Phoenix chef offering to-go meals as the Valley prepares to celebrate Thanksgiving amid COVID-19 pandemic

Phoenix restaurant making hundreds of Thanksgiving meals for families

During a tough year, many families have opted to have their Thanksgiving meal catered instead.

PHOENIX - Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Thanksgiving feasts to go is the go-to plan for many families in 2020.

"This week, we did 600 portions of Thanksgiving meals. Pretty incredible," said Tommy D'Ambrosio with Aioli's Gourmet Burgers.

When D’Ambrosio saw people had a growing appetite for to-go meals during the pandemic, and he figured he’d create a Thanksgiving feast delivery plan. The plan has boomed beyond expectations.

"People don't have to go to the grocery store, wait in long lines, be in congested areas. We cook everything here. Extremely sanitary, and we'll deliver it to your door contactless, so it's a great option for anyone," said D'Ambrosio. "What's also interesting is people are buying them as gifts as well, so there's kids that are still in college and they can't come home this year. Parents are calling us and ordering four to five meals fo their roommates."

Meanwhile, local restaurants and grocery stores like Basha’s are also seeing record demand for Thanksgiving meals to-go as people downsize their holiday meal, or look to avoid restaurant crowds.

As millions gather to give thanks in challenging times, others like D’Ambrosio making sure those who have fallen on hard times aren’t forgotten, with hundreds of to-go meals heading to the homeless in the Valley.

D'Ambrosio says it's too late to order for Thanksgiving, he says he is already planning a Christmas feast (to-go, of course.)