HOUSTON — Thanksgiving dinner will likely look very different this year as coronavirus cases continue to mount and health officials advise against holiday gatherings. Nonetheless, Houston’s restaurants are getting ready the same as they always have.
Many are offering take-home Thanksgiving dinner packs and some are taking reservations for in-person dining.
Houston’s House of Pies (Westheimer location) is getting ready for the upcoming holiday. Like so many others, the Houston institution has taken a hit from the pandemic.
The restaurant’s annual surge of customers buying Thanksgiving pies could bring some much-needed business this year.
General Manager Craig Sigurdson says they’re preparing for things to get busy, the same as in years past.
“There’s already a line this morning with people already trying to get those Thanksgiving pies,” said KHOU 11 news reporter Michelle Choi during a report on Nov. 22, 2018.
Two years ago, more than 10,000 pies had been pre-ordered by Thanksgiving.
Houston’s restaurants have suffered tremendously during the pandemic. Many that survived years of booms and busts were forced to permanently close in 2020 including: Kenny and Ziggys in West University, Patrenella’s, the Union Kitchen in Bellaire, Luby’s has closed about half of its locations, Treebeards has closed its location in downtown, Barry’s Pizza and several of the Pappas restaurants have closed in the Houston area.
Some fear November’s rise in coronavirus cases could lead to new stay-at-home advisories.
Fewer customers would be painful for the city’s surviving restaurants that are struggling to hang on.
