Cooking a full Thanksgiving dinner is not on every household’s list this year, and several restaurant chains are selling the meal ready to pick up. The range is wide: Popeyes lists a Cajun-style turkey at $59.99, while a 12-person whole-turkey meal from Boston Market costs $294.49.
The prices below come from restaurant announcements and a roundup from FOX 29, and the details differ by chain. Some meals arrive cold and need a couple of hours in the oven, one comes hot, and one is only the bird.
The $59.99 Popeyes Turkey
The lowest price on the list belongs to Popeyes. Its Cajun-Style Turkey costs $59.99 for in-store pickup while supplies last, according to FOX 29. The report describes it as the turkey only, with no sides included, so a buyer still has to find the mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy elsewhere.
The chain began in 1972 in Arabi, Louisiana, as “Chicken on the Run,” according to Wikipedia, and Cajun flavors are central to its menu. Plenty of families keep to their own Thanksgiving traditions, and a seasoned bird is a small change. Households that already have favorite sides may find a seasoned turkey at that price an easy way to skip the oven work. A guide to freeing up oven space on Thanksgiving covers the appliances that help when the main dish is handled and only the sides remain.
The $294.49 Boston Market Feast
At the top of the range is Boston Market. FOX 29 reports that its heat-and-serve meals run from $164.99 for six people to $294.49 for a whole-turkey meal that serves 12. The chain also lists smaller “Feast for 3” meals starting at $49.49.
Orders close on Nov. 23, with pickup during the week of Thanksgiving, and the report says the offer applies at a limited number of regional locations. The chain started in 1985 in Newton, Massachusetts, as Boston Chicken and took the Boston Market name in 1995, based on its Wikipedia entry. Budget-minded shoppers can compare it with frugal living tips before ordering. Anyone planning to use it should confirm that a nearby restaurant takes part before counting on the meal.
Cracker Barrel, Bob Evans and Maggiano’s
The middle of the market is crowded. The restaurant trade outlet Nation’s Restaurant News reports that Cracker Barrel offers two Heat and Serve meals, with pre-orders through its website and app and pickup from Nov. 21 to Nov. 29:
- The Turkey Family Dinner, about $119.99, serves 4 to 6 and includes an oven-roasted turkey breast, sweet potato casserole, green beans, cornbread dressing, gravy, cranberry relish and sweet rolls.
- The Turkey Family Feast, about $189.99, serves 8 to 10 and adds a second turkey breast, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin and pecan pies.
FOX 29 adds that Cracker Barrel prices vary by location. Pre-cooked meals also sidestep two of the costly Thanksgiving hosting mistakes, cooking an unfamiliar recipe and overbuying for guests, and a homemade side from the classic Thanksgiving table can round out the plate. Founded in 1969 in Lebanon, Tennessee, the chain styles its restaurants after old-fashioned general stores, according to Wikipedia.
Closer to the middle sits Bob Evans. Its Premium Farmhouse Feast, which pairs turkey and ham, costs $174.99 and serves 8 to 10, according to FOX 29. A standard Farmhouse Feast is $137.99 with turkey or $127.99 with ham for 8 people, and $104.99 with turkey or $94.99 with ham for 4 people. A Pot Roast Farmhouse Feast is $184.99 for 8 to 10. The Farmhouse Feasts arrive cold and take about two hours to heat. The company traces its start to 1948 in Gallipolis, Ohio, according to Wikipedia.
Who Offers a Hot Dinner
Most of these meals still need reheating, which means oven time on a day when many kitchens are already full. Two options skip that step in part. Bob Evans sells a Holiday Hot Family Meal that is served hot, for $114.99 and 6 people, according to FOX 29.
Maggiano’s Little Italy, an Italian-American chain that opened in 1991 in Chicago’s River North neighborhood according to Wikipedia, offers both versions. Its cold carryout bundle costs $210 and serves 4 to 5 people, with pickup on Nov. 25. The hot bundle costs $220, serves the same number and is available on Nov. 26, Thanksgiving Day. Orders for both need to be placed 24 hours before pickup.
The hot bundle costs only $10 more than the cold one, which makes it the simpler choice for a household with a full oven or no time for reheating. Families weighing the two should also compare serving counts, since the listed sizes are written as ranges rather than exact portions.
Comparing Cost Per Person
Serving sizes make the price list easier to read. The Cracker Barrel Turkey Family Dinner works out to between about $20 and $30 per person, depending on whether 4 or 6 people share it. The Bob Evans Premium Farmhouse Feast, at $174.99 for 8 to 10, comes to roughly $17.50 to $22 a person. The Boston Market whole-turkey meal, at $294.49 for 12 people, is about $24.50 a person. Those figures are simple division from the published prices, and they leave out tax, tips and any delivery charges.
The cheapest sticker price, the $59.99 Popeyes turkey, covers the main dish only, so the true cost of a full table depends on what else goes on it. A shopper who needs sides, rolls and dessert may spend more by combining pieces than by buying one complete meal. Budget-minded households can weigh these totals against what a home-cooked dinner would cost.
Timing and Ordering Tips
Dates are the main trap. Cracker Barrel pickup opens Nov. 21, Boston Market orders close Nov. 23, and Maggiano’s needs a day of notice. Popeyes sells its turkey only while supplies last, so waiting is a gamble. Anyone ordering should check the restaurant’s own website or app for current prices, since the FOX 29 roundup and Cracker Barrel’s own figures use the word “about” and note that costs differ by location.
Planning also matters for the rest of the day, since a pre-cooked meal leaves room for one homemade side or dessert.
For a small gathering of 3 or 4, the lower-priced options, including Boston Market’s $49.49 Feast for 3, are a better fit than a 12-person spread. For a large crowd, the per-person math favors the bigger bundles. Either way, the date on the order confirmation is the one worth writing on the calendar.
This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.
Image: Mark Miller – CC BY-SA 4.0/Wikimedia Commons
