They’re lovin’ it.
Americans are turning down turkey in favor of fast food this Thanksgiving, surprising new research shows.
While a big bird and lovingly cooked sides have long been at the heart of the holiday table, a survey of 2,000 US residents by Casino.org found many are now set to buck tradition — heading to McDonald’s instead.
A Google Trends analysis also conducted by the same company uncovered a spike in searches for fast food ahead of Thanksgiving, suggesting it’s a widespread trend.
For some, it may feel sacrilegious to opt for fries and a Big Mac on Thanksgiving, but researchers say there are multiple reasons why so many are doing so.
Below, four factors possibly fueling this coming Thursday’s forecast fast food frenzy.
Cost
Amid ongoing inflation, it’s no surprise that finances are a factor in the rise of a fast food Thanksgiving.
According to the Casino.org survey, some 16% of respondents admitted that saving money was the primary motivator for ditching the traditional turkey in favor of a meal at McDonald’s or somewhere similar.
And while the airwaves are filled with reports this year of a decrease in the cost of the Thanksgiving dinner, not so fast — a report from the American Farm Bureau Federation points out that while much has been made of the decline, it’s still just a slight drop from “historically high prices” in 2022.
A classic Thanksgiving feast for ten, costing $61.17 total, rings in at about $6.12 less per person, the organization reported. That’s still 25 percent higher than the cost of the same meal in 2019 — an increase many Americans simply won’t be able to absorb long term.
Convenience
Turns out “lazy girl” meals aren’t just the domain of Gen Z TikTokers — millions can’t be bothered to cook up a Thanksgiving spread when fast food is easily available at the drive-thru.
In the Casino.org survey, “laziness” was the most commonly cited reason as to why takeout trumped turkey as the go-to meal.
A considerable 21% of respondents cited that factor, while an additional 20% of those polled proclaimed they don’t have enough time to fix a feast for family and friends.
Hunger
There may also be another reason behind the spike in searches for fast food availability on Thanksgiving, experts say — and it doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone is ditching turkey altogether.
David Portalatin, a senior vice president and industry advisor in the Food and Foodservice markets at Circana, says many may be adding a fast-food meal to their Thanksgiving Day diet — suggesting that people might simply be Googling a franchise’s opening hours on the holiday.
“People may use fast food on Thanksgiving for a convenient breakfast,” he told The Post, disputing the claim that it could be a nationwide trend.
Portalatin and his team insist Americans aren’t turning their backs on traditional Thanksgiving meals altogether, saying sales for grocery items have been strong ahead of the holiday.
Comfort
Many might consider a dash to the drive-thru to be unpatriotic on the national holiday.
For others, however, fast food feels as American as a turkey with all the trimmings.
On X, one person posted about grabbing a meal from McDonald’s, saying it was an integral part of his own cozy and curated Thanksgiving tradition.
“For me, Thanksgiving is getting a 40-piece nugget meal from McDonald’s and watching the Macy’s Parade and the National Dog Show. And after that, I turn on the Christmas music,” they wrote.
Meanwhile, others claimed it wasn’t just comfort that had them opting for a Big Mac over a big bird.
“I’m the only one not excited for Thanksgiving?? I’ll eat McDonald’s on Thanksgiving,” one declared.
Another was more scathing about her reasons for skipping turkey, tartly tweeting: “I’d rather eat McDonald’s than my aunty’s food on Thanksgiving.”