5 chain restaurants serving your Thanksgiving dinner

Thanksgiving can be a hassle, whether you’re cooking or socializing all day—not to mention the daunting task of cleaning up your kitchen afterward. Sometimes people get sick due to flu season or foodborne illnesses due to a food recall or accidental cross-contamination when preparing a roast turkey. Others may live far away in another state or country. There may be some relatives who just can’t (or won’t) cook. All in all, trying to wrangle a large group of people to get together for a holiday party is tiring.

So don’t worry: There’s no judgment here if you’re looking to opt out of the Thanksgiving chaos by ordering a restaurant-quality meal from a chain near you. Most waffle houses, halal joints, fast food restaurants and Chinese take-out restaurants will remain open through the holiday for those who want to skip the festivities altogether. But if you’re looking for a more traditional Thanksgiving meal, these five chain restaurants have you covered: Cracker Barrel, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, Maggiano’s Little Italy, Popeyes and Bob Evans.

It only makes sense that a country restaurant like Cracker Barrel offers a full Thanksgiving-themed catering menu—just make sure to give them 24 hours notice before the meal is needed. The Thanksgiving Heat n’ Serve Feast feeds eight to 10 people and includes two roasted turkey breasts for the entree. It also comes with sides of turkey gravy, cornbread dressing, cranberry relish, mashed potatoes, green beans, sweet yeast rolls and pecan sweet potato casserole. To sweeten the deal, pumpkin and pecan pies are included in the meal for dessert.

Cracker Barrel also offers a smaller Heat n’ Serve Family Dinner designed for four to six people that includes a turkey breast. However, this option does not come with mashed potatoes or pie. According to the restaurant websiteeach of the available Thanksgiving feasts can be prepared from oven to table in just two hours.

If you’re wondering what a Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse even is, all you need to know is that the restaurant chain will be cooking up some delicious food for you this Thanksgiving. Dine inside for a fresh, hot meal made by its beloved chefs or order a full dinner to-go with advance notice. The establishment takes reservations, so we highly recommend jumping on it ahead of time if you want to eat there (and avoid doing any dishes at home).

What makes Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse stand out as a bougie Thanksgiving dining choice is its wine pairings, which can take the hassle out of trying to hit the wine trade during the holidays. If you’re covered in the drinks department, the lunch box comes home with a choice of salad, half breast of roasted turkey, gravy, cranberry relish, sausage and herb stuffing, two classic sides and pumpkin cheesecake. The entire dinner feeds four people, but you can also request sides on their own, according to Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse’s website.

Maggiano’s Little Italy brings a piece of its homeland to your table for the perfect Italian-American Thanksgiving dinner. The chef-curated carry pack contains everything you could want and more. Make this year unique by serving four-cheese ravioli, spaghetti and meatballs, and chocolate cake with the usual sides like mashed potatoes and cranberry relish. Enjoy a warm appetizer by dipping the restaurant’s freshly baked ciabatta in spicy olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

In addition to the traditional roast turkey, the meal comes with an additional protein choice of smoked ham. Order ahead to pick up cold to cook at home or hot to eat right away, or make a reservation to eat at the restaurant itself on Thanksgiving, which gives you access to a larger menu. Don’t expect the take-home package to feed a large gathering, though, as it only serves a family of four to five, according to Maggiano’s website.

Let’s be honest here: Turkey sometimes tastes bland when it’s not cooked properly. Often it takes quite a bit of seasoning and creative ways to add juiciness to bring the bird to life, so to speak. But who knows how to add spice like Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen?

Avoid a bland bird with the fast food chain’s Cajun Style Turkey. It has a delicious kick with plenty of flavor that goes well with the many other sides that the restaurant has to offer. Also order biscuits, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes with Cajun sauce, coleslaw and cinnamon apple pies. While you can pick up the Cajun Style Turkey from the store, Popeyes will also deliver it to your home, according to the chain website.

Bob Evans really thought of everyone and offered Thanksgiving dinners for four, eight and 10 guests respectively. Farmhouse Feasts come with your choice of either turkey, ham or pot roast. In addition to its usual breakfast items, the chain will even serve a special Thanksgiving breakfast menu on the day. Like some of the other options on this list, Bob Evans offers meals packaged cold for reheating later or served hot for immediate enjoyment, like the Premium and Thanksgiving Celebration Platters.

As self-proclaimed “turkey experts,” Bob Evans has been perfecting his recipe for over 30 years, according to the company’s website. Other standouts on the menu include buttered corn, fresh dinner rolls, homemade bread and celery dressing and a variety of pies. The restaurant chain offers a large, traditional Thanksgiving menu that won’t steer you wrong on the big day.