As grocery bills continue to skyrocket, many consumers are turning to their favorite restaurants to supply their Thanksgiving dinners this year. According to Popmenu’s November 2022 survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers, 45% plan to order their entire Thanksgiving meal or various dishes from restaurants.

“With grocery prices—including the cost of turkeys—reaching record highs, consumers are opting to order takeout and delivery from restaurants for Thanksgiving instead of cooking everything at home,” says Brendan Sweeney, CEO and Co-founder of Popmenu. “This is reflective of a trend that has been gaining momentum throughout 2022, where consumers are leaning on restaurants as the more budget-friendly option for meals.”

Consumer Restaurant Spend in 2022

  • Consumers spend around 40% of monthly food budgets on restaurants, on average. (1)
  • 58% of consumers are dining out more often in 2022. Of these consumers, more than one-third (36%) say grocery prices are so high, it’s more cost-effective to order from restaurants. (2)

Thanksgiving Ordering Events

Restaurants across the U.S. are hosting special Thanksgiving online ordering events with all the fixings, featuring everything from turkey and ham to prime rib, beef tenderloin and vegetarian options. Consumers are ordering pre-cooked dinners and desserts as well as meal kits to make at home. 

The following restaurants have already sold over $10,000 in pre-orders for Thanksgiving:

  • Chef’s Market Café & Takeaway (Goodlettsville, TN) – $40,000+
  • B&B Butchers & Restaurant (Houston and Fort Worth, TX) – $25,000+
  • The Big Bib BBQ (San Antonio, TX) – $22,000+
  • 5 Star BBQ (Orem, UT) – $18,000+
  • Flurry’s Market & Provisions (Flower Mound, TX) – $18,000+
  • Hendrix Restaurant & Bar (Laguna Niguel, CA) – $15,000+
  • Maynard’s Restaurant (Silverdale, WA) – $10,000+
  • Buxton Hall Barbecue (Asheville, NC) – $10,000+
  • The Parish (Tucson, AZ) – $10,000+

1 Popmenu’s Q2 study of 1,000 U.S. consumers

2 Popmenu’s Q3 study of 1,000 U.S. consumers

Survey Methodology

Popmenu conducted a nationwide, anonymous survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers, ages 18 and older, from November 4 to November 5, 2022.

Consumer Trends, News