Thanksgiving’s around the corner, and you have no plans, no guest list, and no desire to cook. Don’t give in to the societal pressure to create a fancy, five-course meal. Opt for a Thanksgiving fast food feast instead, making it easy to piece together a sumptuous supper without dirtying every pot and pan in the house.
One-Stop Thanksgiving Fast Food Feast
We have a little secret – you can get an entire Thanksgiving fast food feast at Boston Market alone, leaving you nothing to do on Thanksgiving day other than setting the table, uncorking the wine, and making a quick trip in the car to pick up the vittles. For up to 12 people, you can order the turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, spinach-artichoke dip, cranberry relish, stuffing, dinner rolls, and three pies: pumpkin, apple, and pecan. They even have a new home delivery option! Place your order a week in advance, and you will not even have to leave the house.
But maybe you don’t have a Boston Market near you, or maybe you don’t want to go with all of the traditional trappings of Thanksgiving. Have no fear. All you need is a little gas in the car, and you can head out to collect the components of your meal from a variety of establishments. Here are some of the top picks to include in your Thanksgiving fast food feast:
McAlister’s – The Drinks and Appetizers
McAlister’s is totally underrated when it comes to catering for large groups. If you’re feeding a family this Thanksgiving, stop by McAlister’s for your choice of lemonade or iced tea by the gallon. You’ll even have the option to add in flavors to either drink choice, like peach, strawberry, or black cherry.
They also have great options for pre/post-dinner snacks, like fresh fruit trays, fresh veggies trays, finger sandwiches, and pinwheel sandwiches for your guests to munch on throughout the day.
Boston Market – The Turkey
Boston Market is probably the best place for traditional turkey for your Thanksgiving fast food feast, but if you’re not a big fan of plain old turkey, why not opt for a turkey sandwich or flatbread instead? Panera Bread offers a few festive choices: Roasted turkey cranberry flatbread, a Roasted Turkey Apple & Cheddar Sandwich, and a Bacon Turkey Bravo Sandwich.
White Castle – The Sliders
Not everyone wants a fancy, fork ‘n knife dinner, so it’s best to offer your guests (and yourself!) an array of finger foods. White Castle offers Butterball turkey sliders on their seasonal menu, which are small-but-mighty burgers with two Thanksgiving-inspired options to choose from – Smoked Cheddar and Cinnamon Apple Butter or Tangy Bistro.
Chick-Fil-A – The Chicken
If you’re opting for fast food on Thanksgiving, chances are you threw the idea of a traditional holiday out the window already. Chick-Fil-A nugget trays are amazing for any holiday or special gathering, especially Thanksgiving. They offer a mountain of nuggets (64 or 120 pieces) and two giant sauce dishes to munch on as an appetizer or a main dish. Plus, kids love ’em, and they’re one of the easiest ways to feed a large group.
Note: Chick-Fil-A is not open on Thanksgiving, so you’ll need to pick the nugget tray up the night before. Refrigerate overnight and heat it in the oven at 350 degrees. And since the nugget tray is part of the catering menu, you will need to order at least a day in advance.
Kentucky Fried Chicken – The Sides
Kentucky Fried Chicken is the reigning champ when it comes to completing a Thanksgiving fast food feast. With more piping hot, savory side dishes than any other joint on the list, KFC offers all the classics for this holiday – mashed potatoes and gravy, coleslaw, whole kernel corn, mac and cheese, and green beans
Popeyes – The Biscuits
KFC has decent biscuits, but you’ll want to head over to Popeyes instead for the biscuits for this year’s Thanksgiving fast food feast. Warm, buttery, and flaky, Popeyes biscuits are second to none – especially when you drown them in (several) packets of honey sauce.
Pro tip: Be sure to order more than you think you’ll need because everyone will be back for seconds. And you can use them to make sandwiches with leftover turkey (or chicken) on Black Friday.
McDonald’s – the Pie
It doesn’t have to be a Thanksgiving fast food feast for you to crave McDonald’s pie – but it sure is a good excuse! Offering desserts that’ll likely taste better than anything you could whip up at home, McDonald’s is famous for their crisp and sweet Baked Apple Pie, as well as their Strawberry & Creme Pie.
If you ask us, there’s really no better way to cleanse your palette after gobbling down the above fast food concoctions.
Looking for something a little different? Add to your Thanksgiving fast food feast with items from these restaurants that are open on Turkey Day.
