Are Thanksgiving Meal Deals Replacing ‘Free Turkey’ Promotions?

Many grocers are increasingly focusing on Thanksgiving meal bundles rather than traditional “free turkey” promotions. Is that a better payback for food retailers?

The meal deals getting the most attention are essentially budget meal kits coming from major chains. The bundled deals are able to play up price savings to tempt Americans who haven’t recovered from food price inflation over the last five years.

Target is promoting a Thanksgiving meal for four — including a small frozen turkey, canned vegetables, and stovetop stuffing mix — for $20, $5 less than its 2023 promotion. ALDI is advertising its $47 meal package for 10 people as lower than its 2019 prices. Walmart is promoting an “inflation-free Thanksgiving” meal of 29 items that can serve eight people for $56.

Amazon Fresh is offering Thanksgiving discounts on frozen turkey, sides, and desserts, feeding six people for less than $5 apiece, plus extra savings for Prime members. Promising its “lowest turkey and Thanksgiving meal prices in years,”  

Meijer is offering its first Thanksgiving family meal, promising to feed four to six people for “around $37.”

A second meal deal option is a pre-cooked meal, including turkey and sides, at a higher price but with the convenience of only having to heat up the items. Grocers offering the catering option include those with ample foodservice offerings, such as Whole Foods, H-E-B, Foodtown, Costco, and Publix. Wegman’s and Kroger offer both meal kits and catering options.

Sam’s Club is offering a pre-cooked option as its first Thanksgiving meal for members, with the deal promising to feed up to 10 people for under $100. In a blog post, Myron Frazier, Sam’s Club’s SVP of Member’s Mark, said the bundle targets deal-seeking millennials and Gen Zers. He said, “We’ve made the process of providing a fast, delicious meal from real ingredients for our members extremely easy to cook and ready in under two hours.”

Regardless, many grocers continue to headline their Thanksgiving promotions with “free turkey” offers tied to spending minimums, including Albertsons, Giant Food, WinCo Foods, Acme Markets, Foodtown, Price Chopper, Randalls, ShopRite, and Weis Markets. In several cases, spending $400 over a six-week period earns a free turkey.

BJ’s Wholesale Club offered a free Butterball turkey for members cumulatively spending $150 from Nov. 1 to Nov. 14. The period to qualify was lengthened to 14 days this year from nine in 2023.

“Everyone looks forward to Thanksgiving traditions, and our free turkeys have become part of our members’ celebrations,” said David Rajkovich, SVP, GMM Perishables at BJ’s Wholesale Club. “We’re making it easier than ever for members to shop when it’s convenient for them with a longer period to qualify.”

Another “free turkey” option is netting a complementary turkey with the purchase of a ham, which has been offered for years by H-E-B and Hy-Vee. Rouses Market, with stores in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, has been offering a free frozen turkey up to 14 pounds with the purchase of a Hormel ham at $2.99 a pound for the last four years. James Breuhl, Rouses’ SVP of merchandising, told nola.com, “Customers have really responded to this.”

Thanksgiving celebrations are expected to be the largest since 2020, according to a survey from turkey producer Butterball. Some 98% of consumers expect inflation to impact their holiday plans, up from 79% last year.