Amazon Prices Thanksgiving at $2.50 a Head as Grocers Wage Holiday Value War

Amazon set the holiday floor at $2.50 per person: a complete Thanksgiving meal for 10 from Amazon Grocery costs $25, with free same-day delivery on orders of $25 or more through Nov. 26. The bundle carries an 8-pound Butterball frozen turkey plus sides and dessert ingredients, from Stove Top stuffing and Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup to pie crusts and pumpkin puree. It delivers within hours in more than 2,300 cities and towns.

"With Amazon, customers can get everything they need at everyday low prices, from the turkey to the sides to the serving essentials, all in one cart, delivered to their door within hours," said Jason Buechel, VP of Amazon Worldwide Grocery Stores and CEO of Whole Foods Market. Amazon, which now calls itself the second-largest grocer in the U.S., also cut frozen turkey to 79 cents per pound through Nov. 26 and fresh turkey to 99 cents per pound starting Nov. 14. Its same-day fulfillment centers carry four times the selection of a typical grocery store, the company says.

What does the price war look like across chains?

• Walmart offers its biggest Holiday Meal Basket yet: $35 for 10 people, 26 items, available through Dec. 24. Walmart says the basket holds 18 percent more food than last year at 12 percent less than those items cost in 2025 — the lowest-priced basket in the program's history. It anchors on a Butterball turkey at 97 cents per pound. Shoppers can buy it in stores, in one click online, or by asking Sparky, Walmart's AI shopping agent. "This year, our Holiday Meal Basket brings even more food to the table for just $35, while making it easier for customers to plan, shop and celebrate in ways that work for them," said David Guggina, president and CEO of Walmart U.S. The program has saved customers more than $350 million since 2022.
• Hy-Vee cut its holiday meal to under $35 for 10 — beating its own $39 offer — a 26-item deal available in-store and online Nov. 2 through Dec. 24, including a frozen turkey up to 12 pounds. A gluten-free version runs $50 or less, and a "Buy a ham, get a turkey free" promotion runs through November. "We know customers are especially focused on value this holiday season, and the new Hy-Vee Holiday Meal Deal makes it even easier to feed more people for the lowest price," said Anna Stoermer, EVP and chief merchandising and retail officer at the West Des Moines, Iowa-based chain.
• Meijer prices a 10-person Thanksgiving meal under $35, built on Meijer brand frozen turkeys at 79 cents a pound or less through Nov. 26 (with a $25 purchase in Wisconsin). The retailer expects to sell more than 1 million turkeys and 7 million pounds of russet and sweet potatoes before Thanksgiving. More than 80 Meijer brand holiday items are up to 45 percent off through Dec. 24. "We want to help families enjoy the season together without having to sacrifice because of high prices," said Don Sanderson, chief merchandising and marketing officer.
• Save A Lot totals its 10-person meal at $39.27, Nov. 18–26, with a 15-pound turkey at $1.49 per pound — well under the American Farm Bureau Federation's $55.18 average for 2025. Rewards members get a free 8-pound bag of russet potatoes and free 32-ounce frozen vegetables with turkey purchases up to three times between Nov. 8–29. "By offering a complete Thanksgiving meal for less than $4 per person, we're helping families enjoy their holiday favorites while making the most of their grocery budgets," said VP of Marketing Katie Kobus.
• Market 32 and Price Chopper run a Thanksgiving Feast for 10 Under $40 from Nov. 1 through Thanksgiving Day, with a roughly 13.5-pound turkey and PICS private-label sides, locked to AdvantEdge Rewards cards. The grocer recently cut everyday prices on more than 1,000 essentials.

Where's the margin in gourmet?

Lidl US plays premium-for-less: 89 European specialty items in its Preferred Selection line, from late October through December, priced from a $119.99 Serrano ham leg and $12.99 lobster tail twin pack down to $1.99 mini puff pastry shells. Aldi's 220-item winter lineup includes five drink-and-dessert pairings under $20 each, plus the Aldi Deck-Out contest, with a $10,000 grocery grand prize, judged by 25 superfans, entries Nov. 9–22.

Tops Friendly Markets revived its Christmas Bonus Nov. 1: BonusPlus shoppers spending $50 earn a Gift Point worth $10 off a $50 gift card from more than 25 brands through Dec. 26. The program has saved shoppers more than $20 million since inception. Butterball, meanwhile, launched the free Butterball Buddy device — timed to its finding that 85 percent of hosts prefer guests offer help but only 38 percent ask — and opened its Turkey Talk-Line for its 45th year with more than 50 experts through Dec. 24.

With every major chain now advertising a 10-person meal under $40, price has stopped being a differentiator. The next battleground is convenience, loyalty mechanics and delivery speed.