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Thanksgiving hosting always shifts a little from year to year, but according to Butterball’s latest 2025 Togetherness Report, the holiday still revolves around the same core things: gathering, good food, and a turkey at the center of the table. The report pulls together what potential hosts and guests are planning this year, and the picture it paints is warm, familiar, and surprisingly steady, even with the usual economic worries in the background.
What’s especially interesting is how closely this year’s trends echo what Butterball saw in 2024. Last year, gatherings continued to grow, turkey stayed non-negotiable, and inflation didn’t stop most people from celebrating fully. In 2025, those same themes show up again, but with subtle shifts in confidence, cost-consciousness, and how people plan to host.
Here’s what’s shaping Thanksgiving this year.
Bigger Groups Are Becoming the New Normal
People are settling back into the tradition of a full table, and most say the thing they’re looking forward to the most is simply spending time with family. Food and relaxing followed right behind. Butterball found that hosts this year expect an average of 9 guests, which is nearly identical to last year’s 10-person average and a huge jump from the 5-person gatherings seen in 2020.
Hosts seem much more confident, too:
- Over a third say they “try not to worry because it always ends up being fun.”
- Another third say they feel calm and prepared about hosting this year.
Thanksgiving may be one of the more demanding holidays to host, but people are clearly leaning into the togetherness of it all.
Turkey Is Still the Star of the Meal
Some holiday traditions never budge, and turkey is one of them. Roughly 84% of hosts plan to serve turkey this year, slightly higher than the last two years. Oven-roasting remains the go-to method by a long shot, though a portion of hosts like to smoke or deep fry their bird. Turkey also continues to rank as the number-one favorite part of the meal overall — followed closely by stuffing, pie, and potatoes.
This mirrors last year’s findings, when 87% of hosts served turkey, and most said it was still the centerpiece. One thing Butterball always emphasizes: buying early. Whether you’re hosting a small group or a packed house, early shopping gives you the best chance of getting the size you want (and ensures leftovers — which most people admit they look forward to).
Inflation Is Still a Factor, But Most Hosts Aren’t Changing Much
Cost-saving efforts are happening, but mostly in subtle ways. Even though grocery prices are a constant concern, 58% of people say they won’t change a thing about how they celebrate.
Common strategies include:
- Asking guests to bring a dish
- Adjusting which side dishes are served
- Simplifying décor or paper goods
- Scaling back on dessert variety
Notably, inflation concerns were stronger in 2024, when 98% expected inflation to affect their plan yet even then, most still didn’t plan to change the meal itself.
People Value Connection Over Perfection
Even with cost concerns and busier schedules, the tone surrounding Thanksgiving this year is grounded and warm. Butterball’s findings show that people want the comfort of tradition: bigger groups, familiar dishes, and less pressure to host a flawless event.
Last year, the report ended with the reminder that Thanksgiving is special because it brings people together. This year’s version echoes the same sentiment. The idea that a shared meal, much more than its price or the size of the table, is what makes the day meaningful.
A Beautiful Thanksgiving Ahead for Many
Thanksgiving 2025 is shaping up to look a lot like last year, with bigger tables, classic menus, and hosts who care more about the gathering than the stress. The trends show a strong return to tradition, but with a practical edge: people are getting smarter about planning, more realistic about costs, and more confident about hosting.
In short: the heart of the holiday hasn’t changed — and people seem to like it that way.
