WESTLAKE, Ohio — Everyone loves to gather at the table and celebrate during the holidays, but sometimes it’s a little easier if someone else is doing the cooking.
This year, many local restaurants are offering at-home takeout options for families who hare having smaller holiday celebrations or for those who and to leave the party planning to someone else.
For 55 years, Wagner’s of Westlake has been a staple in Northeast Ohio, but only last year did they begin to offer holiday takeout meals for Christmas.
The meals went over so well, they brought them back for 2021 and it looks like they’re here to stay.
“It’s amazing to have a lot of our repeat customers joining us again. They’ve celebrated graduations, weddings, family functions throughout the years,” said director of events Shaiann Williams.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused restaurants and catering services to hit pause or cancel events last year, so many of them had to get creative with finding ways to continue to generate revenue. Thanks to the at-home holiday meals, Wagner’s of Westlake was still able to keep the holiday cheer going.
“A lot of our guests had been calling, asking if we were doing something, since they couldn’t get together with a lot of their family,” Williams said. “We have a lot of loyal customers that come for our thanksgiving and Easter and Mother’s Day buffet. We had never done Christmas before, but at their request we thought it would be a good idea.”
This year, Wagner’s of Westlake is once again offering holiday takeout options, including a baked ham with a bourbon glaze and their famous sticky buns.
Since the dinners went over so well last year, they began planning immediately for this year to ensure they weren’t caught off guard with any supply chain shortages.
“I wasn’t sure about the growth, just because more things are open now and they have the option to go somewhere else. I’m extremely happy that it has grown It just shows what we did last year worked well,” Williams said. “Last year it was scarce to get some of the supplies we needed. The year we anticipated that and prepared earlier in the year to make sure we had what we needed to do this.”
Wagner’s took 40 orders last year, but this year their total is booked for over 60 meals. Prices start at $125 for a family four-pack and must be placed by Monday, Dec. 20.
“It’s heartwarming knowing that we can provide something to them during all of this craziness to give them a little bit of peace of mind. Not have to worry about cooking when they have these other things going on,” Williams said. “I think we’ll continue doing this for one of our traditions for the next 50 years.”
Other restaurants in Northeast Ohio are also getting in on the holiday dinner schedule include Morton’s Steakhouse, where you can place to-go orders online.
You can also can pre-order a Christmas feast over the phone from Fat Cats in Tremont and the Blue Heron Brewery is offering a Take and Bake option for guests.
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