How to celebrate Thanksgiving at your iQ location
Whilst it’s traditionally a harvest celebration, Thanksgiving has become increasingly about sharing a meal with friends and marking the end of autumn. At iQ, we’ve been using Thanksgiving as an excuse to share cosy recipes, giveaway gifts, and book recommendations in our Clubs all November. Whether this is your first Thanksgiving away from home, your third, or you’ve never celebrated it before, we’ve got a step-by-step guide to hosting your very own Thanksgiving celebration at your iQ location.
Book a private dining room
Many iQ sites have bookable dining rooms, fitted with everything you’d need to host a dinner party, from large ovens to fridges and a table for you to feast at. These rooms can be reserved on the iQ app, so you don’t need to stress about beating others to them! But, if your location doesn’t have a private dining room, our onsite kitchens are the perfect spot for a get together. If you need recipe inspiration, check out the SupperClub on the iQ app, where we’re sharing Thanksgiving recipe inspo to make your chef debut even easier.
Enjoy a post-meal slump in front of the big screen
One of the best things yet about iQ is the cinema rooms. The seats are super comfy, the screens are huge, and they’re seconds from your bedroom – a huge win! After you and your friends have cleared up from your meal, why not relax in front of your favourite film or the TV show you’ve been binging together?
Films we recommend:
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone – nothing says the festive season more than the Harry Potter series, and you’ve probably seen it so many times that your post-meal nap won’t make you lose track of the plot.
- Knives Out - an incredibly silly mystery film, it’s the best choice if you want laughter and a mystery to solve together.
TV shows we recommend:
- Modern Family – available on Disney+, if you’re missing the chaos of your families typical Thanksgiving, Modern Family has you covered. Their Thanksgiving themed episodes depict the funniest parts of Thanksgiving in a big family.
Friends – a total classic, this feel-good series is comforting and perfect for watching as a group.
Sing your evening away!
Karaoke is, objectively, the most fun way to hang out with your friends. It’s silly, funny, and when you get surprised by your one mate’s ability to sing even the highest notes, iconic. At iQ, we have onsite karaoke spaces with over 10,000 songs available for you to pick from, so you don’t even need to brave the UK’s freezing November weather. If your site doesn’t have a karaoke room, don’t stress! You can use the TV in your kitchen to stream karaoke songs from YouTube.
End your night in the cosiest way possible
The best part of celebrating Thanksgiving at your iQ location? How close your bed is! Whilst your friends are freezing on the bus home, you’ll be wrapped up warm with your favourite blanket and your current cosiest video game obsession (for recommendations, read our previous blog post about cosy gaming here). And, if your friends are jealous by your lack of commute, refer them to stay with iQ in 2026 – if they use your refer a friend code, you both get some bonus cashback!
If these suggestions aren’t your style, why not check out your location’s noticeboard on the iQ app for Thanksgiving events being held at your iQ location? Alternatively, for more suggestions on how to celebrate Thanksgiving with your friends, check out our Instagram post. If you follow any of our steps, or join in on a Thanksgiving event hosted by your iQ location, tag us in your pics @iQStudents and use #MyiQLife so we can see them!
