Americans thinking about hosting Thanksgiving this year expect to spend an average of $427 on food, drinks and housewares, according to a LendingTree survey updated Nov. 9. That is up from $414 in 2025, a 3% increase, but slightly below the $431 that potential hosts reported in 2024.
Fewer people are signing up for the job. Just over half of Americans, 51%, say they might host Thanksgiving in 2026, down from 59% last year and 56% in 2024, LendingTree found. The survey of 2,000 U.S. consumers was conducted online by QuestionPro from Oct. 2 to 9, 2026.
Who Expects to Host and What $427 Covers
The LendingTree study, written by Matt Schulz, found that parents of children younger than 18 (67%), six-figure earners (66%) and millennials ages 30 to 45 (58%) are the groups most likely to say they might host this year. Just 42% of baby boomers ages 62 to 80 said the same.
The higher average does not necessarily mean hosts are planning a bigger spread, LendingTree noted. Rising prices may simply make it cost more to put on a gathering similar to last year’s. The $427 figure covers food, drinks and housewares, so it reaches beyond the grocery bill.
Federal forecasts point to modest grocery increases. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service, in its Food Price Outlook updated Oct. 23, projects food-at-home prices will rise 2.3% in 2026 and food-away-from-home prices 3.5%. Grocery prices in September were 1.8% higher than a year earlier, the agency said, while poultry prices were up 1.1% year over year.
Hosts getting the house ready for a crowd often spend on more than the meal. This comparison of single-cup and full-pot coffee makers for holiday guests weighs one common pre-holiday purchase, and this look at vacuums for getting a pet household guest-ready covers another.
Budgets, Coupons and Shorter Guest Lists
Most potential hosts are watching the total. LendingTree found 78% have a budget for the holiday, including 25% who call it strict. Nearly a third, 32%, say hosting will be a financial strain, while 56% do not expect it to be and 12% are unsure. Younger hosts were more likely to expect strain.
Inflation is shaping the menu. Among people planning to celebrate, 53% say it is affecting their plans or budget, according to the survey. A quarter, 25%, are changing their food choices, 22% plan to use more coupons, and 14% plan to cut back on guests. Gen Z adults ages 18 to 29 were the most likely to report an impact, at 66%, while the share barely changed by income: 52% of those earning less than $30,000 and 53% of those earning $100,000 or more. Men and women were equally likely to have a budget, but men were more likely to call theirs strict, 28% versus 22%.
Small choices add up in a holiday grocery run. This list of costly Thanksgiving hosting mistakes starts with inviting too many guests, and this piece on budget foods that even wealthy households still buy is a reminder that inexpensive staples can carry a holiday table. Shoppers planning to put the grocery run on a card can also review these things credit experts say never to do with a credit card.
Credit Cards and Buy Now, Pay Later at the Table
Borrowing is part of the plan for a majority of potential hosts. Nearly two-thirds, 62%, say they may need to borrow to cover the gathering, LendingTree reported. Credit cards are the top choice at 38%, and 18% expect to use buy now, pay later loans.
Higher earners were more likely to plan on borrowing. Among potential hosts earning $100,000 or more, 49% said they will likely use a credit card and 23% a buy now, pay later loan, compared with 17% and 12% among those making less than $30,000. Of those planning to charge hosting costs, 89% say they will pay off the balance within 3 months, including 56% who expect to do so within a month.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau describes a buy now, pay later loan as an installment loan typically paid off in four or fewer payments, with one common plan splitting a purchase into four interest-free payments every two weeks. The agency notes that the loans may carry no interest but that most charge late fees for missed payments.
LendingTree’s own advice leans the same way. The study suggests setting a budget before planning the menu, comparing prices and using loyalty programs, digital coupons and holiday promotions, particularly on big-ticket items like the turkey. It recommends a rewards credit card only for shoppers who can pay the balance in full by the due date, and it encourages hosts to simplify rather than stretch for extra side dishes or decorations.
Guests Are Expected to Chip In
Potential hosts expect to welcome an average of 10 people, according to LendingTree. Six in 10, or 60%, expect guests to offer money or bring food or drinks to help offset costs, and 25% would consider leaving a guest off next year’s list if that guest does not contribute, with another 8% unsure. Expectations run highest among younger hosts: 72% of Gen Z potential hosts expect guests to contribute, and 46% would consider dropping a guest who arrives empty-handed. Among potential hosts with children younger than 18, the figures were 65% and 30%.
For a sense of what the food alone costs, the American Farm Bureau Federation’s long-running survey offers a benchmark. Its 2025 Thanksgiving dinner analysis, published Nov. 19, 2025, put a classic dinner for 10 at $55.18, down 5% from 2024. Adding ham, Russet potatoes and frozen green beans raised the total to $77.09, or $7.71 per person.
The two numbers measure different things: the Farm Bureau prices a fixed grocery list, while LendingTree’s $427 average also counts drinks and housewares and reflects each host’s own menu. The Farm Bureau collected prices for its 2026 survey from volunteer shoppers Nov. 1 to 5, and its 2026 survey page says results will be released on Nov. 18, eight days before Thanksgiving on Nov. 26.
This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.
Image: Missvain – CC BY 4.0/Wikimedia Commons
