Story Created:
Nov 21, 2006 at 11:11 AM EST
Story Updated:
Nov 21, 2006 at 11:11 AM EST
If you love putting on a Thanksgiving feast but are hard pressed for the time and energy to do it yourself, you're not alone. A growing number of people are turning to the Internet to make thanksgiving, an, "order in" day.
Christine Dietze is thinking ahead. She's expecting 10 people Thanksgiving Day. "I love to cook, it's one of my favorite past times, but I don't always have time."
So she went to the web, where the Flagstaff House Restaurant, one of boulder's upscale eateries, is offering something she couldn't pass up-- "Thanksgiving made easy." They cook it, pack it, and will even ship the meal to your door. The menu includes a family recipe tomato jelly, butternut squash soup, pumpkin cheesecake, and a premium ready to roast organic turkey.
A feast for 10 costs $450 and has been an easy sell. "Thanksgiving’s been awesome. It’s our first year and we're sold out."
The Ritz Carlton in Washington DC is in its 6th year of offering holiday meals online. "We’ve got this down to a science. Orders increase every year."
Their turkey dinner for 6, with herb stuffing, cranberry chutney and pecan pie costs $185. "Hotels are pretty savvy about using on line reservations so we kind of translate into food orders as well."
"If the Ritz or the Flagstaff House aren't in your holiday budget, you can also order Thanksgiving dinners online for a fraction of the cost."
Boston Market, for example, offers a complete holiday meal for 12 for $70. For a lot of people like Christine Dietze, regardless of the cost, having more free time and less stress during the holiday is priceless. "I don't think I’ll feel cheated that I haven't spent the 14-16 hours in the kitchen. "Absolutely I made the right decision this year."
The Flagstaff House in Boulder said it could have sold many more online dinners, but demand for fresh organic turkeys was so high, they couldn't get anymore and it's the only kind they sell.
The National Restaurant Association says more than 50% of Americans will order at least one take out food item for their holidays meal. Thanksgiving is the 5th busiest holiday for restaurants, followed by Mother’s day, Valentines Day, Father’s day and New Years Eve.
