November 16, 2023
Lauren Platero

10 Convenient Benefits of a Catered Thanksgiving Dinner

A catered Thanksgiving dinner offers a major sense of convenience for hosts and hostesses. As a result, so many eateries across the restaurant industry are able to provoke customer satisfaction. The best part? Thanksgiving dinners are a catering option that can help boost the restaurant profit margin. And what’s better than increasing cash flow while providing guests with the best experience possible?

In this blog, we’re going to discuss exactly how Thanksgiving dinner catering is just as convenient for customers as it is for the restaurant business. See below for all the details.

10 Convenient Benefits of a Catered Thanksgiving Dinner

Are you planning to order Thanksgiving dinner online? Or, are you planning to talk over your options with the restaurant manager of your most favorite eatery in town? Regardless of what you end up doing, there are countless benefits that you should know about. So, without further ado, continue reading this blog post to learn about ten convenient perks of hosting a catered Thanksgiving dinner.

1. Catering Thanksgiving Is Profitable for Restaurants

Looking for ways to maximize profits this holiday season? If you’re the business owner of a restaurant, you can do so by offering customers a catered Thanksgiving dinner. One tactic that will help ensure large sales is by selling bundles. Instead of customers picking and choosing items from a catering menu, just create different packages. There will be a minimum fee you'll earn, meanwhile the food prep will be much more organized.

2. Everything Is Made to Perfection

One of the most stress-inducing parts of hosting Thanksgiving is ensuring that everything comes out perfectly. It can be a struggle to prepare every recipe as it should be. It can also be difficult to time each dish accordingly. If you can't coordinate everything you’d like to prepare so that all your dishes are tasty, served at the perfect temperature, and are ready according to schedule, it can get very stressful, very quickly. But when you opt for a catered Thanksgiving dinner, everything you need is already prepared and ready to be served. Just set the table, decorate the space, make your guests feel at home, and enjoy all of the food!

3. It Saves Time for the Customers

Piggybacking off of our last point, Thanksgiving dinner is a super time-intensive meal to prepare. When consumers opt for a catered Thanksgiving dinner, it ends up saving them a significant amount of time. As a result, they can allocate more of a focus on other hosting activities. Whether it be tending to their guests or switching from one course to another, a major weight will be off of their shoulders.

4. It’s Easy for Restaurants to Use Up Inventory

Food spoilage is one of the biggest culprits of financial losses in restaurants. The last thing you want to do is spend too much when conducting inventory forecasting just to never make money from those ingredients. For any business, bundles are a great way to speed up inventory turnover. Then, keeping up with inventory control becomes a more streamlined process. When you offer customers a catered Thanksgiving dinner, you’re doing just that. By preparing a variety of dishes, you’ll use up inventory much quicker than you would otherwise.

5. Catering Bundles Can Offer a Wide Variety

To provide customers with the ultimate Thanksgiving feast, craft bundles instead of selling menu items a la carte. The way it would work is you would create packages that feed varying amounts of people. Then, each package “type” can consist of a variety of different appetizers, side dishes, and desserts. Sure, you can include a turkey with each one. However, this is where you can implement product differentiation and give customers the option of swapping the turkey for a ham. A simple and easy-to-choose-from variety should go over really well with customers.

6. It’s Suitable for Those With Minimal Kitchen Equipment

Many people love to cook and make the most of their kitchen space, even if it’s minimal. However, Thanksgiving dinner requires quite the variety of equipment, tools, glassware, cookware, and so on. With this in mind, the restaurant equipment that you can find in brick and mortar eateries will be way more of a lifesaver than you might assume right off the bat. For one, you don’t have to worry about needing large enough appliances to prepare all the dishes. Instead, the caterer will supply chafing dishes. Some might even provide you with utensils, plates, and cups. So, even the most minimal households can host an elaborate Thanksgiving dinner.

7. Dinner Hosts Can Spend More Time With Their Guests

So much time on Thanksgiving is spent preparing and serving dishes, as well as cleaning up afterward. But when someone opts for a catered Thanksgiving dinner, so much time frees up for other things. Maybe the host will spend more time catching up with the guests. Or, perhaps they’ll take this time to watch the game and relax. Whatever the case may be, one thing is for certain–catering a holiday is a major time-saver.

8. The Post-Dinner Cleanup Is Very Minimal

You can’t prepare a massive meal without there being a massive cleanup afterwards. When hosting a catered Thanksgiving dinner, so much of a cleanup will be taken out of the equation. Sure, you'll have the cleanup of everything that the food was prepared in, but you won't have the hassle of cleaning up from the preparation process. This factor results in many benefits for the customer. For one, they don’t have the stress of cleaning after a long day (or week) of preparing dishes. As a result, they can spend that much more time with their guests.

9. Catering Results In a High-Quality Thanksgiving Dinner

So we mentioned that hosting a catered Thanksgiving dinner means that everything will be made properly and timely. But the quality? There’s a good chance that will surpass your expectations, too! When catering Thanksgiving dinner, each and every dish is made by various types of chefs. Whether you notice a remarkable difference in the flavors, pairings, or consistencies, you’ll likely experience culinary excellence.

10. A Catered Thanksgiving Dinner Creates a Memorable Guest Experience

Any opportunity to create a memorable customer experience is a chance at acquiring long-term success. When ordering a catered Thanksgiving dinner, there are many steps that attribute to the overall experience. For one, there’s the ordering process. Then, you have a seamless pickup or delivery. And last but certainly not least, you have the meal itself. From a delicious variety to the perfect balance of sides, entree food, and dessert menu items, there are endless ways to “wow” your customers. Plus, you’ll be catering dinners where there’s a large group of people. This means that catering Thanksgiving dinner can easily lead to a boost in brand awareness.

Frequently Asked Questions About a Catered Thanksgiving Dinner

Still need some insight on hosting a catered Thanksgiving dinner this year? If so, you’re in the perfect place! Below, you’ll find some of the most frequently asked questions and answers on the topic. Check ‘em out to learn more!

Does Costco Have a Premade Thanksgiving Dinner?

Yes, Costco sells premade Thanksgiving dinners. Each meal comes with the following items:

  • Turkey
  • Stuffing
  • Gravy
  • Sweet corn
  • Green beans
  • Dinner rolls
  • Cranberry sauce
  • Mac and cheese
  • Mashed potatoes 
  • Apple pie
  • Pumpkin pie

How Can I Send Someone a Thanksgiving Dinner?

You can send someone a Thanksgiving dinner by preparing all the dishes and then storing them and proper containers. The same rules apply for when you're giving your Thanksgiving guests a to-go container. Just make sure that each dish is separated and that they are in airtight packages. Doing so will boost their longevity and dodge the risk of spoilage. Once they arrive at their destination, store them in the fridge until they're going to be heated and served.

What Is the Perfect Thanksgiving Menu?

The perfect Thanksgiving menu comprises the following items:

  • Turkey 
  • Mashed potatoes
  • Sweet potato casserole
  • Cranberry sauce
  • Stuffing
  • Green bean casserole
  • Corn 
  • Gravy
  • Apple pie
  • Pumpkin pie

What Are the Three Most Popular Dishes Served On Thanksgiving?

The three most popular dishes served on Thanksgiving are:

  1. Turkey
  2. Stuffing
  3. Mashed potatoes

What Is the #1 Thanksgiving Side Dish?

The #1 Thanksgiving side dish is mashed potatoes. It’s a classic for a reason! It pairs well with other items on the table, it’s versatile, and super easy to make.

Thanksgiving Dinner Is Served!

So there you have it–ten of the best benefits of hosting a catered Thanksgiving dinner for all your friends and family. Now, you know what to do next! Get in touch with your favorite restaurants nearby and find out what they’re going to offer for Thanksgiving. However, if you’re in a position where you can do all the preparation and cooking, that's outstanding news. But if your space and resources are a bit limited, it's still possible to host memorable and delicious Thanksgiving festivities.