Thanksgiving is many things to many people—a day for family, football, questionable political debates with relatives. But there's one thing that unites nearly all Americans on the fourth Thursday of November: turkey. According to various surveys, approximately 87-91% of Americans who celebrate Thanksgiving serve turkey as the centerpiece of their meal.

That's roughly 46 million turkeys consumed on a single day. To put that in perspective, if you lined up all those turkeys beak-to-tail, they'd stretch from New York to Los Angeles. Twice.

Why Turkey?

The turkey tradition dates back to the early colonial period, but not necessarily the 1621 Plymouth feast you learned about in elementary school. While wildfowl was likely served at that first harvest celebration, the turkey-as-Thanksgiving-staple didn't become cemented until the mid-19th century.

Turkey had several practical advantages: it was big enough to feed a crowd, didn't serve another purpose (unlike chickens for eggs or cows for milk), and was native to North America. By the time Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863, turkey was already the default choice.

The Holdouts

So what about the other 9-13%? Some Americans opt for alternatives:

Ham (the most popular turkey alternative, especially in Southern states)
Roast beef or prime rib
Vegetarian/vegan alternatives (increasingly popular)
Heritage proteins like duck, goose, or seafood in certain regional traditions

Some families skip the traditional meal entirely, ordering Chinese takeout or pizza—creating their own modern traditions.

Regional variations also play a role. In Hawaii, some families serve kalua pig. In Alaska, wild game might replace turkey. And in some Cajun households, turducken (a chicken inside a duck inside a turkey) makes an appearance.

The Economics of Turkey Day

Americans spend close to $1 billion on Thanksgiving turkeys annually. The average bird weighs 15-16 pounds and costs around $1.50-$2.00 per pound, depending on whether you spring for organic or heritage breeds.

The National Turkey Federation estimates that 88% of Americans eat turkey on Thanksgiving, making it far and away the country's most unified food tradition. Even pizza and hot dogs—American staples—can't claim that level of consensus.

Whether you're team turkey or proudly part of the 9% rebellion, one thing's clear: Thanksgiving brings Americans together at the table, even if we can't always agree on what should be on it.

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