Why It Takes 75 Ovens To Keep This Rhode Island Restaurant Running

Oh, you thought your Thanksgiving was stressful? Try keeping track of 75 ovens simultaneously, all while monitoring a gift shop and serving up drinks, appetizers and sides.

That's exactly what Wright's Farm Restaurant in Rhode Island has done nearly every day for the past 50-plus years, serving up all-you-eat chicken, salad, potatoes, rolls, and pasta (shells, not penne) family-style. Located in the Northwest corner of Rhode Island (a state that has produced a number of culinary delicacies, including the hot weiner sandwich and delicious, creamy coffee milk), the family joint can seat more than 1,000 people, has catered hundreds of weddings, and serves, on average, 5,500 whole chickens per week. In other words, its 75 ovens are kept busy, with cast iron pans that are filled with chicken rotating in and out for three hours each.

To be fair, the restaurant's 155 employees probably make the process go smoother. Maybe that's the key to next year's Thanksgiving Day success?

When you walk into Wright's Farm Restaurant for a meal, there's a lot to look at. Beyond the massive, six-room seating area, there's also a gift shop where you can purchase Wright's Farm Pasta Sauce, Wright's Farm Fudge, Wright's Farm Chicken Pot Pie, Wright's Farm t-shirts — you get the idea. There are also four bars throughout the rooms, serving alcohol to guests who don't feel like wait for Wright's popular soda to be poured for them once they're seated at their table.

After finishing your first serving, which comes out to $17.95 for adults or $9.60 for children. additional servings are free of charge. You can also add an ice cream roll for $1, or swap your protein to a Sirloin steak for a total of $29.95, with the same sides included — but the chicken really is their specialty. Amongst the myriad of sides, pay special attention to the fries — rising up in popularity through the decades, the crispy potatoes are now considered by regular patrons to be among the best french fries out there. Beyond the obvious value for any foodie, you can feel extra-good about your purchase by knowing that the establishment sponsors an annual college scholarship for a graduating senior from their local high school, continuing their mission of bettering their community.