As grocery prices soar, local restaurants and casinos could offer affordable options for Thanksgiving

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) - Higher costs of Thanksgiving staples mean more families may choose to eat at a local restaurant, or if you live in the Biggest Little City, a casino.

Eating at a restaurant is usually more expensive. However, the cost of dining out rose 8.6 percent over the last year while the cost of eating at home jumped 12.4 percent over the same period, according to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics. Meaning that dishes at your favorite restaurant are closer in price to your food at home.

Grand Sierra Resort and Casino is one of the places offering a couple of options. For $42 you can enjoy herb-roasted turkey breast at Grand Café.

“With all of the sides and stuffing and gravy and all of those great things with dessert,” said Christopher Abraham, senior vice president of marketing at GSR.

Sides include sweet cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, garlic mashed potatoes, brown gravy, cornbread and ham stuffing. Dessert is a triple-layer pumpkin cake.

For $14 more ($56), you can head over to the Grand Buffet, where the menu not only consists of turkey and traditional side dishes but also honey-glazed ham.

The special will be available from 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Besides the ham, the menu includes candied sweet potatoes with marshmallows, green bean casserole, roasted brussels sprouts, turkey gravy, pineapple compote, cranberry sauce, roasted butternut squash soup and assorted pies.

Another casino working on a Thanksgiving feast is Atlantis.

“All the different chefs come together and have their own take on it,” said David Holman, assistant executive chef at Atlantis Casino. “We got different soup specials and appetizers in all of our restaurants.”

Inside the casino, you’ll find restaurants offering three and four-course holiday dinners starting at $30 per person, but if you are looking for a larger menu that includes seafood, the buffet is the ideal place. Adults pay $55.95 and children $22.95.

“We get to do the dishes, everybody gets to relax, and get a little bit of hospitality,” said Holman.

He told KOLO 8 News Now that about 6,000 people are expected to visit Atlantis Thursday.

If your intention is to avoid larger crowds, restaurants like Café Whitney--located inside the Whitney Peak Hotel--may be the right move. The holiday special is $35 per person, and it includes complimentary valet.

“We have about 15 to 20 reservations already,” said Adrian Bowles, interim marketing manager at WPH. “They’ll get a salad, turkey ham, or stuffed portabella mushroom with sides and then they get cheesecake for dessert.”

Locals can dine-in only, and there are no kids’ options. All other menus will be available and happy hour will be from 4:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. (50% off bar snacks and drinks).

The menu also includes cornbread stuffing, garlic mash and gravy, and green beans with mushrooms and onions. Dessert options include a pumpkin pie or cheesecake.

Dining out may not be for everybody, so if what you are looking for this Thursday are the words “to go”, South 40 (1445 South Meadows Parkway) has you covered.

“We offer to-go turkey dinners with all the sides and wine pairings,” said Kevin Jepsen, co-owner of South 40. “A prime rib as well, for to-go dinners so, we have a couple of different options.”

Orders must be placed by Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. and picked up Wednesday, November 23. Pickup times are 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Curbside pickup is available. Orders can be placed in person or over the phone at (775) 800-9070.

Prime rib with rosemary is $215 for 6 lbs. An oven roasted whole dinner is $160 for about 10-12 lbs. Full payment is required upon ordering (tax not included). All meals include homemade cornbread stuffing, sauteed brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes, giblet gravy, tossed green salad, dinner rolls, cranberry sauce & pumpkin pie. Prime rib includes creamed horseradish sauce.

All dine-in places recommend calling ahead of time to make reservations.

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