story Pizza

Most recently, in the hospital two years ago when I spent a week there with pneumonia

 

[kdonnel]

My dad always worked thanksgiving for the triple time pay. So we always met him at work, which ever dining facility was open thanksgiving day on Fort Benning and ate with the few troops who couldn’t go home or had no home to go to, or home was to far to go for the few days off.

 

[JaxDad]

I spent one Thanksgiving at a deployed location. The people who ran the mess tent prepared some traditional Thanksgiving menu items and served a very nice meal.

 

[barkley]

about 8 or 9 years ago the kids had school off from noon on tuesday that week so we booked a room with a full kitchen at a ski resort w/an indoor water park in idaho-did 4 nights there. we schlepped all the makings and i did the entire traditional thanksgiving dinner there. we did the water park and snow tubing-and went home with the leftovers in a cooler already to put in the freezer. it was very relaxing.

 

[mnrose]

My most memorable was on the Big Island of Hawaii. I was sent to Honolulu on business just before the holiday, and my husband flew out and joined me on the Big Island for the long weekend. We were at the beginning of my career, and splurging for the hotel in Kona was a bite out of our budget. The Thanksgiving Dinner buffet was 30+ per person (this was in the early 90's so that was pretty expensive by any measure), and my husband gasped at spending THAT much. He said: let's go for a drive. We'll find another place open that will be just as good, but cheaper. Well, we drove and drove and found NOTHING else open, except a 7-11. By that point, I was so hungry that we bought a couple of microwave burritos and sat on a bench outside the store eating them. At least we had an ocean view! But, the food was pretty bad. LOL

 

[Mickeyluver37]

We did Whispering Canyon Cafe one year. It wasn't the greatest. Definitely doesn't compare to homemade. But it sure was easier!

 

[Simba's Mom]

We haven't had Thanksgiving in a home setting for 13 years. For that long, we've had dinner at Hilton Head Island at the Disney resort (Yup, I'm here now). We always order a precooked meal and relax in our villa.

 

[dotfurio]

One year we were in Vegas for Thanksgiving and did the MGM buffet. Otherwise we've always been home.

This year my sis and her family went to a local casino buffet near where they live. Barring crowds I think it'd be fun to eat and gamble a little.