VALDOSTA — Want a turkey dinner with all the trimmings, but do not want to spend hours preparing it? Fortunately, many Valdosta restaurants are ready to do the work for you this Thanksgiving.

For many restaurants, Thanksgiving is one of their highest sales days of the year. Gone are the days when eating out would have been unthinkable, or simply not possible, as restaurants typically closed on all holidays.

However, in today’s fast paced environment, restaurants relish Thanksgiving celebrants, including a number of local eateries who will be offering special meals Thursday.

– Cracker Barrel will be open from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. offering dinner for $7.99. The meal will include turkey, dressing, two vegetables and your choice of cornbread or biscuits. Dessert is included as well. Dine in and carry out are both available.

– Ole Times Country Buffet will also be serving Thanksgiving dinner. Their price of $7.99 gives you turkey, ham and traditional sides. Dine in and carry out is available from 10:30 a.m. until 4 p.m.

– O’Neal’s Country Buffet will offer an $8 dinner with turkey, ham, chicken, and many other dishes. Dine in and carry out dinners include drink and dessert. Customers are welcome to indulge in this Thanksgiving feast between the hours of 10:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

– Ryans Steakhouse is also preparing Thanksgiving dinner. This buffet style meal of turkey, dressing, sides and dessert is only $8.79 for those eating in. Carry out orders are available for $3.99 per pound. Dinner is served from 10:30 a.m. until 8 p.m.

– Thanksgiving dinner at Shoney’s starts at 10 a.m. and ends at 11 p.m. Adults eat for $8.99, kids five to 10 years of age eat for $3.99 and children under the age of four eat for free. The buffet style dinner includes turkey, dressing, ham, shrimp, a variety of sides, and a slice of pumpkin pie.

– Marco Polo is serving Thanksgiving dinner from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. Dine in and carry out orders are only $7.50 and include turkey, roasted or fried, and all traditional sides.

– For those traveling on 1-75, the Country Market at the Flying J Travel Plaza is serving a turkey dinner from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. The cost is $8.99 for adults and $4.59 for children. No carry outs.

Treating the family to a traditional Thanksgiving meal does not have to mean hours in the kitchen. These Valdosta restaurants are prepared to provide you with a great meal. They will spend the hours in the kitchen, so that you can spend your time with your family.