Recent studies show more people are choosing to dine out on Thanksgiving rather than cook at home, with restaurant reservations up 13% this year compared to last, according to data from OpenTable.

The trend was evident across the Lakeshore area, where dining rooms were packed with families choosing to celebrate Thanksgiving outside their homes.

Watch the full broadcast here: More families choose restaurants over home cooking for Thanksgiving dinner

At Our Legacy Restaurant in Manitowoc and Rita's Supper Club in Two Rivers, families gathered for traditional holiday meals without the hassle of cooking and cleanup.

For some diners, eating out on Thanksgiving has become a decades-long tradition. Chuck Smoker and his wife have been dining out for the holiday since moving to Two Rivers in

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