How is business the day after Thanksgiving?
I know that the day before is one of the busiest days of the year for all of us.
Last year I was’nt open so I’ve got nothing to compare it to.
Thanks all!
In 2005, we had 50% of our regular sales that Friday AND that Saturday. Not so great at all. Last year we were “between kitchens” so not open at all.
Going forward, we will use it as a staff vacation day. Our town is a suitcase community where people pack up and go visiting for the holidays. Population alone in town is wayyyy down over that weekend.
More like an average weekday than a Friday for us. Saturday is light too. Thanksgiving is one of two days a year we are closed (Christmas is the other)
as for me , I am normally closed on Tuesday, and I will be closed on Wednesday and Thursady also that week of Thanksgiving, then open Friday
…OPEN ALL NIGHT New Year’s Eve, free delivery, free coffee, take n bake…gonna try it, anybody else done it ?
Otis
I had owned the place less than a year in 2006, so I did not know what to expect. I made the fatal mistake of giving my lead pizza guy off from Wednesday to Sunday to spend the holiday with family out of town.
Wednesday lunch was busy, but managable. However, Wednesday evening ending up being just wild! At 5:30 p.m. the phone began ringing constantly. Then around 7:00 p.m. regulars were coming in with out of town guests. It just so happened I had immediate family members who were there and jumped in to help out all evening. We locked the door at our regular closing time. We had people banging on the door and other customers were letting them in. Needless to say we took care of them. We had to stop answering the phone or we would have been there all night.
We were closed Thanksgiving Day and had somewhat of a repeat of Wednesday night on Friday and Saturday. But not as hectic. My family came in again to be on “standby”.
Sales were great! 
I will not make that mistake this year. The staff has has been reminded that no one is off this year except for Thanksgiving day. The attendance policy will be, “Don’t come in, don’t come back!”
We will be better prepared this year!
mdm
Wed is a real busy day, and Fri and Sat are less then normal days.
My turkey was honey/maple - Emils. I started with Williams of Vermont but they went west, I think to one chain. The day before TG last year was a lunch with turkey club RU, turkey club wiches, turkey in syrian. I don’t know why since turkey day was the next day but the lunch was crazy and the night was nuts with pizza. Friday was nuts as well but not a crazy lunch, just dinner. Saturday and Sunday wee the norm.
PD
I’ll do great sales to the retail big box stores as well as the mall. Best buy, circuit city, jc penny, ect ect. Their employees have no time to take a break and the managers have quite a budget to feed them. Even though I’m in a college town where many of the students leave for the weekend, this is always a pretty good Friday, and much busier than normal lunch.
Friday after Thanksgiving is definitely busy for us as well, lots of lg retail stores, Mall, Plazas, etc. Market to them ahead of time, catering can be very busy as well.
Black Friday as known to the retail giants is huge business. Get on the phone with the HR people at Target, Walmart…etc. They want pizza on that day and a few days after as early as 9 AM and go on all day. They have a great budget but if you offer some nice deals (ensure the parm, red pepper flake, all perks included) they will bite.
PD
Catering to retail stores during this busy time for them is a huge opportunity. Handled the right way it can be very rewarding !
Hello inter,heres a word from the wise…Always be prepared to get hit and you will never let the customers down.Bring in your crew and be ready if it ends up not being a busy night,then you can start shaving the help.But if you get wacked you will be glad that you did along w/ your customers.
Niccademowe are usually pretty busy…stay open you could regret it!!
Right on Nicc !
When you compare the cost of losing customers due to unpreparedness with the cost of staffing to be prepared it’s not even close !