Thanksgiving meal insurance offered by Whole Foods for customers who 'commit a turkey cooking fail'

The most complicated part of the Thanksgiving meal is undoubtedly the tricky turkey. This year, Whole Foods is offering insurance just in case the cooking goes haywire.

Together with Progressive, the market chain is offering "insurance" in the form of a free $35 Whole Foods gift card to customers who "commit a turkey cooking fail." The idea was prompted by coronavirus restrictions forcing households to host smaller gatherings and, in some cases, having inexperienced cooks prepare the stressful, multi-course meal.
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"As we anticipate more smaller Thanksgiving gatherings and first-time cooks tackling turkey preparation this year," Theo Weening, vice president of meat and poultry at Whole Foods, said in a statement, "the Thanksgiving Turkey Protection Plan allows customers the freedom of culinary exploration, knowing all is not lost should their cooking go astray."

To be eligible, customers must purchase a Whole Foods-branded turkey from the store between November 11 and 22. If the final product winds up overcooked, undercooked, burnt or dry, failed chefs can submit a claim with a receipt, brief explanation and picture to a special website.

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The promotion is limited to 1,000 customers and entries must be submitted beginning on Thanksgiving day through the next day at 3 am ET. Awarding the gift cards is at Whole Foods' "sole discretion."

As in previous years, the Amazon-owned grocer is offering deals on uncooked turkeys. Prices start at $2.49 per pound for non-organic birds, with Amazon prime members able save up to 50 cents per pound. Organic turkeys are slightly more expensive.
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The pandemic has drastically changed how Americans are planning to celebrate the holiday, with the US Centers for Disease Control recommending the dinners stay small so they don't become super spreader events. Fewer people at Thanksgiving tables is going to mean many households will be looking to buy smaller turkeys.



Around 40 million turkeys are eaten over the Thanksgiving holiday annually, according to the National Turkey Federation, an industry trade group. The group does not expect that figure to change much this year, but the sizes and types of turkeys will, Beth Breeding, spokesperson for the National Turkey Federation, previously told CNN Business.