Getty Are Walmart, Target or Kroger open on Thanksgiving?
In the United States, we’re just a few hours from the start of the Thanksgiving holiday. If you still need to do some grocery shopping before cooking your family’s traditional feast, your options are more limited if you wait until Thursday to get your ingredients.
Two of the largest food retailers in the country, Walmart and Target, will be closed on Thanksgiving. However, Kroger is keeping its doors open until at least mid-afternoon on Thanksgiving.
See info about Meijer, Aldi and Costco here.
Walmart Is Closed on Thanksgiving for the 3rd Year in a Row
GettyWalmart
Walmart used to be one of the major retailers that always stayed open on Thanksgiving. But the chain reversed course starting back in 2020, as Heavy reported at the time.
For the third year in a row, Walmart will be closed on Thanksgiving. On the home page of the website, Walmart reminded customers that they can still shop for Black Friday deals online while stores are closed.
In a press release from 2021, company leaders stressed the importance of rewarding its employees with a holiday break: “Closing our stores on Thanksgiving Day is one way we’re saying ‘thank you’ to our teams for their dedication and hard work this year. We hope everyone will take the opportunity to be with their loved ones during what’s always a special time.”
Although not classified as a supermarket, Walmart is the top-selling food retailer in the United States, according to Progressive Grocer.
Target Will Always Close on Thanksgiving In the Future
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If you need to do some last-minute shopping, you need to get to Target before Thursday. All Target locations will be closed on Thanksgiving Day.
Company leaders announced in 2021 that this holiday schedule would be the new standard every year moving forward.
CEO Brian Cornell announced last year: “I’m making it official: We’re going to keep our stores closed on future Thanksgivings too. What started as a temporary measure driven by the pandemic is now our new standard — one that recognizes our ability to deliver on our guests’ holiday wishes both within and well beyond store hours. You don’t have to wonder whether this is the last Thanksgiving you’ll spend with family and friends for a while, because Thanksgiving store hours are one thing we won’t ‘get back to’ when the pandemic finally subsides.”
Kroger Is Operating on Reduced Hours on Thanksgiving
KrogerKroger’s November 16-24 Weekly Ad for the Columbus region.
Kroger stores are typically open until 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. but on Thanksgiving, all stores will close earlier than normal. Shoppers can expect Kroger stores to close between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Thursday, depending on the region. Most pharmacies, however, will be closed for the holiday.
Check the hours of the store in your area with Kroger’s online locator tool here.
According to the Weekly Ad available on Kroger’s website, by region:
- In the Columbus region, which includes Mansfield, Toledo, and Wheeling (WV), all stores will close at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving and pharmacies will be closed all day.
- Kroger stores in the Cincinnati region, which includes Dayton and Covington (KY), stores close at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving and most pharmacies will be closed all day.
- In the Southwest region, encompassing Houston, Dallas or Fort Worth, stores close at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving and pharmacies will be closed all day.
- In Kroger’s Delta region, which includes stores in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Memphis, Tennessee, all Kroger stores will close at 4 p.m. and pharmacies will be closed all day.
- Kroger stores in the Atlanta region, which include stores in Savannah, Augusta, Macon, and Myrtle Beach (SC), close at 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving and pharmacies will be closed all day.
- The Mid-Atlantic region, which includes areas like Virginia Beach, Charlottesville and Parkersburg (WV), closes stores at 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving and pharmacies will be closed all day.
- In the Nashville region, which also encompasses Knoxville, Decatur, Huntsville, Clarksville, Hopkinsville and Bowling Green, Kroger stores will close at 3 p.m. and pharmacies will be closed all day.
- Stores in the Michigan region, encompassing Detroit, Flint, Ann Arbor, Lansing, Saginaw and Monroe, will also close at 3 p.m. on Thanksgiving and pharmacies will be closed all day.
- The Central region, which includes Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Peoria, Bloomington, and Decatur, closes stores at 3 p.m. on Thanksgiving and pharmacies will be closed all day.
- In the Lousiville region, which includes Lexington and Owensboro, most stores close at 3 p.m. and pharmacies will be closed all day.