Here’s How Busy Bars and Restaurants Are The Night Before Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Eve has a reputation in hometowns across America: It’s the night young folks hit the local bars, bumping into their entire graduating class. 

Looking at data from full-service restaurants and bars on the Toast platform, it seems that reputation is well earned. We looked at data from Thanksgiving Eve 2025, then compared it to a “normal” day by averaging every other Wednesday last year. The results showed what you might expect: alcohol sales skyrocketed, as did orders for pie, and late night transactions. In short, guests were likely either hitting the bars,prepping for the holiday, or both. 

Here are some of the key takeaways from Toast’s restaurant and bar data on Thanksgiving Eve, all figures compared to an average Wednesday:

• Alcohol sales were up 72%.

• Watered down: Hard seltzer sales spiked 240%. 

• Pie sales were up 311%.

• Late night’s alright: 11 p.m. to 12: a.m. transactions rose 238%.

• Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) was up 28%.

• Cut the limes: Tequila sales jumped 146%. 

Alcohol data: What do people drink on Thanksgiving Eve?

• Alcohol sales were up 72% overall on Thanksgiving Eve 2025, compared to a typical Wednesday.

• Hard seltzer jumped 240%.

• Spirits like tequila (+146%), vodka (+141%), and rum (+122%) saw big jumps.

• Beer (+76%) saw a jump and was the most popular alcoholic drink by far, in terms of total orders.

Though Toast’s data doesn’t track diners’ age, alcohol sales on Thanksgiving Eve seem to affirm the cultural notion that younger folks use the night to visit their hometowns’ bars. Hard seltzers are especially popular among younger consumers, so it tracks that Thanksgiving Eve would see such a serious sales spike (+240%). It’s worth remembering, though, that growth doesn’t necessarily translate to overall volume. Beer remained the most popular order on Thanksgiving Eve 2025 while also seeing a significant 76% bump compared to a typical Wednesday. In terms of raw numbers, in fact, bar-goers ordered more than double the amount of beers on Thanksgiving Eve than the next-most-popular choice, which was mixed drinks. 

The shots might also flow on Thanksgiving Eve: spirits like tequila (+146%), vodka (+141%), and rum (+122%) saw big jumps compared with a typical 2025 Wednesday. Wine saw the most modest uptick, at just 10% — but, the fact remains, all alcohol categories saw a bump.

Pizza and pie: Which foods are restaurant guests ordering on Thanksgiving Eve?

• Thanksgiving jump start? Pie orders were up 311%. 

• Pizza orders were up 48%. 

• Bar faves like nachos (+24%), fries (+22%), and chicken tenders (+35%) saw jumps. 

• Salad orders were down 5%.

Nearly all food categories saw a bump on Thanksgiving Eve 2025. You can imagine a number of reasons guests might be more likely to order food, such as:

• People ordering desserts to ease the holiday kitchen workload.

• Hosts and guests saving themselves the hassle of cooking ahead of the  Thanksgiving holiday, and instead opting for takeout mainstays like pizza or sushi.  

• Bar-goers munching on classic shareables like nachos, fries, or chicken tenders.

Naturally, those inferences don’t account for everyone, but it does go a long way to explain why pies would be up 311% or why sushi would be up 40%. It doesn’t seem obvious that late-night bar-hoppers would opt for raw fish — but someone already prepping tomorrow’s 20-pound bird might. 

It seems folks aren’t much in the mood for health food around Thanksgiving, however. Salad orders saw a 5% decline compared to a normal Wednesday.

Late night is big business on Thanksgiving Eve

• The 11 p.m. hour saw a 238% increase in transactions compared to a typical Wednesday

• 10 p.m. (+129%) and 9 p.m. (41%) saw significant bumps, too. 

• Transactions were up 17% overall, compared with a typical Wednesday.

Hitting the bars and having a late night is a time-honored tradition on Thanksgiving Eve, and the 2025 data backs that assertion. Compared with a typical Wednesday night, transactions saw a boost starting at 9 p.m. (+41%), then further at 10 p.m. (+129%),  and continuing into the 11 p.m. hour (+238%).

And it’s not that the spending only shifted in time-of-day but remained flat overall. Again, average GMV was up 28% compared to a typical Wednesday, while transactions were up 17%, overall. In other words, spending was up. The average tip was down a hair on Thanksgiving Eve — 18.8% compared to 19% — which could be explained by folks tipping lower amounts on simple drink orders. The average check size, however, was up 9%.

Thanksgiving Eve is clearly a big night for the hospitality industry. It’s likely powered by an interesting mix of bar hopping, cooking fatigue, and holiday prep. Restaurants should consider stocking up on hard seltzers and pies while they have the chance.