SCRANTON, Pa. — This Thanksgiving will look different for many of us.
State and federal health officials have warned against big family gatherings this year.
Several restaurants are hoping that if your plans have changed, you might look to them instead of cooking.
The Garden Mediterranean Café on North Washington Avenue has been doing strictly takeout orders since the spring.
Now that Thanksgiving is here, the owner is making another change.
"People will be celebrating differently this year, so maybe they'd like to try something different," JoMarie Ali said.
Next week the Garden will be cooking up Thanksgiving dinners for customers using their Lebanese spin on the traditional meal.
The owner says it's a way to drum up business and make the best of a different holiday season.
"We're actually excited. Because we're not spending Thanksgiving with our family and we're staying in our household, and so it's like celebrating with other people but keeping it safe," Ali added.
Eden-a-Vegan Café on Adams Avenue has been doing takeout Thanksgiving meals for years.
But this year, the owners welcome the extra competition.
"I think it's a smart move, honestly. It's something we have to adapt to. If you don't adapt, you're not going to survive. That's what we're living in right now," said Chef Brett Stevens.
Eden, like many restaurants, has seen takeout orders decline as the weather's gotten colder and the pandemic has dragged on.
The chef hopes people look to small businesses this year instead of cooking at home.
"It helps everybody, you know? Being able to support a small business and not necessarily waste product you have sitting in your fridge. You get exactly what you need. It's prepared for you; it's easier. And that way, the work is done for you, and you're helping others out," he said.