The true cost of Thanksgiving dinner in 2025
Americans are gearing up to shell out for Thanksgiving — and not just on food.
A new investigation from Talker Research found that the average American will spend nearly $1,000 on Thanksgiving — $952 to be exact — when factoring in travel costs. The results come from a survey of 2,000 people divided by age and demographics.
Talker found that the average American hosting Thanksgiving will spend more than $175 on food this year, plus an additional $110 on drinks. With the most common Thanksgiving dinner having eight guests, that works out to about $22 per plate.
The survey found that people plan to spend $83 on decorating and then another $291 on miscellaneous expenses, like buying a new outfit or repairing something in their home before having guests over.
If you’re traveling, the total is even higher, with the average cost for those leaving home reaching $293. This is partly because the prices of plane tickets, which are particularly expensive during the holidays, have increased steadily in recent months. according to the Federal Reserve.
Another reason the holidays are becoming so expensive: Most people don’t celebrate them just once. Talker found that most people will attend three different Thanksgiving-related gatherings.
But there’s some good news for price-conscious consumers: Prices for Thanksgiving staples haven’t skyrocketed this year like they have in the past.
In fact, a recent Wells Fargo analysis found that turkey prices are down 3.7% when purchasing from national brands. And things like butter and canned vegetables cost less or the same as in 2024, according to national data.
Many food items that have skyrocketed in price, like beef and coffee, don’t tend to make their way onto the Thanksgiving table. But if you’re considering making prime rib with a turkey, it might be a good idea to reconsider.
Wells Fargo estimates that you can serve a Thanksgiving meal for ten people for just $80 total – without drinks – but that requires serious menu scaling back and doesn’t seem realistic given that Talker found that average Americans plan to have seven sides on the table.
