Restaurants Offer Thanksgiving Meals Amid Rising Costs
The catering kitchen at Edinburgh USA in Brooklyn Park is a relatively quiet place on a Tuesday in mid-November.
But executive chef Alex Weidt knows it won’t be like this next week when Thanksgiving comes.
“We’re hoping to be extremely busy,” Weidt said. “Coming off of COVID last year, it’s going to be one of our first times doing our buffet again since, I think 2019. So we’re hoping for around 300 reservations.”
Weidt and his sous chef, Bruce, are in charge of preparing a Thanksgiving buffet in the Edinburgh clubhouse. It’s a way for people to enjoy all the traditional food without the usual hassle.
“If you come join us for a buffet, it’s a full spread,” Weidt said. “And all you have to do is walk in the door and sit down and grab your plate. So I’d say for the ease of it, it is definitely the route to go.”
Yet unlike other years, 2021 comes with some unique challenges.
“Right now, we’re trying to go through the process of locating enough product for our reservations for 300,” Weidt said.
Supply chain issues are one concern. But whether you’re an executive chef, or someone planning to cook up a feast at home, rising prices are also something to keep in mind.
Alex Weidt is the executive chef at Edinburgh USA. He’s in charge of the venue’s Thanksgiving buffet.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the price of food at home is up 5.4% over the last 12 months. Meanwhile, the latest consumer price index shows an 11.9% increase in the price of meat, poultry, fish and eggs.
“We’ve seen increased costs, supply chain issues,” said James Wallenberg, general manager of Edinburgh USA. “Most of these are subsiding a little bit. I think we were able to keep our buffet at a very reasonable price still.”
This year’s buffet comes with a price tag of $34.95 for adults. It’s a slight increase from 2019 when it was $29.50.
A few local restaurants offering Thanksgiving meals also had to up their prices.
It’s a new reality with inflation at a 31-year high. But at Edinburgh, Weidt says they’ll be good to go on Thanksgiving Day.
“We’re eager for it and we’re definitely ready,” he said.
In addition to the Thanksgiving buffet, D’Amico catering (the food service provider at Edinburgh) is also offering a Thanksgiving dinner to go.
Other local restaurants with Thanksgiving takeout packages include:
- Travail Kitchen in Robbinsdale
- Marna’s Eatery in Robbinsdale
- Rock Elm in Plymouth and Maple Grove
- 3 Squares in Maple Grove
