Families ditch the dishes to dine-in for Thanksgiving

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - From table to table, waiter Dominique Sanders and the crew at Mimi’s Cafe in Farragut helped set up a feast for families who opted out of cooking their own meal this year.

“We’ve been pretty busy,” Sanders said.

Dozens of families flocked for some Thanksgiving turkey from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. Thursday for several reasons.

“I didn’t want to cook, and he said I didn’t have to. So, here we are, and they have good food,” Regina Gobble said.

Families switched up traditions to either avoid the at-home clean up simply beat inflation before it beats them.

“I think this was very economical for us,” Bill Brock, a customer, said.

The American Farm Bureau Federation reported the average cost of a classic Thanksgiving dinner is up 20% in 2022 compared to 2021. Last year, families could feed up to 10 people just under $55. Today, that total is just under $70.

Everything from milk, dinner rolls to pumpkin pie mix has gone up to nearly a dollar this year.

Copyright 2022 WVLT. All rights reserved.