Grocery Stores Open On Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving is one of those holidays where you need to be prepared for anything. That includes peeling your sleeping uncle off the couch because he had a little too much turkey and dodging questions from your parents about when you're finally giving them grandkids. It's also inevitable that you'll forget something, be it a crucial ingredient for a Thanksgiving side dish or the whole darn turkey. So, odds are that a last-minute grocery store run is in your future.
If you need to take a trip to the grocery store on Thanksgiving, it's best to go as early as possible to avoid closures and the inevitable long lines of other shoppers who totally forgot the cranberry sauce. Unfortunately, fans of Trader Joe's, Target, Publix, Aldi, and Walmart are out of luck. No mashed potatoes for you! Those chains are closed on Thanksgiving, along with bulk retailers like Costco and BJ's Wholesale Club. So, what is actually open?
These major grocery stores are on Thanksgiving Day, but please note that some of the hours may be limited and it's always smart to call ahead and double-check.
Acme
If you're in the northeast, it's likely that you've stumbled into an Acme grocery store at some point or another. These supermarkets have been around forever — seriously, we're talking more than a century. The beloved grocery store first launched in 1891 in Philadelphia. Since then, the company has opened more than 160 stores across Pennsylvania and nearby states like New York, Connecticut, Maryland, and Delaware. New Jersey is actually home to nearly half of all the Acme stores in the country.
As far as Thanksgiving goes, Acme is a bit hit or miss when it comes to last-minute grocery runs. Now, you can pick up some last-minute prepared items like its Signature Café Mashed Potatoes, but you'll have to call ahead to see the hours of your local store. That said, most Acme stores should be open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Albertsons
With more than 2,250 locations in 35 states, Albertsons is the second-largest supermarket operator in the entire United States. This chain has been operating since 1939 and initially offered something everyone else didn't — it was huge. The first store in Boise, Idaho was 10,000 square feet (about 8 times bigger than the average supermarket at the time, according to Grocerteria.com). Today, its size is on par with most big-name grocers, so you'll definitely be able to find all your Thanksgiving fixings inside (provided the aisles aren't ravaged because you're popping in an hour before closing).
The hours of operation vary regionally on Turkey Day. Some stores are open from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. — which is markedly late compared to similar grocery stores. Make sure you call ahead if you're planning to pop in (especially if it's on the later side).
Cub Foods
For anyone who lives in Minnesota, Cub Foods is iconic. The local supermarket recently rebuilt its Lake Street and Broadway locations after they were damaged during protests in 2020 (via KARE 11). That means this Thanksgiving, you don't have to roll through the parking lot pop-up — and these new stores are supposedly gorgeous. CEO Mike Stigers told Supermarket News that the Lake Street location boasts "a wider selection of fresh produce, meat, and seafood," along with an expanded deli section, a cake decorating station, and a global food market.
Cub Foods is one of the increasing numbers of retailers that lets you pre-order your Thanksgiving dinner, which you can pick up as early as November 8th — no actual cooking required. Just don't miss the window. Stores close at 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving day, even though it's normally open around the clock.
Fairway
Fairway began as a corner vegetable stand on Manhattan's Upper West Side. Since then, it's garnered an upmarket reputation along with upmarket prices. Some people — particularly those born and raised in New York City — swear by the local grocery store chain. Others prefer to go to Trader Joe's locations for similar quality items at what they argue is a better value (but hell hath no fury like the line at the Trader Joe's in Union Square). Unfortunately, TJ's is closed on Thanksgiving, so Fairway it is (and hopefully its turkey is substantially better than its rather bland rotisserie chicken).
Like other upmarket grocery stores, Fairway is open on Thanksgiving. Most stores are open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., but you should check with your local store to be sure, given that hours can vary from location to location.
Food Lion
If you get overwhelmed while food shopping, Food Lion may just be your new favorite grocer. Since 1957, the massive chain has aimed to deliver the easiest grocery shopping experience possible. According to its website, the chain stocks 28,000 different products per store, and it boasts more than 1,000 stores across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. In other words, it's basically got everything for everyone, whether you're planning to make an old-school Thanksgiving dessert or an oft-debated Tofurkey (hey, vegetarians celebrate Thanksgiving, too!).
On holidays, Food Lion puts its money where its mouth is, meaning that the experience really is easy. Stores are open regular hours on Thanksgiving — and many are open even longer on Black Friday (so you can get a snack before you spend a zillion hours in line at Best Buy for a discount TV).
The Fresh Market
The whole idea behind North Carolina-based The Fresh Market is a personalized experience. As such, the grocery has catered its Thanksgiving options towards people who are struggling to plan their festivities. If you tend to save things for the last minute, you can actually pre-order an entire Thanksgiving dinner online up until November 22nd and pick it up in-store Thanksgiving day. If you can't decide on a menu, just select one of the supermarket's pre-planned meals (think an "essential holiday meal" with classics like turkey, cranberry sauce, and stuffing or perhaps a "holiday ham meal" if you're totally over poultry this year).
Still, not everyone wants to plan their entire meal online. Some people like browsing the aisles on foot — just don't leave it until after dark. The Fresh Market is open between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Thanksgiving, so get in early if you can.
Hy-Vee
Hy-Vee started as a single store in rural Iowa, but over the last 90 years, it's expanded into a $10 billion empire with more than 265 locations in eight states. Today, the original store is on the National Register of Historic Places and the midwestern chain has gone far beyond the world of supermarkets. Hy-Vee dove headfirst into the construction business and partnered with Mark and Donnie Wahlberg to launch more than two dozen Wahlburger restaurants (as of 2021, it's still rolling out new locations in place of its Market Grille eateries).
Needless to say, Hy-Vee is a big deal, and it's one of the rare businesses that managed to endure the Great Depression. Though the chain is open on Thanksgiving, some locations will close pretty early on at 2 p.m. that day. As always, it's best to call ahead at your local store just to be sure.
Hannaford
Maine-based grocery store Hannaford has been serving customers since 1883. According to its website, the business first launched as a horse-drawn produce cart, but over the last century, it's expanded to over 180 stores. Though the supermarket has only been known as Hannaford since 1997, the brand's vision has always been rooted in philanthropy. This includes a partnership with United Way and its Hannaford Scholarship Program. The grocery store even received a JoAnn Pike Humanitarian Award in 2017.
Hannaford isn't just offering an array of classic fall meal favorites like apple pie and homemade soup for Thanksgiving. It's also offering COVID-19 vaccines and booster shots, showing that, yes, its commitment to the community is very real. It's unclear what the hours are this year, but in past years, most stores stayed open until 3 p.m. That said some stores may close entirely, so pay attention to your local grocery's hours.
Harris Teeter
If you haven't heard of Harris Teeter, then it's pretty clear that you're not from the American South. The grocery store chain ranked among the top supermarkets in a 2018 survey of 13,000 shoppers, according to Store Brands, while many argue that it's one of the better-kept secrets of regional groceries. So what is a Harris Teeter, actually? Turns out, it's a subsidiary of the grocery giant known as Kroger (which manages quite a few other stores, too). The brand operates more than 250 locations in seven different states, along with some grocery, frozen food, and perishable distribution centers.
Now, of course, you won't be finding a Harris Teeter location outside of the Southeast, but those who are having a classic southern Thanksgiving can count on grabbing some last-minute items from the regional chain. All Harris Teeter stores are open from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thanksgiving day.
H-E-B
H-E-B is a source of pride for Texans, just like really excellent barbecue, bluebonnet flowers, and big hats. Essentially, it's to grocery stores what Buc-ee's is to gas stations. It's so beloved that one mom even had a full-fledged maternity photoshoot there, per the Houston Chronicle. H-E-B is even renowned outside of the Lone Star State and, like everything in Texas, it's big.
According to the San Antonio Business Journal, the average H-E-B store is around 70,000 to 80,000 square feet (twice the size of the average supermarket in the United States). The chain has more than 340 stores, employing more than 100,000 people, and according to its website, it's the largest independently owned food retailer in the United States. Needless to say, the store would never let its die-hard customers down on Thanksgiving. The hours are limited, but you can still mosey on up between 6 a.m. and noon.
Kroger
Kroger, which operates nearly 2,800 stores across 35 states, arguably changed grocery stores forever. After all, you can thank them for introducing the idea of different departments (the reason you're not searching for a birthday cake amidst rolls of toilet paper and packs of frozen broccoli). The chain started the concept with bakeries in 1901 before expanding to meat counters and beyond.
Today, the supermarket has more than a century of experience under its belt and brings in $132.5 billion a year, according to its website. It's not just one of the largest grocers in America — it's one of the largest retailers in the entire world. It takes this duty seriously on the holidays. Some Kroger stores are open 24 hours on Thanksgiving, but most are at least open between 6 a.m. and 1 p.m. As always, it's smart to check with your local Kroger before heading out.
Ralphs
Ralphs, a California-based subsidiary of Kroger, operates more than 400 stores across the Golden State. According to Encyclopedia.com, it brings in $5.48 billion a year and is well on its way to becoming one of the largest food retailers in the western United States. Like other major grocery stores, the supermarket chain is open on Thanksgiving — but you might just be shopping like a modern-day Disney Princess with some help from some woodland creatures.
Earlier this year, a bear snuck into one of the supermarket's Los Angeles locations, likely looking for the honey aisle. Luckily, no one was hurt and nothing was damaged. In all actuality, Ralphs on the afternoon before Thanksgiving dinner is probably a lot more hectic, even without the ursine havoc. Nonetheless, you can still brave the aisles if you need something last minute. Most Ralphs stores open up at 5 a.m. and close at 12 a.m. on Thanksgiving.
Safeway
Safeway, which opened up in 1915 as a tiny family-run grocery store in Idaho, now has 875 locations nationwide. Though we did initially predict that the grocery store might not survive 2021 after the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic and supply chain interruptions (also, per Forbes, its parent company of Albertsons had a high risk of default on key financial matters), it still appears to be alive and kicking today. That's a lot to be thankful for, of course, and Thanksgiving could help turn sales around.
Most Safeway stores will be open from 6 a.m. until midnight on Turkey Day, though there's always the caveat that your local store could have differing hours, so call ahead to be sure. Still, this probably means you can count on grabbing a last-minute side to take to your Friendsgiving celebration and stop by for a late-night snack right before your early morning Black Friday shopping.
Sprouts Farmers Market
Sprouts Farmers Market was born in a difficult time for California. The year was 1943. Some supplies were so scarce that even babies were issued their own ration stamps, according to San Diego History Center. It was a risky time to open a supermarket, but it turned out to be just the right moment for ice cream delivery man Henry Boney to launch a fruit stand. Eventually, Boney parlayed the success of his fruit stand into a myriad of grocery store chains including Boney's, Bradshaws, Windmill Farms, and Sprouts Farmers Market.
According to its website, the first Sprouts Farmers Market, opened by Boney's family in 2002, was launched in an effort to "make natural foods accessible to everyone." If you're going for an organic Thanksgiving dinner, you can pick up some fresh produce or all-natural cranberry sauce the same day. Sprouts locations are open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving.
Stop & Shop
Stop & Shop is an institution in the northeast. You can bet the average New Jersey millennial spent their formative years browsing the aisles and begging their parents to finally let them have Lunchables. For many, it's more than a grocery store. It's a comfort.
Stop & Shop launched in the early 1900s. By the start of the Great Depression, there were more than 434 stores, though Shop & Stop as we know it didn't come around until 1942 (when the name debuted) but modern-day stores aren't too far from the company's roots.
As one of the largest grocery store chains on the east coast, Stop & Shop doesn't take Thanksgiving day off. Locations will keep normal hours, but be aware that not all have the same hours, so check beforehand. Nobody wants to end up in an empty supermarket parking lot frantically looking for somewhere to buy butter.
Vons
Vons, a subsidiary of Albertsons, is the second-largest supermarket chain in Southern California (Safeway, another Albertsons brand, being the first). It's so big that in 1966, its Shopping Bag acquisition was challenged by the Federal Trade Commission for an antitrust violation, according to Zippia. It ended up selling off some of its stores after the case went to the Supreme Court.
Today, the company is embracing apps and delivery. Technically, that means you don't even need to leave your house to get what you need for Thanksgiving dinner. Nonetheless, there's nothing quite like fighting a stressed-out fellow shopper for the last Butterball turkey of the season. Some masochists might even consider such a spectacle to be a sport. If that's you, then you can count on Vons. Some Vons stores are open 24 hours on Thanksgiving, but most are at least usually open from 6 a.m. until midnight that day.
Wegmans
Wegmans is basically upstate New York's most prized export. The family-owned company has been slow to expand, opening only three stores a year, but surveys consistently rank it as the most beloved supermarket in America (even if most Americans don't have a local store). There's no other way to put it: Wegmans gives Texas fan favorite H-E-B a run for its money.
According to Kiplinger, the average Wegmans spans 75,000 to 140,000 square feet, which means that it's at least twice as large as the average grocery store. The chain also carries nearly twice as many products. Wegmans has a variety of produce and pantry items, but it's really renowned for its prepared options. If you're in the northeast and don't want to cook, Wegmans is your best bet aside from takeout — even on Thanksgiving day. Then, most locations are open until at least 4 p.m.
Whole Foods
Since launching in 1980, Whole Foods has developed a fiercely loyal base of consumers who swear by the chain's organic and natural food options, though the upmarket grocery store has an expensive reputation. Does Whole Foods still deserve its "whole paycheck" nickname? That depends on who you ask. At least Amazon Prime members have gotten discounts since the supermarket was acquired by Amazon in 2017. Either way, the chain is a one-stop shop for Thanksgiving.
Whole Foods lets shoppers pre-order Thanksgiving meals online. They have a particular focus on helping customers plan vegan, vegetarian, and non-traditional meals. Though Whole Foods is renowned for its grocery delivery, you can still pop in to grab a prepared side or pantry item for your last-minute Thanksgiving dinner. Most stores will open at 7 a.m. and close around 2 p.m. — but it's always a good idea to call ahead just to double-check.
Instacart
Instacart isn't really a grocery store, but we'd be remiss not to include it. Not everyone enjoys fighting beleaguered, last-minute shoppers on one of the busiest supermarket days of the year (though, according to Reader's Digest, the Tuesday before Thanksgiving is where real nightmares are made). Sometimes, it's just easier to order your ingredients through an app so you can focus on other stuff — like cleaning your house before your family comes over to judge.
Instacart is available in more than 5,000 different cities and promises same-day delivery on Thanksgiving. You can choose from a number of different grocery stores, so if an item is out somewhere, just order it from somewhere else. The only catch is that Instacart will only accept Thanksgiving orders between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. your local time. If you miss the window, you'll have to brave the trenches of real-world last-minute shopping.