For the past 36 years, Victor Falle has seen a lot of changes and growth at Zippy's. He remembers when the late Francis Higa first hired him. He can see the original Zip Pac. He has helped open new locations across the Island. And he can still recall when the company first introduced their to-go turkey dinners.

"It was Francis' brainchild and it was only available at a few locations back then," said Falle, who will help distribute residents' holiday dinners on Thanksgiving Day at the Zippy's Waiau location. "And you could only get it as a half-turkey package."

A year later, demand prompted management to introduce the whole turkey meal to-go. So these days, families have the option of either ordering a half-turkey package, which can feed up to four people; or the whole bird that's enough for eight guests.

To reserve a half- or whole-turkey package, customers can call Zippy's main administrative office (973-0880), weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. The phone lines will also be open on Saturday, Nov. 21 and Sunday, Nov. 22, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. As an incentive to order early, Zippy's is offering a free $5 gift certificate for reservations made by phone or online by 5 p.m. this Tuesday.

All orders must be pre-paid. Order deadline is November 25 at noon. Pick-up dates will be on Thanksgiving Eve or Day.

"We probably have about five to six people answering phones and it's non-stop ringing," said Jay Crisologo, who'll be one of the operators on duty taking orders. "On a slow day, I'll probably take about 20 orders."

Another way to reserve a turkey dinner is to visit any one of the following designated satellite pick-up locations: Zippy's in Kahala, Kaneohe, Kapolei, Koko Marina, McCully, Mililani, Vineyard, Waiau, Wahiawa, Waipahu and Kahului, Maui.

And for the first time in Zippy's history, guests can go online to order their turkey by visiting www.zippys.com and clicking on the "Thanksgiving Meals to Go" tab. Acceptable methods of payment include Visa, Mastercard and American Express.

"We'll probably sell about 110 half turkeys and more than 150 whole turkeys," Falle said. "It's one of the busiest days of the year for us."

As they have in previous years, Island residents will gobble up Zippy's complete Thanksgiving to-go dinners, whether it be the whole- or half-turkey packages.

"Since 1999, we've seen a 16 percent increase in sales for our half turkeys," said Charlene Kim, Zippy's administrative director, "and a 300 percent increase for our whole turkeys, which we started in 2000 on a very, very small scale."

For $69.95, the 10- to 12-pound whole turkey package comes complete with all the traditional trimmings, including four pounds each of poultry gravy and real mashed potatoes; 3 pounds of stuffing; a pound of cranberry-pineapple relish; and a dozen sweet dinner rolls.

For smaller families, the 5- to 6-pound, half-turkey dinner for four consists of 2 pounds each of mashed potatoes and poultry gravy; 1.5 pounds of stuffing; 8 ounces of cranberry-pineapple relish; and six sweet dinner rolls. Cost is $36.95.

Prices are slightly higher on Maui for each package, with the half-turkey meal costing 39.95, and the whole one $74.95.

Both turkey packages will have been refrigerated, and will come with full reheating instructions. Depending on the full or half package, preparation time will vary from one hour to two hours.

"We'll have a truck set up outside and people just have to show us their receipt," Falle noted. "I'll scream out half or whole, and someone will bring out the turkey and it's loaded into peoples' cars. Really they're in and out within minutes."

And that line of traffic begins at the crack of dawn Thanksgiving Day, with the first orders being picked up as early as 6 in the morning, according to Falle.

"People are already waiting in their cars by 5:45 in the morning that day," Falle said. "And don't forget your receipt; no receipt, no turkey."