Thanksgiving Store Hours 2026

Thanksgiving sits right behind Christmas Day as one of the biggest closure days of the year for American retail. Unlike moderate-impact holidays such as Independence Day, where most stores barely change their schedule, Thanksgiving shuts down the vast majority of grocery stores, department stores, and restaurants entirely. The handful of exceptions - pharmacies, auto parts stores, and some convenience stores - are worth knowing so you're not caught off guard.

When Is Thanksgiving 2026?

Thanksgiving is always the fourth Thursday in November, which puts it on November 26 in 2026. Because the date is tied to a weekday formula rather than a fixed calendar date, it always lands on a Thursday and always falls somewhere between November 22 and November 28. That consistency is part of why Thanksgiving anchors the entire late-November shopping calendar - Black Friday is always the next day, November 27 this year, and it's always a Friday.

Is Walmart Open on Thanksgiving?

No. Walmart closes company-wide on Thanksgiving Day and has for several years now, after more than a decade of opening Thursday evening for early doorbuster access. Target and Best Buy made the same call and stay closed as well. All three reopen the next morning for Black Friday, often at 5:00 AM or 6:00 AM, so the shopping simply shifted a few hours later rather than disappearing.

Grocery Stores on Thanksgiving

Grocery is the one category where Thanksgiving really splits by chain. Kroger stays open with shortened hours (its stores closed at 5:00 PM on Thanksgiving 2025), and that covers its sister banners like Ralphs, Fred Meyer, King Soopers, and Harris Teeter too. Most Safeway and Whole Foods stores also open with reduced hours, typically closing by mid-to-late afternoon. On the other side, Publix, Aldi, Trader Joe's, and Costco close all day.

If you're still missing an ingredient for the meal, go Thanksgiving morning rather than late afternoon, since the chains that open are winding down by 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM and closing times vary by location. Shopping the day before is the safer plan - Thanksgiving-eve grocery runs are famously packed, but at least every store is open the whole day.

Home Improvement, Electronics & Department Stores

Home Depot, Best Buy, and department stores like Macy's and Kohl's all close on Thanksgiving Day. Costco also closes company-wide, which surprises some shoppers since Costco stays open on plenty of other holidays that hit retail harder, like Christmas Eve. Shopping malls close along with their tenant stores, so a mall trip on Thanksgiving is a wasted drive almost everywhere.

Pharmacies & Auto Parts Stores - the Exceptions

CVS and Walgreens keep a portion of their locations open on Thanksgiving with reduced hours, typically 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Not every location participates, so it's worth calling ahead or checking the specific store's listing if you need a prescription filled. Auto parts stores tend to stay open too, since a dead battery or a flat tire does not wait for a holiday to happen. 7-Eleven locations, being largely franchise-run, are also a reliable option since many stay open 24/7 regardless of the date.

Restaurants on Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is close to a universal closure day for restaurants. Fast food chains, coffee shops, and sit-down restaurants nearly all shut their doors so staff can be home for the holiday. The exceptions are a handful of hotel restaurants and a few national chains that run a Thanksgiving dinner service - if you're counting on eating out, confirm in advance rather than assuming a favorite spot will be open.

Thanksgiving vs. Black Friday: Two Different Days

It's easy to blur these together since they sit back to back, but they're opposite stories. Thanksgiving is a closure day - the goal is keeping staff home and doors locked. Black Friday is the busiest shopping day of the year, with stores opening early and running deep discounts. The shift away from Thursday-evening openings over the past several years actually sharpened that line: instead of blurring into each other the way they briefly did in the mid-2010s, Thanksgiving and Black Friday are now cleanly separated again, one full closure day followed by one full-blast shopping day.

Tips for Thanksgiving Week

Do your grocery shopping by Wednesday if at all possible - Thanksgiving-eve stores are busy but at least they're open, and Thanksgiving Day itself gives you a narrow morning window at best. If you need a prescription filled, call your pharmacy ahead of time rather than driving over on the assumption it will be open. And if Black Friday shopping is on your list, check our Black Friday store hours guide for exactly what time each chain opens the next morning.

Frequently Asked Questions