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2024 Thanksgiving Dinners in San Luis Obispo | SLO County

Posted by San Luis Obispo Mom on Wednesday, November 2, 2022 Under: Holidays
While I was in college at San Diego State University (SDSU), I worked at a seafood buffet and worked on Thanksgiving Day. [You can skip my college story and just scroll down or jump straight to the list of 23 restaurants in San Luis Obispo County that will be open on Thanksgiving Day and serving a turkey dinner.] It was by choice as I got better tips and only had to work for 5 hours and could still go home and spend time with my parents and sibling. I'm a native San Diegan but I live here in San Luis Obispo County now. I worked at that buffet named Todai San Diego (now closed) for 3 years and worked on many holidays. I think back at those years there fondly as this job had helped me pay my college tuition at SDSU and food.

There was one particular guest who I still remember and think about as Thanksgiving Day gets nearer every year. She came in alone and was the only one who did on that Thanksgiving Day at our restaurant. She was all smiles when she stepped up to the podium to tell the hostess, whom I stood nearby, the number of people in her party. The guest lifted one pointer finger and said, "Just one."

Though I may have felt a little sorry for her, I felt admiration more than anything for her courage and independence as she was not afraid to dine alone on a holiday that many expects one to be with others. She deserved a wonderful dinner and instead of ordering take out somewhere, she came in and enjoyed a Thanksgiving feast and seafood. She was kind and seemed really smart. Although I didn't pry, she looked like she was in town for business or was traveling for personal reasons.

So, I dedicate this post to this memory and to all of you who needs to have a warm Thanksgiving meal on Thanksgiving Day cooked by an establishment because life can get too busy to be able to cook at home for yourself and/or for others. Enjoy a feast without the mess and why not, the many wonderful restaurants around here are here to serve you.

[ 2024 List of Thanksgiving Dinners in San Luis Obispo County Will Be Added a Few Months Before the Holiday, When Restaurants Announced Them. Come Back Regularly to See the Growing List. ]

List of Restaurants That Will Be Open on Thanksgiving Day (Thurs., Nov 23, 2023) and Serving a Turkey Dinner that I Found by Going on Each Website Individually and Sorted by Alphabetical Order:

Thanksgiving Free Meals

  • Saturday, November 18, 2023 - Community Thanksgiving Dinner at Santa Margarita Elementary School at 5:30PM. There is no charge. All is welcome. Address: 22070 H St, Santa Margarita, CA, 93453
  • Thursday, November 23, 2023 - Community Free Thanksgiving Dinner at Morro Bay Community Center from 1PM - 3PM. Address: 1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay, CA 93442
IMPORTANT Notes:
This is a growing list!

I highly encourage you to make a reservation as soon as you've decided on a particular restaurant as I've seen reservations get full a week in advance before the actual holiday!

If there is no kid's price listed above for a particular place, it is because the restaurant did not note a kid's price or version on their website when I was doing searches online for Thanksgiving Day offerings at the time; and maybe charging one price for any guest, regardless of age.

As more restaurants announce that they'll be open on Thanksgiving Day and serving Thanksgiving meals, I'll add it to this list.

Gobble, gobble!

See a list of Thanksgiving Day Camps for kids in San Luis Obispo County while school is out.

See my top 10 wine tasting room rank list for San Luis Obispo County as a local. 

Fall baking recipes:


View my gluten-free vegan pumpkin pie recipe

View my pumpkin muffin recipe (non-vegan).

View my non-vegan mini pumpkin pie recipe.

In : Holidays 


Tags: restaurants that are open on thanksgiving day in slo  thanksgiving dinner san luis obispo  pismo beach  cambria  paso robles  morro bay  turkey dinner san luis obispo  slo  places open for thanksgiving in pismo beach 

About Me


San Luis Obispo Mom Originally from San Diego, California, I'm a San Diego State University alumna, veteran's wife and mom of two kids who were born two years apart. After living on the East Coast for 6 years, we now reside in San Luis Obispo County and here, the exploration continues.
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