New Survey Finds American Workers Canceling Thanksgiving Dinner for Variety of Reasons  

Labor Landscape

More than a quarter of American workers plan to pass on Thanksgiving dinner this season citing high food costs and uncomfortable political overtones from the current Trump administration.   

New research from Empower reveals that cost is on the menu as nearly 7 in 10 Americans (86 percent) say Thanksgiving will be more expensive due to tariffs and inflation.   

The survey found that two-thirds (66 percent) expect their grocery blll will rise compared to last year, with people expecting to spend an average of $137 on Thanksgiving dinner, with younger generations anticipating the highest costs including $176 for Gen Z,   $169 for  Millennials, $135 for Gen X and $90 for Boomers.  

Millie Burke of Edgewood, Pa., was recently fired from a government research job and reports that she is skipping Thanksgiving this year. “I will probably just make some scrambled eggs. I just can’t afford it this year,’’ she said.   

Like Burke, 56 percent of Americans are dumping the old Thanksgiving day table and replacing turkey with less costly alternatives like serving burgers, pizza or fast food instead  of a  traditional meal to keep costs in check. 

One survey found that some families are even going to charge $10 per person to attend the traditional Thanksgiving dinner if they even decide to have it.  

Economists say increased food prices and job losses have made many families skittish about spending money on Thanksgiving. The slowdown on celebrating Thanksgiving is also reflected in longer lines at food banks where officials are seeing a 30 percent increase in demand for basic food staples like eggs, bread and milk.  

In addition to decreased consumer demand for turkey this season, turkey farmers are also struggling to recover from the avian bird flu that killed thousands of birds. The Department of Agriculture September report about turkey production estimates that 195 million birds were raised in 2025, down 3 percent from 2024, and down 36 percent from a peak of about 303 million in 1996. This marks the lowest estimate in 40 years when 185 million turkeys were raised in 1985 and will ultimately lead to higher prices for turkeys this year.  

Some families say they are canceling Thanksgiving because they seek to avoid all the political battles at the dinner table.  “I am sick of all the back-and-forth debates about the current administration and the big shutdown,’’ said Mark Roth, a freelance public accountant from Claysville, Pa. “I am not going home this year. I plan on staying in my apartment and enjoying a beer and a corn beef sandwich,’’ he said.  

Robert Jensen, an emeritus professor at the University of Texas at Austin and author of “It’s Debatable: Talking Authentically About Tricky Topics,” says Thanksgiving is a vexing holiday for a lot of people, for political and personal reasons.  

“Following a critique made by indigenous people, I have been one of many who has expressed discomfort for the way the holiday hides the violence at the European conquest of North America,’’ said Jensen. “Rather than a day of celebration, a day of atonement is more appropriate,’’ he added.  

And more than ever, Jensen points out that the gathering of friends and relatives who may have dramatically different political views can lead to unpleasant and unproductive conflict.  “Add to that, the interruption in the SNAP program and the general struggle with high food prices, combine with the potential for even more travel disruptions than usual, and it’s no surprise more people are opting out of the holiday this year,’’ Jensen said.   

Flying anywhere for the Thanksgiving holiday is likely  to be tortuous for a legion of travelers, even if the government shutdown ends, according to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.  

 In 1789, President George Washington proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving, asking Americans to gather on the last Thursday of November to give thanks for the establishment of “a form of government for their safety and happiness.’’ 

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