Many major grocery chains are open on Thanksgiving, but almost all run shortened or modified hours, and exact times vary by location and year.

Quick Scoop

On a typical recent Thanksgiving in the U.S., you can usually expect:

  • Often open (with reduced hours):
    • Kroger and Kroger-family brands (e.g., Ralphs, King Soopers, Harris Teeter in many areas).
* Food Lion.

* Wegmans (often until around mid‑afternoon, like 4 p.m.).

* Whole Foods (usually morning to early afternoon, e.g., ~7 a.m. to 1 p.m.).

* The Fresh Market (commonly open with shortened hours).

* Regional chains like H‑E‑B, Giant, Acme, ShopRite, Sprouts, Vons, Stop & Shop, Tom Thumb, Martin’s, Hannaford (often open but with modified hours).
  • Usually closed on Thanksgiving:
    • Walmart and Sam’s Club.
* Target.

* Costco.

* Publix, Aldi, Trader Joe’s (historically closed for the day in many areas).

Important: How to get an accurate answer for you

Because hours can change year to year, and even store to store in the same chain, the only reliable way to know what grocery store is open on the upcoming Thanksgiving near you is to:

  1. Search “[your city] grocery stores Thanksgiving hours” a few days before the holiday.
  2. Click on individual store listings (Google Maps/Apple Maps) and look for “Holiday hours.”
  3. Call the store directly—especially if you’re going early morning or late afternoon.

Small example scenario

If you realize at 11 a.m. on Thanksgiving that you forgot chicken stock, in many U.S. cities you’ll commonly have luck with a nearby Kroger-family store, Whole Foods, or Wegmans , but not with Walmart, Target, Costco, or Trader Joe’s, which are often fully closed for the day.

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Chain Typical Thanksgiving status Notes
Kroger & family brands Usually open, reduced hours Hours vary by location; often close mid‑afternoon.
Food Lion Usually open, reduced hours Commonly open with shorter daytime hours.
Wegmans Open, close mid‑afternoon Frequently open until around 4 p.m.
Whole Foods Open morning–early afternoon Typical window like 7 a.m.–1 p.m., varies by store.
The Fresh Market Open, shortened hours Often open roughly breakfast through early evening.
H‑E‑B / Giant / ShopRite / others Often open, reduced hours Region‑dependent; always check local listing.
Walmart Usually closed Reopens early Black Friday.
Target Closed Reopens Black Friday morning.
Costco Closed Thanksgiving is a standard closure day.
Trader Joe's / Publix / Aldi Generally closed Historically do not open on Thanksgiving.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.