Many major grocery and convenience stores stay open on Thanksgiving with reduced hours, while most big-box retailers now close for the day.

Grocery stores usually open

Most large grocery chains either open with shortened hours or offer “modified hours,” but this can vary by location, so checking your specific store’s website or Google listing is essential.

Commonly open (often with reduced hours):

  • Kroger and Kroger family brands (Ralphs, Smith’s, King Soopers, etc.) – generally open with modified hours.
  • Food Lion – typically open, often something like morning to mid‑afternoon.
  • Meijer – usually open but closing earlier than normal (for example early morning to early evening).
  • Whole Foods – usually open with shortened “holiday hours.”
  • Wegmans, Giant/Giant Eagle, Safeway/Albertsons, Vons, Ralphs – many locations open with limited hours; details differ by store.

Commonly closed all day:

  • Costco, Trader Joe’s, Publix – typically closed on Thanksgiving.

Big-box & retail stores

A lot of big-box chains that once opened on Thanksgiving now keep the day fully closed, focusing instead on Black Friday.

Often closed on Thanksgiving:

  • Target.
  • Walmart.
  • Best Buy.
  • Kohl’s, Ulta, Sephora, Costco.

Some non-grocery retail that may be open :

  • Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s – often open with limited hours such as mid‑morning to early evening.
  • Big Lots – many locations open with holiday hours (for example, roughly morning to evening).

Pharmacies, convenience stores, and coffee

Many pharmacies and convenience chains keep at least some locations open, but hours can vary a lot by neighborhood.

Common patterns:

  • CVS & Walgreens – some locations open, but hours vary; many non‑24‑hour stores may close or have reduced hours.
  • Starbucks – many stores open with location‑specific holiday hours.
  • Casey’s and Wawa – often open (sometimes 24/7), helpful for gas, snacks, and quick food.

How to quickly check your local options

Because hours differ widely, even within the same chain, do this the week of Thanksgiving:

  1. Search the store’s name + your city in Maps and check the “Holiday hours” section.
  1. Visit the chain’s official website; many post Thanksgiving and Black Friday hours in a banner or FAQ.
  1. When in doubt, call the store directly the day before to confirm whether they’re open and until what time.

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