Thanksgiving weekend is traditionally a time for friends, family and of course, plenty of food. But before the turkey, stuffing and gravy hit the table, many are turning to a different meal on Thanksgiving Eve: pizza.

At DeeDee’s Pizza in Highland Park, orders were already pouring in Wednesday.

“Nobody really wants to cook the night before Thanksgiving. So we anticipate getting flooded with orders.” said head chef Jackie Mazzo

“Maybe you have plans tomorrow. Maybe you don’t. Maybe you want to get a pie for tomorrow,” Mazzo said. “It’s different than what they’re going to eat tomorrow. Nobody necessarily wants the same thing twice. And so lots of people choose pizza the night before Thanksgiving.”

For many families, the timing lines up perfectly with a shortened school day. Student Joel Kozak took advantage of the early dismissal to grab a slice with friends.

Kozak said pizza was the obvious choice.

“I wouldn’t go with any other dish; I really love pizza. Pizza is a classic dish!”

Dee-Dee’s is even offering its own holiday twist: a “Gobbler Pie” topped with turkey, gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes.