PENSACOLA - Thanksgiving is usually a busy day for area restaurants.

But this year fewer people are willing to spend the money on a gourmet meal.

For the staff at the upscale Versailles restaurant, today's Thanksgiving day buffet is all about preparation.

They've been cooking for several days to get everything ready. They say it's an all day affair.

But they're not expecting the swarm of hungry visitors they had last year, when 148 customers paid good money to eat their haute cuisine.

Instead they're preparing for more like 75 to 100. It's a plan based on recent customer flow.

While they're expecting a smaller crowd this year, each employee is actually doing more work than in year's past.

Versailles is down to bare bones staff. They wear many hats now. Cooking, bussing tables, greeting guests, waiting ontables - doing more with less.

...and hoping for a more prosperous holiday season in 2009.

Versailles opened especially for Thanksgiving.

They normally only serve dinner on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Resturants Prepare for Slow Holiday Season