Grandest Thanksgiving Yet? 2025 Holiday To Cost Average American Up To $1,000

A Talker Research survey commissioned by banking app Chime finds Americans celebrating Thanksgiving in 2025 will spend an average $952 across food, drinks, travel, decorations and miscellaneous items (rough per‑plate cost of $22 for an eight‑person dinner), with food $175, beverages $110, decorations $83, miscellaneous $291 and travel averaging $293 for those who go anywhere. Rising costs have prompted 35% of respondents to cut their Thanksgiving budgets by an average 41%—favoring smaller gatherings (31%), potluck contributions (28%) and cheaper brands or skipped travel among younger cohorts—and 59% now describe Thanksgiving as a multi‑event “season” (three gatherings on average), which multiplies expenses. The survey also highlights generational splits on cost‑sharing (one‑third of baby boomers say hosts should pay vs. one‑third of Gen Z preferring even splits), rising hosting stress, and widespread prebudgeting (43%), signaling pressure on household discretionary spending and an ongoing shift toward cost‑sharing and frugality; the online poll sampled 2,000 US adults (500 per generation) Oct. 17–23, 2025.

Analysis

A Talker Research survey commissioned by Chime finds the average American celebrating Thanksgiving 2025 will spend $952 across food, drinks, travel, decorations and miscellaneous items, with per-plate cost roughly $22 for an eight-person dinner and household line-item breakdowns of food $175, beverages $110, decorations $83, miscellaneous $291 and travel averaging $293 for the two-thirds who plan to go anywhere. Thirty-five percent of respondents say they will cut Thanksgiving spending this year by an average of 41%, using smaller gatherings (31%), potluck contributions (28%) and cheaper brands or skipped travel—notably millennials are more likely to downsize events (36%) while Gen Z trades down brands (28%) or skips travel (24%). The holiday has expanded into a season for 59% of respondents, with the typical celebrant attending three gatherings (58% household-only, 51% full family, 30% Friendsgiving), which multiplies per-household costs even as 43% set a budget in advance and 39% begin saving months ahead. These dynamics imply constrained discretionary wallet share: elevated line-item spending on travel and apparel could be uneven (one-third spend nothing on travel), retail and hospitality may face mixed demand, and fintechs that help budgeting and cost-sharing (Chime as commissioner of the survey) may see stronger engagement amid heightened hosting stress and intergenerational shifts over who pays.

Key Decisions for Investors

• Increase exposure to consumer staples and value-oriented retailers or grocers that benefit when households trade down brands and favor potluck-style buying,
• Trim or hedge exposure to higher-end discretionary categories such as premium home décor, apparel and experiential hospitality that are most vulnerable to a 35% cohort cutting budgets by ~41%,
• Take a cautious, data-driven stance on travel and leisure positions: average travel spend is high ($293) but one-third report no travel, so wait for booking and mobility data to confirm demand before allocating incremental capital,
• Monitor fintechs and banks that offer budgeting, peer payment and cost-sharing tools (including Chime) for customer-acquisition upside as 43% pre-budget and consumers seek ways to manage holiday costs