According to the National Restaurant Association, nearly one in every 10 adults plans to let a restaurant do the cooking this year.

Ditching the dishes on Thanksgiving is turning into an annual tradition for many Americans. In fact, according to a survey conducted by the National Restaurant Association, nearly one in every 10 adults plans to eat their holiday meal at a restaurant this year.

Also, more than one in 10 said they expect to pick up parts of the meal (9 percent) or all of the meal (4 percent) from a restaurant.

When choosing a restaurant for their Thanksgiving experience, tradition and familiarity were the leading factors, the survey showed. Among adults planning to do so, 31 percent said the restaurant is one they traditionally dine at for Thanksgiving. Thirty percent described the restaurant as a special-occasion spot, and 21 percent said they’re headed to one of their favorite eateries. Only 18 percent said they’re choosing a restaurant they’ve never visited.

As for Black Friday, 43 percent of adults said they plan to go out shopping on that day, or Thanksgiving itself. Of those, 72 percent said they expect they’ll eat at a restaurant or visit a quick-service outlet while shopping.

The online survey polled 1,017 adults from November 9–12.

Feature, Menu Innovations