Are stores open on Thanksgiving?

Most stores are closed on Thanksgiving. Categories typically closed include Department Store, Restaurant, Specialty, Office, Services. Stores that tend to stay open include Pharmacy, Auto retailers.

What stores are closed on Thanksgiving?

Stores typically closed on Thanksgiving include those in the Department Store, Restaurant, Specialty, Office, Services categories. Stores with reduced hours include Grocery, Electronics, Discount, Home Improvement retailers. Always call ahead to confirm your local store's holiday schedule.

Is Walmart open on Thanksgiving?

Walmart is typically closed on Thanksgiving. This is one of the few days per year that Walmart closes its doors. Check your local Walmart's holiday schedule for confirmation.

Stores Open on Thanksgiving

Fourth Thursday in November

One of the biggest closure days of the year. Grocery is split: Kroger, Safeway, and Whole Foods open with shortened hours, while Publix, Aldi, Trader Joe's, and Costco close. Restaurants are almost universally closed, and Walmart, Target, and Best Buy stay closed until Black Friday.

8 stores open

39 reduced hours

41 stores closed

Thanksgiving 2026 is November 26, 2026 - set a reminder:

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Thanksgiving Store Hours Guide

Thanksgiving is one of the most disruptive holidays for retail hours in the United States. Most department stores and specialty retailers close entirely, and grocery chains split: Kroger, Safeway, and Whole Foods open with shortened hours, while Publix, Aldi, Trader Joe's, and Costco stay closed. If you need last-minute ingredients for your Thanksgiving meal, plan to shop the day before or Thanksgiving morning - the grocery chains that do open usually close between 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM (Kroger closed at 5:00 PM in 2025).

The trend has shifted over the past decade. Many major retailers that experimented with Thanksgiving evening openings (to get a head start on Black Friday) have pulled back and now stay closed the entire day. Walmart, Target, and Best Buy all moved back to Thanksgiving closures after years of creeping earlier into the holiday. The reasoning: employees deserve the day off, and most customers prefer to shop on Black Friday itself.

Pharmacies are a notable exception. Chains like CVS and Walgreens typically keep some locations open on Thanksgiving with reduced hours, usually from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. If you need a prescription filled, call your local pharmacy ahead of time to confirm they will be open. Auto parts stores also tend to stay open since car trouble does not take holidays off.

For restaurants, Thanksgiving is almost a universal closure day. Fast food chains, sit-down restaurants, and coffee shops nearly all close. A handful of hotel restaurants and certain national chains may offer Thanksgiving dinner specials, but these are the exception rather than the rule. If you are counting on eating out on Thanksgiving, make reservations well in advance at a place you have confirmed will be open.