The Slow Bone and Mockingbird Diner Will Serve Free Dinner on Thanksgiving Day

Two area restaurants, The Slow Bone and Mockingbird Diner, will provide free meals on Thanksgiving to those in need.

It’s The Slow Bone’s fifth year hosting the “Freebird” event, and the eatery’s former owner Jack Perkins brought the the tradition to his current restaurant Mockingbird Diner for the second year running. The meals, run on volunteer help and donations from businesses, take place on Thanksgiving, and according to a press release, anyone is welcome, no questions asked.

Last year’s Freebird event saw 600 people at The Slow Bone and 400 people at Mockingbird Diner with the numbers expected to double. Mockingbird Diner will serve traditional Thanksgiving fare, while The Slow Bone will have barbecue including brisket, turkey, and sausage with traditional sides, plus its signature cornbread pudding set to the backdrop of live music by Open Classical. Remaining meals will be donated to homeless shelters including Austin Street Shelter and the Bridge.

“[This] has become such an important part of the year for everyone involved. We can’t not do it,” says Slow Bone owner Jeffrey Hobbs. “We get all kinds of people: first responders working the holiday, college kids that need a place to go, folks down on their luck, and families that just need a little extra help.”

On Thursday, November 22, The Slow Bone will serve food from 12 to 4 p.m. and Mockingbird Diner will serve from 12 to 3 p.m. Organizers have set up a GoFundMe campaign for anyone who would like to donate to the event.