Thanksgiving Dinner This Year Would Be 4% Cheaper, Costing Lowest Since 2010: Survey

As Americans get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving during the coronavirus pandemic -- with smaller gatherings, social distancing, and mask wearing -- data suggests that the holiday this year could be cheaper than usual.

The average cost of a 10-person Thanksgiving feast this year would cost just about $46.90, which is 4% less than last year and the lowest price in a decade, according to American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual survey.

The major component of Thanksgiving dinners, a 16-pound turkey, is costing, on average, $19.39, which is about 7% less than last year's bird.

The bureau’s 35^th annual survey studied the prices of turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray, pumpkin pie, and coffee and milk, for 10 people, with some leftovers.

“Pricing whole turkeys as ‘loss leaders’ to entice shoppers and move product is a strategy we are seeing retailers use that is increasingly common the closer we get to the holiday,” AFBF chief economist John Newton said in the survey report.

The holiday season in the U.S. has been dull this year, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) asking everyone to take extra precautions while gathering for Thanksgiving. Some medical professionals have called to cancel the holidays altogether.

In a memo, the CDC said that as cases continue to surge in the U.S., it is better for people to celebrate the holiday with people they already live with. It discouraged gatherings of large groups, saying that it could increase transmission of the virus.

Apart from the food and celebrations, what has been impacted severely is travel during the holiday. According to several travel experts quoted by a report, there was a 10% decline in travel during Thanksgiving as compared to last year, which is the largest year-on-year decrease since 2008.

Air fares are touching all-time lows as demand continues to fall due to increasing COVID-19 cases in the country and dangers from exposure during travel.