Target unveils $30 Thanksgiving dinner deal as retailers battle to offer lowest prices
Target has introduced a $30 Thanksgiving meal deal advertised to serve six, or about $5 per person, as retailers compete with low-priced holiday offers. The deal costs around $10 more than Target’s offer last year, which served four, and requires shoppers to prepare and cook most of the meal themselves.
The nine items include a Butterball turkey weighing up to 10 pounds, potatoes, cranberry sauce, green beans, ingredients for green bean casserole, stuffing, gravy and two baguettes; dessert is not included. The offer runs from 8 to 29 November, before tax, and is unavailable in Alaska and Hawaii. Other advertised deals include Aldi’s meal for 10 for under $39, Walmart’s $35 basket for 10, and bundles from Sam’s Club and Costco, though the foods and preparation differ.
In short
- Target’s $30 meal deal is advertised to serve six.
- It includes nine items, with a turkey weighing up to 10 pounds.
- The offer runs from 8 to 29 November, excluding Alaska and Hawaii.
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The case for
The deal gives households a relatively affordable way to serve a traditional Thanksgiving meal, with a turkey and several side dishes included for about $5 per person. For shoppers comparing holiday costs, competing offers from other retailers may also put pressure on prices and provide more budget-conscious options.
The case against
The headline price may overstate how complete or convenient the meal is: shoppers must cook most items themselves, and dessert is not included. At $30 for six, the offer also costs more than Target’s smaller deal last year, while advertised bundles from other retailers appear cheaper per person, though their contents and preparation requirements differ.
Explained simply
Thanksgiving is a national holiday in the United States, celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. Many people mark it with a shared meal, often centred on roast turkey and served with vegetables, stuffing, gravy and cranberry sauce.
Large retailers such as Target, Walmart and Aldi compete for shoppers by advertising low-cost holiday food offers. These bundles can differ in how many people they are meant to feed, what they include and how much cooking is required, so their prices are not always directly comparable.
For shoppers, the total cost can also depend on extras such as dessert and on the time and equipment needed to prepare the food. Retailers use seasonal offers to attract customers during a busy period for food shopping.