The Butterball Turkey Talk-Line Is Putting A Twist On Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and if you stop by any major grocery store in the next month, you will most likely be greeted by a giant freezer full of Butterball turkeys at the entrance of most cooler-lined meat departments. According to the Seaboard Corporation, Butterball produces roughly one billion pounds of turkey each year and remains one of the leading poultry brands in the United States.

And Thanksgiving is one of its most profitable seasons. Statista reports that 81% of Americans celebrate Thanksgiving, and the National Turkey Federation states Americans gobbled up 5.1 billion pounds of turkey in 2021. While The New York Times showcases how the popular bird is expected to cost more this year due to inflationary increases and a devastating Avian flu outbreak, Butterball still projects to sell at least as many turkeys this year as last. This is no small thanks to the widely popular holiday which, according to a recent survey conducted by Butterball, 85% of American hosts this year plan to celebrate with a turkey.

Beyond the fact that most people enjoy fowl on the festive November holiday, Butterball takes its dedication to customers one step further by providing a unique call-in service dubbed the Turkey Talk-Line. Whether you have questions on how to thaw a frozen turkey or cook time specifications, Butterball is just a call away from now until Christmas Eve, per PR Newswire.

How did 1-800-BUTTERBALL come to fruition, you wonder? According to The New York Times, the idea was pitched by Chicago public relations executive Pam Talbot in hopes of aiding everyday home chefs with the "turkey trauma" often associated with Thanksgiving dinner. In 1981, the line's first full year in business, 11,000 calls were taken and handled by only six women with varying degrees of culinary prowess. Now, the Thanksgiving tradition has grown to feature 50 Butterball experts standing by to take any turkey-related calls or questions.

If you're considering hitting up the Turkey Talk-Line to uncover any and all Thanksgiving turkey-related secrets, you may want to avoid waiting until the fourth Thursday of the month. In 2012, Forbes claimed Butterball received around 12,000 calls on Thanksgiving Day alone. In order to handle the popularity of this one-of-a-kind feature, Butterball has expanded its modes of communication for customers eager for support. Customer Think outlines Butterball's technology advancements in 2019, including the option to text the hotline in addition to a chat feature on the Butterball website, plus an Alexa chat option.

In addition to the company's tech upgrades and its informative and accessible website, which provides an endless selection of "how-to" videos on turkey-related topics, this year Butterball is spicing things up with a brand-new feature that call-center appreciators are sure to enjoy.

Since the November holiday is only weeks away, you might have considered getting a jump start on your Thanksgiving planning – and Butterball has provided a way for you to keep track of your turkey preparation as the celebration ticks closer and closer. According to PR Newswire, on October 24th, Butterball released a brand new way to ease into the holidays with the Comfort Calendar, which includes 24 days of supportive tips and Thanksgiving prep reminders for holiday hosts.

Per the Butterball press release, Nicole Johnson, director of the Turkey Talk-Line, believes the Comfort Calendar serves as an anchor to those hosting, especially when wrestling with inflationary costs and the buildup of anxiety as the holiday nears: "It's an honor to offer our time-tested technical advice, emotional support and even a little levity in this fun, new format this holiday season."

Butterball hosted a Comfort Calendar giveaway between October 24th and 26th, and even though the brand-new calendars are now sold out, the brand has also provided a printable version that hosts can download on their own if they missed the limited official giveaway. Buying a 20-pound turkey in a harsh economic climate can be stressful, but to some hosts, the reminders and emotional support Butterball provides for the big day add relief as they adjust to the added costs of this year's holiday feast.