If the idea of wrestling a 19-pound turkey at 6 a.m. makes you want to fake a sprained wrist, you are not alone.
A new report says 53% of Americans plan to order takeout or delivery for their Thanksgiving dinner this year… for at least one component of the meal.
That is more than half the country, and a huge jump from 37% last year and 32% the year before.
Another 5% of people say they are not even pretending to cook. They are eating their entire Thanksgiving meal at a restaurant. That number is holding steady from last year, though it is well below the surprise 2023 peak when 17% of Americans apparently said, “Table for four, and please bring the cranberry sauce in a ramekin.”
So why are so many people turning the holiday into a catered situation?
For starters, 63% say they just want to enjoy Thanksgiving without worrying about cooking. Which is fair, because the Venn diagram of “traditional Thanksgiving recipes” and “relaxing activities” is two circles aggressively far apart.
40% of people also believe it is cheaper or at least about the same to buy ingredients and cook everything themselves. Between inflation, the cost of butter, and the fact that somehow green beans now have an attitude problem, they might be right. And 35% of respondents are simply done with the hassle. They want the food but not the emotional trauma of timing six dishes to finish at exactly 3:42 p.m.
Then there are the honesty heroes. 26% say they would prefer a professionally cooked Thanksgiving meal, which is a very polite way of saying “I am a danger in the kitchen.” Another 19% say they are just too busy to prepare anything at all.
So if your Thanksgiving feast comes in plastic containers this year, do not feel guilty. Do not hide the bags. Do not pretend you “made the gravy from scratch” using a suspiciously restaurant-grade container of gravy. More than half the country is right there with you, enjoying a stress-free holiday and letting someone else deal with the dishes.
