A classic holiday meal for 10 should run roughly $56 to $57 this year. That estimate builds on the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 2025 benchmark of $55.18, with grocery prices about 2.2% higher than last year.

The headline number looks manageable. The picture for your workforce is harder. Gas is up nearly 28% year over year, restaurant meals are up 3.4%, and the holiday table is where those pressures meet. Here is what the Thanksgiving dinner cost outlook for 2026 means for your team, and how a well-timed benefit can ease the load.

How much will Thanksgiving dinner cost this year?

The Farm Bureau’s annual survey priced a feast for 10 at $55.18 in 2025, or about $5.52 per person, down slightly from 2024 largely because of a cheaper bird (Feedstuffs). The 2026 survey lands in November, shortly before the holiday on November 26. Until then, federal price data is the best guide.

Sources: Supermarket News, Grocery Trade News.

Applying a 2.2% to 2.5% increase to last year’s total puts it at about $56.40 to $56.55 for 10 guests. Treat that as an informed estimate, not the official count.

There is some good news. Grocery inflation cooled to 2.2% in August from 2.7% in July, and supermarket prices were flat for the month. Still, the Food Industry Association warns that high diesel and energy costs take months to reach store shelves, making fall and winter the period to watch.

Which holiday staples are moving the most?

Prices are shifting unevenly across the table:

• Turkey: A 16-pound frozen bird averaged $21.50 in last year’s survey. Grocers often discount whole turkeys as loss leaders, so the best deals usually appear in the final weeks before the holiday.
• Rolls and bread: Bread prices were up 3.8% year over year in August, and fresh biscuits and rolls rose 2%.
• Desserts: Cakes, cupcakes and cookies climbed 3.1% from a year earlier.
• Produce: Fresh fruits and vegetables fell 0.7% in August, helped by falling lettuce prices, which gives salads and sides a little breathing room.
• Dairy: Milk, butter and cream for mashed potatoes and pies edged up 0.3% in August alone.

The takeaway: no single item is spiking, but small increases stack up across a full menu.

What rising food prices mean for your employees

An average of $56 hides a lot. Hosts with larger families, guests with dietary needs, and households in high-cost metros routinely spend well above it. And the meal rarely arrives alone.

The same season brings airfares up 23.4% over the past year, higher fuel bills, and the start of holiday shopping. When dining out costs 3.4% more, more families cook at home, which puts the grocery bill squarely on the host.

That financial strain follows people to work. Employees worried about stretching a paycheck tend to be more distracted, more stressed, and more open to a recruiter’s call. A thoughtful gesture in November tells your team you see the pressure they are under, at a moment when they will remember it.

How employers can help offset holiday meal costs

The most effective support is simple, timely, and flexible. A frozen bird handed out at the office checks one box, but it ignores vegetarian households, small apartments, remote staff, and anyone flying out of town.

A gift card solves those problems. Employees choose their own protein, sides, or groceries, and redeem when and where it suits them. Perfect Feast’s turkey gift cards are built for this kind of employee holiday gift, letting companies of any size cover the meal’s centerpiece without managing pickup lines or cold storage.

A few practical tips:

1. Send cards in early November. Employees can then take advantage of the loss-leader turkey deals grocers run before the holiday.
2. Include remote and hourly staff. Digital delivery reaches everyone on the same day.
3. Pair the gift with a short note. A sentence acknowledging rising costs makes the benefit feel personal, not transactional.
4. Budget per person, not per household. A card that covers most of a $21 to $25 turkey makes a visible difference.

Frequently asked questions

What was the cost of Thanksgiving dinner for 10 in 2025? The American Farm Bureau Federation put it at $55.18, or about $5.52 per person, with a 16-pound turkey averaging $21.50.

When does the 2026 Farm Bureau survey come out? The Farm Bureau usually releases its results in November, shortly before the holiday. Thanksgiving 2026 falls on Thursday, November 26.

Are grocery prices still rising in 2026? Yes, but more slowly. Supermarket prices rose 2.2% over the 12 months through August, and the USDA expects about 2.5% for the full year.

Are holiday gift cards taxable for employees? Generally, yes. The IRS treats gift cards as cash equivalents, so their value counts as wages, while a physical turkey can qualify as a tax-free de minimis benefit. Confirm the details with your payroll provider.

Thanksgiving will cost a little more this year, not dramatically more. For employees already absorbing higher fuel, travel, and household costs, though, every dollar counts. Covering the turkey is a low-cost, high-visibility way to show your people you are paying attention, and November is the moment to do it.