Firebirds Wood Fired Grill’s holiday take-home offerings were born out of pandemic necessity when dining rooms shuttered across the industry. Today, it’s grown into one of the strongest seasonal traditions.
Designed for those who want a restaurant-quality experience without the stress, customers can choose entrées like roasted turkey or ham, paired with sides including mashed potatoes, asparagus, casseroles, and caramel apple–pecan bread pudding.
Priced at $159.95 and feeding four to six people, the package has become popular for groups. “Some will order three or four packages together if they have a large party,” said Firebirds’ corporate executive chef, Andy Seiple.
“One of the things our brand leans into is having that experiential time, whether it’s in the restaurant or relying on these family meals each year. It becomes something folks grab onto,” Seiple said. “They really enjoy not having to do all the work, having to do all the heavy cleanup… and they’re able to spend quality time with their family.”
Meals come in ready-to-heat or ready-to-eat packaging with simple instructions, available for in-store pickup.
Generating demand and sales
The program also provides a major sales lift on a day when the its 60 restaurants are closed. Firebirds’ Thanksgiving meal sold out days before the holiday, and it’s now gearing up for Christmas.
“We’re able to prep and put all these meals together in the shoulders of the day,” Seiple said. “These days leading up to Thanksgiving are quite busy across the country for our brand, and we’re able to prep these things. It’s incremental sales we can add on without adding an incredible amount of stress to operators, which is the best of both worlds.”
According to Circana, 97 percent of Thanksgiving meals are eaten at home or a loved one’s home. Deloitte reports that 31 percent of holiday hosts plan to order from a restaurant.
Seiple shoutouts the marketing team, which prioritized getting promotions out early, giving guests ample time to preorder. It’s a strategy the brand plans to lean into even more for Christmas, which will feature a prime rib package. Preorders will open in about two weeks.
