Aldi Boasts an Affordable Thanksgiving

When it comes to gatherings this holiday season, most consumers say they plan to party like its 2019. But given the rising cost of groceries, consumers also say they expect to pay more to play this year.

Hard-discounter Aldi is letting shoppers know it has a solution to supermarket sticker shock. It’s offering shoppers a traditional holiday meal for less than $30, both online and in-store. The deal includes a Butterball turkey, sides and a pumpkin pie for dessert.

Pointing to a new survey that found nearly 90% of hosts expect to spend $50 or more on a Thanksgiving meal for up to 10 guests, the Batavia, Ill.-based Aldi says its shoppers will spend at least 40% less, with no coupons or gimmicks needed. With these savings, shoppers can add more people to their guest list or round out their feast with extras like drinks, appetizers, desserts and seasonal décor, adds the discounter.

“Soon we’ll be reconnecting with family and friends around the Thanksgiving table,” said Dave Rinaldo, co-president, Aldi U.S. “I’m incredibly proud that for less than $30, Aldi shoppers can prepare a delicious Thanksgiving meal, including the turkey, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie and more. With that kind of savings, you may have room for an extra chair or two around the table this year.”

A recent Morning Consult survey of 2,200 Americans, commissioned by Aldi, revealed that most people are eager to celebrate Thanksgiving and plan to gather with pre-pandemic size groups. The survey also asked participants to consider what’s better: the turkey or the sides? The main dish was voted the favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal, beating out the sides—but only by 2 percentage points.

According to the survey, hosts said they will also be serving appetizers (46%), dessert (58%) and alcoholic beverages (34%).

“With Thanksgiving dinner from Aldi priced at less than $3 per person, hosts can elevate their menu and make it an all-Aldi holiday, leaving their wallets as full as their stomachs,” the company adds.

Aldi says it calculated the average price of Thanksgiving dinner based on the items and quantities included in the American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual Thanksgiving Dinner Cost Survey, which is based on a dinner for up to 10 with a 12-pound Butterball turkey. Additional miscellaneous items including coffee, butter, flour, sugar and eggs were not included in the survey.

Rebooting its Giving Thanks program for the second year in a row, Aldi is gifting every employee two $30 gift cards to cover the cost of two Thanksgiving meals; one to keep, one to give.

“The culture of kindness that exists among the Aldi community is nothing short of remarkable,” said Rinaldo. “From gifting a bouquet of flowers to a stranger, to paying for another shopper’s groceries, our fans are always helping each other out. We’re proud to carry that tradition forward this Thanksgiving and pay-it-forward in our communities.”

With more than 2,100 stores across 37 states, Aldi says it’s on track to become the third-largest grocery retailer by store count by the end of 2022.