Average cost of a Thanksgiving dinner in the U.S. 1990-2023

2023 saw the average price for a Thanksgiving dinner decline to 61.17 U.S. dollars. In 2022, the average price for a complete Thanksgiving feast in the United States (U.S.) amounted to 64.05 U.S. dollars. The survey dinner includes turkey, bread stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a relish tray of carrots and celery, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, and beverages of coffee and milk, all in quantities sufficient to serve a family of ten. Despite the recent decrease, there has been a general increase in the average cost for a Thanksgiving family dinner for over three decades. The most rapid increase happened between 2019 and 2022 when the average price grew by almost 40 percent.

Turkey prices during Thanksgiving in the U.S.

The price of a whole 16-pound turkey in the U.S. was 27.56 U.S. dollars in 2022. This is the highest retail price for a whole turkey in over a decade. The price of a whole turkey has increased by about 10 U.S. dollars in comparison to 2011, which is a price increase of about 54 percent. Moreover, the average costs of a whole turkey vary among the different U.S. states. In California, for example, a whole 15-pound turkey costs on average 41.85 U.S. dollars, which is the most expensive among all selected states. The turkey is by far the most expensive ingredient for a ten-person Thanksgiving dinner. Several other typically purchased dinner ingredients, such as pumpkin pie mix, sweet potatoes, cubed stuffing mix, dinner rolls, and whole milk cost on average between 3.7 and 4.4 U.S. dollars.

Traveling during Thanksgiving in the U.S.

The national holiday of Thanksgiving is traditionally celebrated on November 26 in the United States. More than one-third of Americans prefer to celebrate Thanksgiving at their relatives. Therefore, many Americans travel during Thanksgiving. The number of Thanksgiving holiday travelers in the United States is around 54 million. During the last two decades, the amount of Thanksgiving travelers has fluctuated but increased by approximately 10 million. Cars are the preferred mode of transportation during Thanksgiving. Almost 90 percent of the people who travel during Thanksgiving do so by car, while less than 10 percent travel by airplane.