Thanksgiving dinner savings: AI and record-low deals

Despite high inflation, Thanksgiving dinner savings are increasingly achievable as AI chatbots and deeply discounted meal packages help consumers lower the cost of holiday meals.

Supermarket analyst Phil Lempert said that combining planned shopping with AI can make a Thanksgiving table possible for less than 6 dollars per person.
Phil Lempert explained that “even comparing only two or three stores” can noticeably lower total food costs.

AI tools such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot help consumers compare prices and plan menus more efficiently. After users enter the number of guests, their budget, and preferred dishes, the chatbots provide store-by-store price comparisons and suggest ingredient substitutions.

Microsoft Copilot further strengthens budget management by answering real-time questions based on product photos, such as identifying the cheapest store or calculating the right purchase amount.

Smartphone apps also play a key role. The Flipp app aggregates and analyzes digital circulars from about 1,000 retailers, offering weekly discount updates, price comparisons, and shopping list tools.

Retailers are aggressively competing to capture Thanksgiving demand by offering meal bundles at what they describe as record-low prices.

Target offers a Thanksgiving dinner for four people for under 20 dollars. The package includes turkey (79 cents per pound), potatoes, cranberries, stuffing, gravy, bread, and frozen corn, as well as pies and side dishes for 4.99 dollars each.

Walmart provides a 10-person dinner for under 40 dollars. Its Butterball turkey costs 97 cents per pound, about 25% lower than last year. New online customers also receive free express delivery.

Aldi sells a 10-person meal for 40 dollars, which is 7 dollars cheaper than the previous year.
BJ’s Wholesale offers a Butterball turkey worth up to 25 dollars for free with purchases of 150 dollars or more.

Costco offers an advance-reservation premium dinner set for eight people at about 25 dollars per person. The full-course menu includes turkey breast, mac and cheese, pumpkin pie, and apple cobbler.

Experts say this period marks the most competitive pricing window of the year and advise consumers to make early purchases.

Overall grocery prices have risen 18.2% compared with January 2022, meaning 100 dollars worth of groceries now cost 118.16 dollars. However, the cost of a typical Thanksgiving menu is expected to fall by 2–3% this year.

The Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute reports that although at-home food prices increased 2.7% in 2025, Thanksgiving meals face relatively little price pressure. The institute notes that the items driving CPI increases—such as beef and eggs—are mostly absent from traditional Thanksgiving menus.

According to the report, a Thanksgiving dinner for 10 people costs 80 dollars using store brands and 95 dollars using national brands, a difference of 15 dollars.

National brands offer larger discounts on items like cranberry sauce and frozen vegetables, while store brands remain cheaper for staples such as gravy, bread, and stuffing.

Turkey prices show a mixed trend. Wholesale turkey prices have risen 40% compared with last year due to avian influenza (HPAI). However, increased supply has pushed retail turkey prices 3.7% lower.

Taken together, these trends show that strong price competition and strategic early purchasing can help consumers significantly reduce Thanksgiving dinner costs.

BY EUNYOUNG LEE [lee.eunyoung6@koreadaily.com]