A survey by Casino.org found that many US residents are now opting for McDonald's over traditional holiday meals, despite the long-standing tradition of a big bird and cooked sides.
Google Trends analysis reveals a significant increase in searches for fast food before Thanksgiving, indicating a widespread trend.
Although this is the perceived sacrilegiousness of opting for fries and a Big Mac, researchers attribute this to various reasons.
Here are 4 potential factors that lead to a fast food frenzy this Thanksgiving.
1. Cost
With increasing inflation, it's no wonder that finances are playing a role in the growth of fast-food Thanksgiving.
According to the Casino.org study, 16% of respondents said that saving money was the main reason they skipped the traditional turkey dinner in favor of a meal at McDonald's or somewhere similar.
The American Farm Bureau Federation reports that while there has been a slight decrease in the cost of Thanksgiving dinners, it is still only a slight drop from their historically high prices in 2022.
A classic Thanksgiving feast for ten costs $61.17, which is about $6.12 less per person, which is still 25% higher than the same meal in 2019, an increase that many Americans may struggle to adopt in the long term.
2. Convenience
Millions are not willing to cook Thanksgiving spreads due to the convenience of fast food at drive-thru stores, not just Gen Z TikTokers.
Based on the study of Casino.org, "laziness" was the most common reason why takeout surpassed turkey as the preferred meal.
A significant 21% of those asked mentioned it, while another 20% claimed they don't have enough time to prepare a meal for family and friends.
3. Hunger
Experts suggest a possible reason for the surge in Thanksgiving-related searches for fast food availability, but it doesn't necessarily mean everyone is eliminating turkey entirely.
According to David Portalatin, a senior vice president and industry advisor in the Food and food service industries at Circana, many consumers may be adding a fast-food meal to their Thanksgiving Day diet – implying that people may just be Googling a franchise's Thanksgiving Day opening hours.
“People may use fast food on Thanksgiving for a convenient breakfast,” he disagreed with the claim that it could be a nationwide trend.
Traditional Thanksgiving feasts, according to Portalatin and his colleagues, are still popular among Americans, with strong grocery sales forecast in advance of the holiday.
4. Comfort
Despite some deeming drive-thru dining unpatriotic on Thanksgiving, others find fast food as American as a turkey with all the trimmings.
One X user highlighted a McDonald's lunch as an important element of their Thanksgiving routine.
Thanksgiving for me means getting a 40-piece nugget meal from McDonald's and watching the Macy's Parade and the National Dog Show. And then I put on Christmas music, they wrote.
I’m the only one not excited for Thanksgiving?? I’ll eat McDonald’s on Thanksgiving, one admitted.
