The percentage of consumers leaning on restaurants for their Thanksgiving feasts continues to rise year over year, but economic unease has them cutting back on spend whether they are ordering out or cooking at home. More than half of US consumers (53%) plan to order takeout or delivery from restaurants for Thanksgiving dinner, up from 37% in 2024 and 32% in 2023. Another 5% expect to dine in person at a restaurant on Thanksgiving, on par with last year and below a high of 17% in 2023.

That is according to an nationwide study of 1,000 US consumers, conducted by Popmenu Nov. 16-17, 2025.

According to the survey, the majority of consumers (59%) plan to reduce their spend on Thanksgiving dinner this year compared to 2024. On average, they expect to spend $165.

Shift from home cooked to restaurant made

When asked why they were turning to restaurants for all or part of their Thanksgiving meal, consumers said they want to spend more time celebrating the day, avoid headaches and manage costs.

• 63% want to enjoy the holiday and not worry about cooking
• 40% believe it's cheaper or costs about the same to buy all the ingredients and cook at home
• 35% don't want the hassle of buying the ingredients and cooking themselves
• 26% would rather have a professionally cooked meal
• 19% are too busy to prepare a meal or dish

Consumers said they are decreasing their spend on Thanksgiving this year because groceries have become too expensive (69%), their household budget is tighter (58%) or they are being more conservative with finances due to inflation and concerns over the economy (31%).

To manage Thanksgiving expenses, consumers said they are taking the following actions:

• 39% plan to reduce the number of side dishes and desserts they serve
• 33% are celebrating the holiday with fewer people
• 31% are buying less expensive brands of food and beverages
• 29% are asking guests to bring a dish
• 26% are choosing recipes with fewer or cheaper ingredients
• 19% are serving a less expensive main dish

What's on the menu?

Fifteen percent of consumers said they are eliminating turkey to make their Thanksgiving meal more affordable. Still, turkey will continue to be the star of the show for this year, with 84% of consumers planning to serve it, followed by ham (46%) and chicken (19%). Other dishes consumers can expect to see on some tables include lasagna or another pasta dish (15%) and even pizza, tacos and chili or stew. Nearly one in five consumers (19%) expect to have a fast-food dish on the table this year.

"What we hear from Thanksgiving hosts every year is a growing desire to spend more time visiting with guests and enjoying the holiday than sweating in the kitchen," said Brendan Sweeney, CEO and co-founder of Popmenu. "This year's study also shows elevated concern over household economics—causing consumers to cut back on some holiday favorites, hunt for special deals from restaurants and adopt other strategies to keep expenses in check."

Source: Popmenu