In the United States, the fourth Thursday in November is traditionally a time for food and family gatherings. America’s Thanksgiving commemorates the Pilgrims’ 1621 harvest feast, part of the story of the settling of Plymouth Colony, an important period in American history.
An annually celebrated thanksgiving held after the harvest gradually became a custom in many cities and states across America. In 1789, President George Washington issued a proclamation declaring November 26th as a day of Thanksgiving.
However, it wasn’t until 1863 that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday of November – Thanksgiving Day – to be a national holiday.
In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving to the third Thursday of November to extend the Christmas shopping season and stimulate retail sales during the Great Depression. The idea was to give consumers more time to shop, thereby boosting sales and helping the economy.
The earlier date was kept for two more years, but by 1941 Congress passed a law making Thanksgiving a federal and legal holiday, officially setting Thanksgiving Day on the fourth Thursday of November, where it has remained ever since.
Of those households planning to cook Thanksgiving dinner, 84% plan to serve turkey, followed by ham (46%) and chicken (19%). However, in recent years people have been departing from tradition and ordering takeout for Thanksgiving. They desire to spend more quality time visiting with guests and enjoying the holiday than sweating in the kitchen.
According to a nationwide Popmenu Survey of US consumers, in 2025, at least half of US consumers (50%) ordered takeout or delivery from restaurants for Thanksgiving dinner! That’s a big jump from 37% in 2024 and 32% in 2023.
The Worldwide Center of Mathematics created an infographic of Thanksgiving Facts and Figures. Check out “Thanksgiving By the Numbers” below.
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How does your family celebrate Thanksgiving? Homecooked meal, takeout, or eat at someone else’s house? Leave a comment!
