The turkeys are in: Hornell restaurant plans free Thanksgiving dinners despite challenges

Madonna Figura Simon
·3 min read
Representatives from the Bethesda Foundation present a $1,000 check to Lori and Ian Cramp, owner of Billy Schu’s Food Grill in Hornell. The donation will help the restaurant provide nearly 400 free turkey dinners to those in need this Thanksgiving. From left: Lynn Blades, Janice Spence and Stephan Greenberg of the Bethesda Foundation; Lori and Ian Cramp, restaurant owners.

HORNELL — For weeks, Thanksgiving hosts have been bombarded by bad news: a shortage of small turkeys, rising costs for everything from cranberry sauce to gravy, a struggling supply chain.

Now multiply that problem by 400 guests.

All of the COVID-related economic issues – inflation, supply chain delays, staffing shortages – are exemplified in the efforts of Billy Schu’s Food Grill, a Hornell restaurant, to provide 400 free Thanksgiving dinners to residents of the Canisteo Valley.

Recently, members of the Bethesda Foundation delivered a $1,000 donation to Ian and Lori Cramp, the owners of Billy Schu’s on Seneca Street.

“The foundation’s mission is to support health-related activities and projects in the area served by the original Bethesda Hospital. A nutritious Thanksgiving meal for the underserved definitely meets our objectives,” according to Janice E. Spence, the foundation’s executive director.

The donation will help the restaurant provide free turkey dinners to anyone who pre-ordered by Nov. 22. The Thanksgiving tradition was started by the restaurant’s namesake in 1987. This will be the Cramps’ 18th year and their toughest logistically, according to Lori Cramp.

“The cost is way up. It’s probably going to be way up this year compared to last year,” Cramp said.

The counter at Billy Schu’s restaurant is ready for customers and staff. Lori Cramp, co-owner, says the restaurant has struggled with staffing since the start of the pandemic but will be ready to provide free Thanksgiving dinners.
The counter at Billy Schu’s restaurant is ready for customers and staff. Lori Cramp, co-owner, says the restaurant has struggled with staffing since the start of the pandemic but will be ready to provide free Thanksgiving dinners.

She estimates that the cost of purchasing 400 pounds of turkey and 160 pounds each of squash, mashed potatoes and stuffing will be double that of last year.

Despite the cost, Cramp is confident that the restaurant will have enough big birds.

“Actually, we had to order ours two months ago in order to ensure that we got it. Thank God we did because somebody just got refused 27 cases of turkeys. We pre-planned way, way back in the summer because we were forewarned that things would be difficult. We planned way ahead of time, went and bought a new freezer so we could get them in. The turkeys are in and have been here for a couple weeks already.”

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Cramp anticipates that the struggle of running a restaurant in the COVID-era will continue even after the big holiday feast is over. Volunteers will staff Billy Schu’s and deliver meals on Thanksgiving. Regular staff has been in short supply.

“We’re extremely short staffed this year, severely. We don’t know why. It’s just that nobody’s coming out looking for jobs at all. It’s really sad. We’ve had two that haven’t shown up for interviews. It’s really bad. Haven’t seen it this bad in 17 years,” Cramp said, adding that she is picking up shifts in the kitchen.

The freezer at Billy Schu’s Food Grill in Hornell is full of turkeys for the restaurant’s annual free Thanksgiving dinner. Co-owner Lori Cramp said that the turkey order was placed two months in advance to guarantee enough birds due to supply chain issues.
The freezer at Billy Schu’s Food Grill in Hornell is full of turkeys for the restaurant’s annual free Thanksgiving dinner. Co-owner Lori Cramp said that the turkey order was placed two months in advance to guarantee enough birds due to supply chain issues.

“I’m becoming a cook with my husband because we’re so short-staffed. I’ve become his ‘Wednesday girl.’”

The restaurant is drawing up a new menu that will take into account the increasing cost of menu ingredients. Still, Cramp says she is grateful to have the opportunity to keep the Thanksgiving tradition alive.

“We have survived. It’s very sad how many places that have struggled and have gone out," she said. "My heart goes out to each and every restaurant and any bar and anybody struggling. It’s been a tough couple of years.”

Billy Schu’s volunteers will deliver the free turkey dinners from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Thanksgiving day. Meals can be picked up from 12:30 to 2:30. Due to COVID precautions, there will be no in-house dining.

This article originally appeared on The Evening Tribune: Hornell restaurant plans free Thanksgiving dinners despite challenges