Some think of the Thanksgiving holiday as a weekend filled with family sitting around a table set for 12 and an oven-roasted turkey displayed as the center piece on the table.
No matter if students are staying in town for the holidays or for the long-awaited Iron Bowl, area restaurants are lending their own ovens to serve Thanksgiving dinner from the traditional to the extreme to those here in Auburn.
With Thanksgiving falling on the Thursday before the Iron Bowl, area businesses are preparing for the influx of fans with Thursday Thanksgiving Day menus.
Whitney Phillips, catering sales manager for The Hotel at Auburn University, said the hotel is preparing a banquet of a wide variety of foods to please any taste for a Thanksgiving dinner away from home.
The hotel will feature a Thanksgiving Day brunch in both the Ariccia Italian Trattoria and Bar and the grand ballroom from noon to 4:30 p.m. The brunch menu will include samplings of muscles, made-to-order omelets, homemade waffles and a carving station of roasted pork loin.
Ariccia will also feature a special holiday menu for other Thanksgiving meal options.
Reservations can be made ahead of time, and prices are $29.95 for adults and $12.95 for children under 12.
"The hotel decided to serve such a large feast in order to accommodate those who were coming to Auburn for the game early and the guests who have made reservations in the hotel," Phillips said.
If a low-key Thanksgiving tailgating feast is more appealing, Niffer's Place will be open Thanksgiving Day from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Specials include a Niffer's first, the Thanksgiving Burger.
This turkey burger is grilled and served with mozzarella cheese and topped with a special cranberry relish.
"This is a one-time special that we have never served before," said Matt Knitter, owner of Niffer's Place.
Knitter said he thinks the burger will be a big hit for those who want something different from an ordinary burger during an ordinary tailgating weekend.
For any adventurous at-home chefs, Gourmet Tiger makes any dinner a cinch with menu offerings of its regular casseroles and desserts including a special stock of fall favorites such as the red velvet cheesecake and a caramel pumpkin torte.
Austin Baker, Gourmet Tiger employee, said the caramel pumpkin torte was also a one-time special made just for the holidays.
Gourmet Tiger offers take-and-bake casseroles in favorites such as green bean casserole and even options for vegetarians such as a vegetarian pasta filled with broccoli, mushrooms, carrots, spinach and pasta coated with a creamy parmesan sauce.
Gourmet Tiger will be open the Wednesday before Thanksgiving Day from 9 a.m. to noon.
Other restaurants around the Auburn area will also be open during Thanksgiving and serving either the regular dining menu or something special for the weekend.
Chef Graham Hage of Zazu Eclectic Eatery will be preparing specials for the dinner menu and regular menu items for the night of Thanksgiving.
Zazu is on Magnolia Avenue and dinner begins at 5:30 p.m.
To try a more exotic Thanksgiving Day menu, Julianna Tokyo will also be open to enjoy a break from turkey and stuffing.
Regular menu items such as sushi and martinis will be served during regular business hours and may include some specials.
For many area restaurants this is the first year that they will be open Thanksgiving Day, but because of the timing of the game, owners are taking a gamble hoping fans will be in town and ready to eat.
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