85% Plan to Celebrate Thanksgiving This Year According to Butterball Report
News related to:Butterball, LLC · 2 min read
GARNER, N.C., Sept. 28, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Butterball, the leading turkey brand in the United States, has released the findings of its 2026 Togetherness Report, revealing that 85% of consumers plan to celebrate Thanksgiving this year. The anticipated celebration size is 10 people, with hosts holding strong to their traditional holiday plans despite rising costs.
According to the report, the primary reasons for celebrating Thanksgiving are spending time with family (64%), followed closely by the food (53%) and relaxing (34%). Hosts are eager to involve their guests in the preparations, with 85% wanting guests to pitch in. However, only 38% of hosts actually ask for help, with cleaning being the most welcome task: 49% of hosts say final cleanup is when they need the most assistance.
Turkey remains the centerpiece of the Thanksgiving table, with 84% of hosts planning to serve it. Half of these hosts intend to purchase a frozen turkey, while one in five plan to buy a fresh turkey. Among the dishes, turkey is the favorite part of the meal, followed by stuffing (42%), pie (29%), sweet potatoes (25%), and potatoes (22%).
Rebecca Welch, director of retail and international brand management at Butterball, emphasized the importance of support for hosts.
The Butterball Turkey Talk-Line, celebrating its 45th anniversary, will be open from November 2 to December 24. More than 50 professionally trained experts will be available via phone, text, email, chat, and social channels to assist holiday cooks. Founded in 1981, Butterball has been providing support for Thanksgiving hosts for over seven decades, serving customers in more than 30 countries. The company employs over 7,000 team members who work in production facilities, live operations, and offices across Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, and North Carolina.
The report was based on a nationally representative sample of 1,374 U.S. adults surveyed by Circana in July 2026. Butterball continues to be committed to being an industry leader in quality, food safety, and animal care and well-being, having been the first American Humane Certified turkey company for over a decade.