‘Twas the night before Thanksgiving and all through the nation, people gathered for a pre-celebration. At least, recent data from Circana shows that Thanksgiving Eve has become an occasion of its own.

For example, many people get together with old friends and families at bars and restaurants while they are in town for the holiday. Others are looking for quick and easy meals as they prep for the main Thanksgiving meal: Circana’s CREST® research reveals that pizza is second most popular foodservice entrée on the evening before Thanksgiving.

Consumers Rely on Quick Service Restaurants & Takeout for Thanksgiving Day Lunches & Desserts

Away-from-home meals and snacks have their place throughout that week. Although 89% of foods and beverages for the main Thanksgiving meal are purchased in retail stores, restaurants attract consumers during the celebratory time span. Mid-scale restaurants that sell pies or desserts see 1.5 times more traffic on Thanksgiving than a normal day, Circana finds, while quick-service restaurants that serve burgers do well on Thanksgiving Day, as a lunch option before the primary dinner. In addition, people visit QSRs on the morning of the holiday, perhaps grabbing a breakfast sandwich after a community run/walk event or fueling up on coffee and baked goods before going into prep and cooking mode.

How Do Consumers Engage with Restaurants After Thanksgiving?

Not long after leftovers cool, foodservice is back in the mix. On Black Friday, quick-service coffee and tea establishments get a 20% bump, thanks to customers on their way to or from shopping jaunts.

Learn more about other Thanksgiving trends for 2025.