Wells Fargo's annual Thanksgiving report puts a classic dinner for 10 at $78.93, or about $7.89 a guest. Turkey and cranberries got cheaper. Pumpkin pie didn't.
Good news for whoever's hosting. A classic Thanksgiving dinner for 10 will cost about $78.93 this year, or roughly $7.89 per guest, according to the Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute's annual Thanksgiving food report, released Monday.
That's down about 0.4% from last year, Forbes reported. Not a huge drop, but grocery prices overall are up 1.8% over the past 12 months, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, so the holiday table is beating the rest of the store.
Six of the 10 items in the report got cheaper, including the turkey.
Here's a look at last year's Wells Fargo Thanksgiving report:
What Thanksgiving foods are cheaper this year?
The biggest drops, according to the report as reported by Forbes:
Cranberries: down 6.6%
Frozen vegetables: down 4.2%
Turkey: down 0.5%
Stuffing, dinner rolls and whipped cream also dipped, and salad mix stayed flat.
Turkey's small drop comes after a big one. Last year, the American Farm Bureau Federation said turkey prices fell 16%, to about $21.50 for a 16-pound bird, Fox News reported at the time.
What Thanksgiving foods cost more?
Three items went up:
Pumpkin pie: up 2.5%
Gravy mix: up 2.2%
Mashed potatoes: up 1.3%
So the turkey's a little cheaper, and the stuff you pile on top of it costs a bit more. Classic.
How can you save on Thanksgiving dinner?
Buy bigger, the report suggests. Its example: a 58-ounce pumpkin pie at 11 cents an ounce instead of a 22-ounce pie at 26 cents an ounce.
Our math: the big pie runs about $6.38 and the small one about $5.72. For 66 cents more, you get more than two and a half times the pie. If that 58-ounce size sounds familiar, it's the size of Costco's famous Kirkland Signature pumpkin pie.
Store brands help, too. Last year, Wells Fargo found an all-store-brand dinner for 10 cost about $80, versus about $95 for name brands, a $15 gap.
Are there cheap Thanksgiving meal deals this year?
Yes, and several stores already beat $7.89 a person. Here's what we've covered so far:
[Aldi](https://news.piratesandprincesses.net/p/aldi-thanksgiving-meal-2026-feeds): a meal that feeds 10 for under $39, or under $3.90 a person
[Target](https://news.piratesandprincesses.net/p/how-much-is-targets-thanksgiving): $30 feeds six, about $5 a person
[Publix](https://news.piratesandprincesses.net/p/publix-thanksgiving-dinners-from): ready-made dinners from $69.99
[Costco](https://news.piratesandprincesses.net/p/costcos-19999-thanksgiving-dinner): $199.99 for a frozen dinner that feeds eight, about $25 a person, but nobody has to cook
[Amazon](https://news.piratesandprincesses.net/p/amazons-25-thanksgiving-meal-comes): a $25 meal that comes with an 8-pound Butterball
The cheap bundles skip some extras, so check what's in the box before you count on it.
Is the Farm Bureau Thanksgiving survey out yet?
Not yet. The American Farm Bureau Federation usually releases its own Thanksgiving dinner survey the week before the holiday. Last year it put a dinner for 10 at $55.18, about $5.52 a person, Fox News reported.
The two reports use different shopping lists and pricing data, so their totals don't line up. Compare each one to its own past years, not to each other.
How big a turkey do you need, and when should you thaw it?
The USDA's rule of thumb is about 1 pound of turkey per person. Want leftovers? Go a little bigger. For 10 guests, a 12- to 15-pound bird covers dinner and a few sandwiches.
Thawing takes longer than people think. The USDA says to allow about 24 hours in the fridge for every 4 to 5 pounds. That means a 16-pound turkey needs three to four days, so move it from the freezer to the fridge by Sunday, Nov. 22.
Thanksgiving is Thursday, Nov. 26. Heading to Disney World instead of cooking? Three parks [stay open later](https://news.piratesandprincesses.net/p/disney-world-thanksgiving-hours-3) that week.
Article compiled and written by Kambrea Pratt (editor-in-chief), Derek Gibbs (beat editor) and the Pirates & Princesses newsroom. Pirates & Princesses is part of WebReef Media.
Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Hat Tips:
Forbes (Nov. 9, 2026), the Wells Fargo report's totals, item price changes, bulk pie example and inflation figure
Fox News (Nov. 22, 2025), last year's Wells Fargo and Farm Bureau numbers
USDA (Nov. 2026), turkey sizing and thawing guidance
AI Disclosure: All articles are assigned, edited and reviewed by an experienced human editor before posting. Like most modern newsrooms, WebReef Media uses a variety of AI tools to help with accuracy and efficiency. Ways AI may be used in article creation include research, grammar, fact-checking and ideation, as well as occasional AI generated or enhanced thumbnails or graphics. No articles are generated or posted without human oversight or involvement.