Shoppers head to markets for Thanksgiving dinner amid higher prices

MARLTON, New Jersey (WPVI) -- The rush is on as shoppers in the Delaware Valley head to markets to get the turkey and all the fixings for Thanksgiving dinner.

At Rastelli Market Fresh in Marlton, customers started shopping early to get their last-minute needs out of the way.

Stephen Fortino, of Marlton, managed to avoid the big crowds Tuesday, but not the big prices for the dinner. He's preparing for 25 family members.

"It's kind of a fact of life. The prices are high," Fortino said.

"But hopefully, they'll start coming down a little bit as gas prices start to come down. But we're all in the same boat right?"

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Most Americans are experiencing the price crunch at grocery stores across the country.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for non-chicken poultry, including turkey, canned fruits and vegetables, as well as sauces and gravies, are up by as much as 7.5% when compared to this time one year ago. Potatoes are an outlier, dropping more than 3% since last year.

Shoppers such as Deborah Jump are looking for ways to get Thanksgiving dinner on the table without burning a hole through their wallets.

SEE ALSO: Target offering full Thanksgiving feast for under $25

Jump said she is preparing a turkey dinner this year and decided to shop on "senior Tuesday" so she could save a few dollars.

"It's a discount on our food," Jump said as she told Action News she was a smart shopper.

A lot of people are opting to skip the kitchen altogether and spending anywhere between $200 and $400 to have professionals prepare Thanksgiving dinner the right way.

Chris Mentzer, the director of operations for Restalli Market Fresh, said their catering department had received more than 600 Thanksgiving orders as of Tuesday. He said that represents a 40% increase in orders compared to the previous year.

SEE ALSO: What stores are open, closed Thanksgiving Day 2023?

"A lot of time with turkey, it's challenging. People are very nervous and I think a lot of younger couples that are starting to host Thanksgiving are taking the sure bet of having their meals already done," Mentzer said.

At Ponzio's in Cherry Hill, a steady stream of customers came in to check out their favorite pies and order their Thanksgiving desserts.

Co-owner, Nick Fifis, told Action News they had already taken 1,200 orders for pies with even more coming in. Fifis said it's a rising trend they've seen since the diner had to pivot to takeout orders during the pandemic.

"It's a lot easier to come get it. We've been around a while so it's tradition for a lot of families. They like to come and get their pies from us."