For some families, going out to eat for Thanksgiving has been a happy tradition: good food; pleasant, emotionally neutral surroundings; people waiting on you and no cleaning up. (Usually no leftovers either, but you win some and lose some.)

The Brown Hotel continues its long tradition of serving Thanksgiving dinners, both a more formal dinner upstairs in the English Grill, and a more informal buffet in J. Graham’s Cafe downstairs.

The English Grill’s Thanksgiving menu will start with a choice of kabocha squash bisque with a crisp seasonal salad, shrimp, mussels or crab cakes, or a charcuterie and cheese board with freshly-baked bread.

Entrée choices include beef tenderloin with cabernet jus; salmon with house-made Benedictine; and roasted turkey with giblet gravy. Sides of glazed carrots, blue corn bread stuffing and Yukon Gold garlic mashed potatoes will be served family-style for the table.

Dessert will be sweet potato pie, chocolate truffle tart or Derby pie. The cost is $62 for adults; $20 for children ages 4 to 12 for a la carte and buffet. Children under 4 are complimentary. Seatings will be at 12:30, 12:45, 1, 3:30, 3:45 and 4 p.m. Call (502) 736-2996.

Graham’s Café will offer spiced parsnip soup or a variety of fall salads on the buffet, as well as an imported meat and pickled vegetable bar, fresh seafood and carving stations with roasted turkey and Kentucky ham, assorted domestic and imported cheeses, seared Atlantic salmon, buttermilk mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes with candied pecans, a charred vegetable medley, and fig and apple stuffing. Dessert choices will be apple strudel, bread pudding or homemade pumpkin pie with Chantilly cream. The cost is $37 for adults and $17 for children ages 4 to 12. Children under 4 are complimentary. Seatings at 11:15  to 11:45 a.m. and 1:15 to 1:30 p.m. Call (502) 583-1234, ext. 7225.

Remember, of course, that all who serve you would rather be with their families, so pretend you are a big shot, and tip well.