While many of us celebrate Thanksgiving at home surrounded by family and friends, the joy of eating out cannot be denied. Heaven is someone else stressing over the turkey, preparing the roster of sides that accommodate all dietary needs, and then sticking around to clean up and do all the dishes.
But going out on Thanksgiving also means that all those folks cooking in restaurant kitchens and working the dining room are giving up their holidays to make yours flawless and festive. Good manners and generous tipping should be standard practice at a restaurant any night of the week, but diners need to be extra mindful of their etiquette and gratitude on Thanksgiving. We spoke to chefs, restaurateurs and hospitality consultants to share best practices to follow if your Thanksgiving dining room is a restaurant.
Share the Menu in Advance
“Whether you’re hosting dinner at a small mom and pop restaurant or a big hotel, it’s really important to talk about the menu with your guests well before you show up for dinner,” suggests Nicholas Bathurst, director of food & beverage at the newly reopened Waldorf Astoria in New York City.
Waldorf’s chef Michael Anthony will serve a classic American Thanksgiving feast of butternut squash soup with cider-pickled apples, roast turkey with gravy, cranberry relish and a sage, mushroom stuffing and a parade of desserts including apple crostata, chocolate cake, and pear panna cotta. Given that many restaurants run special holiday menus, they may not be able to easily switch out a dish without prior notice. “Customization and ordering off menu might not be the same as it would be on a normal day,” Bathurst says. He advises that guests get a sense of the menu beforehand and communicate any special requests such as allergies, dietary restrictions, or preferences with the restaurant in advance.
Arrive on Time
Thanksgiving is an all-day endeavor that lasts from lunch into dinner service. Restaurants take meticulous care to pace reservations so guests have ample time to leisurely enjoy their dinner. “If someone does not adhere to reservation time or we have a latecomer, that table will delay guests down the line,” says Bathurst. “There’s a domino effect. It’s very important to show up on time for reservations.” Bathurst notes that if you are running late for any reason, let the restaurant know. (If the restaurant doesn’t have a phone number listed, contact them through the messaging function on the reservation app.)
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Don’t Cancel or No-Show
“Don’t cancel last minute or no-show on Thanksgiving,” says chef Aaron Bludhorn of Perseid in Houston, a Bon Appétit 2025 Best New Restaurant. He is serving a three-course Thanksgiving menu featuring choices like a duck terrine of foie gras with fig jam and a biscuit, turkey roulade with stuffing, brussel sprouts, gravy, cranberry sauce and Pumpkin Pie with miso caramel, and spiced chantilly cream. “It is nearly impossible to add a last minute reservation or a walk-in on Thanksgiving, so don’t play it like a Friday night reservation where you make three and pick the best one at the last minute. We won’t be able to make up that revenue, and the staff that’s working and giving up their holiday to be there for you will make less in tips, too.”
The Waldorf’s Bathurst agrees. “We understand things happen and unexpected circumstances arise but cancelling the day of will mean we cannot fill that seat, so the team will lose revenue. Please cancel well in advance of the day-of, so the restaurant can resell that table.”
Communicate
Bringing kids and need a highchair? Have a guest with a wheelchair? Let the restaurant know in advance so they can make sure to accommodate. “Keep in mind that it is really difficult to turn things around on a dime when we are in the middle of serving 200 people Thanksgiving dinner,” says John Winterman, a partner at the Michelin-starred Francie in Williamsburg, Brooklyn where guests reserve weeks in advance for chef Chris Cipollone’s crown of duck. “We have a limited number of high chairs, knowing whether you will have a stroller or a wheelchair will also help us with our seating plan. Giving us advance notice of a serious allergy will also be helpful.” Winterman says letting the restaurant know if you have a change in party size is also crucially important. “Changing party size from 6 to 4, or having a table for two show up with a third? That makes it more difficult for us to manage. We aren’t always able to accommodate the last minute change.”
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Tip Well
All of our experts pointed out that restaurant teams are working extra long shifts on Thanksgiving, often more than 10 hours, and recommended tipping extra generously. “The tipping should go hand-in-hand with acknowledgement that it is a holiday, and we have a much longer day for staff, many of whom are spending their day working and not home with their own families and friends,” said Winterman.
