Thanksgiving takeout gains popularity this year, helping local restaurants during a tough economic time

Thanksgiving is usually a day for cooking a big meal at home, meaning restaurants often have fewer customers on the holiday. But on Thursday, several Durham restaurants are offering Thanksgiving takeout options.

Since many families are doing smaller Thanksgiving gatherings this year – or opting to gather virtually – not as many people are having big home-cooked meals. Instead, on this non-traditional Thanksgiving of 2020, many more people than usual are ordering takeout.

Fosters in Durham received the most food orders they've ever had on Thanksgiving.

On Thursday, Fosters said they already had double the amount of orders they had last year.

A few other restaurants have even reported completely selling out on their Thanksgiving takeout orders.

This is a financial boost many local restaurants have needed during the pandemic economy.

"It’s been our best year ever so far in all of Foster’s Market business, since they’ve been doing Thanksgiving takeout," said Stephanie Markunas, the Kitchen Manager for Foster's Market.

With 500 total orders this Thanksgiving, Markunas said it's been a big help during a tough year.

"We are closed Monday through Thursday. We're only open for takeout Friday, Saturday and Sunday," she said. "So having this amount of customers come by and order for Thanksgiving, it's amazing."

At least 218 of those orders are dinners for four – meaning the Foster's Market kitchen is bustling on Thanksgiving.

"The quantity of food that we have to produce to be able to make all of these individual orders is just insane. All of our walk-in refrigerators are filled to the max right now," she said.

Over 2,000 rolls had to be baked in Foster's Kitchen to prepare for the Thanksgiving orders.

"That’s insane to me," she said.

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She said once people wrapped their head around the fact that they couldn't travel or gather in large groups, she thinks they realized they wouldn't want to cook for just two people. But they still wanted to have a memorable dinner.

"Being able to get small quantities from somebody you know is going to be sourced locally and good, I think that plays a lot into that," she said.

She's grateful for the support from the community during a time that's been so hard on the restaurant industry – and everyone, in general.

"Durham in general is such a foodie scene, and everyone around here wants these local businesses to survive," she said. "Durham is here to support each other. Thank you everybody."