Average cost of a Thanksgiving dinner in the U.S. 1990-2024

2024 saw the average price for a Thanksgiving dinner decline to

U.S. dollars. In 2022, the average price for a complete Thanksgiving feast in the United States (U.S.) amounted to 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 decades. The most rapid increase happened between 2019 and 2022 when the average price grew by almost percent. 

Turkey prices during Thanksgiving in the U.S.

The price of a whole 16-pound turkey in the U.S. was

U.S. dollars in 2024. This is the highest retail price for a whole turkey since 2018. The price of a whole turkey has increased by close to U.S. dollars in comparison to 2021, which is a price increase of over percent. Moreover, the average cost of a whole turkey varies among the different U.S. states. In California, for example, a whole 15-pound turkey costs on average 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 and 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. Close to 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

million. Since 2019, the amount of Thanksgiving travelers has fluctuated but increased by approximately million. Cars are the preferred mode of transportation during Thanksgiving. Over percent of the people who travel during Thanksgiving do so by car, while about percent travel by airplane.