KIRKSVILLE, MO. -- There are always those who want to break away from tradition, and that's true even on Thanksgiving. Nowadays, many are deciding to dine out on the holiday.

That's the reason why Rosie's Northtown Cafe stayed open this Thursday afternoon. The restaurant has been open on Thanksgiving since 1993. One of the owners said they decided to open the restaurant on the holiday initially because many of the seniors in the community didn't have anywhere to go.

On Thursday afternoon, more than 100 people stopped by to eat, and there was even a waiting list. Many said it was just easier to dine out than to spend the entire day cooking a meal.

"I'm not much of a cook. I think it's just easier to go out and get it than to cook it I guess," said Trent Cornelison, of Kirksville.

"There's been a lot of people that has thanked us for being open and they have visited our restaurant for years," said Milton Armstrong, the co-owner of Rosie's Northtown Cafe. "They tell us all the time they really appreciate it."

The cafe stayed open from 10:30 a.m. until to 2 p.m. For less than $10, patrons enjoyed turkey, ham, green beans, pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce, corn, and yams. Armstrong said his staff started working as early as 5 a.m. to prepare the meal.