This rating is based only on ordering pies for Thanksgiving and a couple slices I bought to sample. I haven't eaten in the restaurant.

TLDR Pumpkin & apple pies are good, but not mind-blowing, mostly because the crust is lackluster. Skip the cream pies.

I'm a decent baker, so I usually bake my own pies. This year brought some different challenges, however, so I decided to order Thanksgiving pies instead. I would have normally relied on Shari's, but since they've closed, I needed an alternative. All the community banter pointed to Bannings. I placed an order for pumpkin and Dutch apple over the phone. The ordering process was easy enough (be prepared with your credit card for prepayment, have a way to write down an order #, and pick a time for pickup not just a date). It was about $45 for 2 pies, which I find expensive, but I knew I was making a choice to relieve my own stress so that was ok. After a big holiday meal, I think each pie easily serves 8 people (10 if people are sugar-conscioud and/or sampling several desserts) so there's good mileage from each pie.

I didn't want to risk Thanksgiving without sampling, though, so I asked my husband to swing by and pick up a couple slices for us to try. I figured that if the pie was hideous, I would cancel my order. He picked up a slice of pumpkin and banana cream (his personal favorite). Thankfully, we found the pumpkin pie was good--filling a tad softer than ideal but tasty with pronounced spices, lackluster crust; overall enjoyable. The banana cream was disgusting. We threw it in the trash. The cream part was all wrong--flavorless and stiff vs. creamy. Interestingly, the crust on that pie seemed better than what came with the pumpkin pie, but I doubt they were different crust recipes. I tried the Dutch apple on Thanksgiving, and it was good. The cinnamon is light so you really taste the apples, and there's a good ratio of filling to streusel. Same bland crust, but it didn't take away from the apple pie since it's just a single crust on a Dutch apple.

Service at pick-up was efficient and pleasant. I picked up at 7pm the day before Thanksgiving, and there was no line. I walked up to the window. It took a few minutes for an employee to come around, but then she was pleasant. I have her my order number and she got my pies quickly. Easy peasy! The atmosphere seems like a pleasantly old-school diner, and one of these days, I'll try the restaurant.

I wish they'd improve that pie crust, but I'd buy a fruit pie from them again if I wasn't in a position to make my own. I'm staying away from their cream pies, though.