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The kitchens at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center are busy preparing a feast for 29,000 in need.
They will also deliver meals to 4,600 homebound residents.
The Raul Jimenez Thanksgiving Dinner is a decades-old tradition in the Alamo City.
The late restaurateur started the holiday tradition that bears his name in 1979. It's now led by his daughter Patricia Jimenez.
She cheered on some of the 4,000 volunteers needed to prepare, serve, and clean up after the dinner at the start of this Thanksgiving week.
"We're getting ready to prepare 678 turkeys, which is a lot more than last year, so that we can feed so many people this Thanksgiving, who are alone and in need. And we couldn't do it without the volunteers, so we thank you for being here," she said to a roomful of cheers.
There will be oceans of gravy and cranberry sauce and mountains of mashed potatoes and stuffing to go with all that turkey.
The piles of green beans and yams being prepared in a typical year, each weigh more than an average car.
It's all topped off with 25,000 dinner rolls and 3,000 pumpkin pies.
The doors open for the feast at the convention center at 9 a.m. on Thursday.
There will be an all-faith service, entertainment and dancing, kids' activities, and a visit by Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus before it all ends around 3:30.
VIA Metropolitan Transit will provide complimentary transportation to the dinner
VIA Metropolitan Transit is partnering with the Raul Jimenez Thanksgiving Dinner to provide complimentary transportation to and from the dinner on Nov. 27, 2025.
Attendees can enjoy fare-free trips on all VIA mainline bus service, VIA Link, and VIAtrans paratransit service for registered patrons, when traveling to and from the event at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, 900 E. Market St.
When boarding, passengers can inform the operator they are attending the Jimenez Dinner—and ride for free.
Registered VIAtrans clients will be dropped off and picked up at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center.
For additional information regarding routes and scheduling, please call (210) 362-2020.
