Back in the US, Thanksgiving is one of the biggest family meals of the year, the one people will sit in traffic or catch a red-eye for. In Taipei, it's just another workday. When Hotdogray started as a street stall in Zhongshan District in 2017, a lot of our first regulars were Americans living in Taiwan, and every November someone would tell us how much they missed the Thanksgiving dinner back home. Here are the practical questions that come up when you spend Thanksgiving in Taipei.
When is Thanksgiving 2026?
American Thanksgiving is always the fourth Thursday of November. In 2026 that's Thursday, November 26, with Black Friday on November 27. It's a normal working day in Taiwan, so many Americans here move the big meal to the weekend, or keep Thursday night simple after work.
What's usually on the table
- Roast turkey: the centerpiece, usually a whole bird roasted for hours.
- Stuffing (or dressing): bread cubes with onion, celery and herbs, cooked inside the bird or baked on the side.
- Mashed potatoes with gravy made from the turkey drippings.
- Cranberry sauce: sweet and tart, to cut through the rich food.
- Green bean casserole and sweet potatoes, sometimes topped with toasted marshmallows.
- Pumpkin pie and pecan pie for dessert.
Every family's spread is a little different, the same way every Taiwanese family has its own Lunar New Year dinner.
What's hardest to pull off in Taiwan
The hard part usually isn't the recipes. It's the equipment and the ingredients:
- A whole turkey: rarely seen in regular supermarkets. You'll usually need an imported-food shop, and you'll need to order ahead.
- An oven: lots of Taipei apartments only have a small toaster oven, or no oven at all. A whole turkey simply won't fit.
- American pantry staples: canned pumpkin, canned cranberry sauce and the like mean a hunt through import grocery stores.
That's why every November a number of hotels and Western restaurants in Taipei offer Thanksgiving set dinners or turkey to go. If you want the full spread, start looking in early November and book early.
Friendsgiving: the more common way to do it here
If you can't fly home, you celebrate with friends: Friendsgiving. Nobody has to cook the whole table. Everyone brings one dish: someone handles the turkey, someone the pie, someone the drinks. If you're new to Taiwan and still building your circle, it's also a great icebreaker. For more on meeting people here, see AI DARTS's guide to making friends in Taiwan as an expat.
Hotdogray's Thanksgiving chili pre-order
To be clear: Hotdogray doesn't do turkey dinners, and apart from the chili pre-order below, there's no Thanksgiving special.
- What: our signature chili, to go
- Size: one order serves 4
- Price: NT$2,000
- How to order: pre-order on LINE, and please order ahead
- Pickup: we'll arrange the pickup time with you on LINE
As we wrote in the story of our chili, every year around Thanksgiving and Christmas, Americans in Taiwan ask us to make them a batch. If you need a dish for Friendsgiving, chili is about as American as it gets: serve it with bread, rice or tortilla chips.
On the day: simple American comfort food
Thanksgiving 2026 falls on a Thursday, one of our regular serving days. Stop by after work for a Chili Dog and some Chili Cheese Fries, no oven required. Thursday is also Darts Night at AI DARTS, so you can stay for a few rounds. See the full menu.
The other Thanksgiving tradition: football
Thanksgiving football is a tradition of its own. The Detroit Lions have hosted a Thanksgiving game since 1934, and the Dallas Cowboys joined in 1966. In Taiwan time, the three games on Thanksgiving Day 2026 kick off on Friday, November 27, at 2:00 a.m., 5:30 a.m. and 9:20 a.m. You can catch the NFL on the TVs at AI DARTS (message us on LINE with the game you want), but keep in mind these kickoffs are early morning in Taiwan, and hot dogs are only served during our evening kitchen hours. For hot dogs and game days, plus NFL and NBA start times in Taiwan, see this guide.
After Thanksgiving
Once Thanksgiving is over, Taipei slides straight into Christmas and New Year's Eve. For ideas, see AI DARTS's guide to Christmas and New Year's Eve in Taipei. The weather turns cool too, and we explain why that means chili season in The First Chili of Winter.
FAQ
Q: When is Thanksgiving 2026?
A: Thursday, November 26. American Thanksgiving is always the fourth Thursday of November.
Q: Does Hotdogray serve a Thanksgiving turkey dinner?
A: No. Our only Thanksgiving offer is the signature chili pre-order (serves 4, NT$2,000, order on LINE); there's no other special menu. Our regular hot dogs, Walking Tacos and fried sides are served as usual.
Q: How do I pre-order Thanksgiving chili?
A: One order serves 4 and costs NT$2,000. Please pre-order ahead on LINE; we'll arrange the pickup time with you there too.
Q: Are you open on Thanksgiving Day?
A: Thanksgiving 2026 is a Thursday, one of our regular serving days (Wed, Thu, Fri plus every other Saturday, 8 p.m. to around midnight; closed Tuesdays). We may close for rain or special circumstances, so check with us on LINE first.
