If you’re planning to run out for a last-minute can of cranberry sauce or a backup turkey baster this year, you’re going to hit a locked door at your local supercenter. It’s official. Walmart store hours on Thanksgiving have effectively ceased to exist. For decades, the retail giant was the epicenter of holiday chaos, with "doorbuster" deals starting before the stuffing was even cold. But things changed. The world shifted in 2020, and honestly, Walmart hasn’t looked back since.
They’re closed. Every single location.
This isn't just a temporary fluke or a scheduling hiccup for a few rural branches. It is a corporate-wide mandate from the top down. While other retailers might waffle or leave it up to individual franchise owners, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon has been pretty vocal about the fact that he views Thanksgiving as a day for his associates to actually be at home. It’s a massive cultural pivot for a company that basically invented the modern concept of the Black Friday "midnight" start.
The death of the 6:00 PM Thursday rush
Remember the madness? I do. You’d be finishing your second plate of mashed potatoes while looking at your watch, knowing that if you didn't leave by 5:30 PM, the line for the $199 TV would already be wrapping around the garden center. It was a stressful, high-stakes sprint that defined the holiday for millions of American families.
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Then came 2020.
The pandemic forced a lot of hands in the retail world. Initially, closing on Thanksgiving was a safety measure—a way to manage crowds and give overworked "essential" workers a breather. But a funny thing happened. The sales didn't disappear. They just moved. Walmart realized they could spread the deals out over the entire month of November rather than condensing all that physical risk and logistical nightmare into a six-hour window on a Thursday night.
Why the permanent change?
It’s about labor and optics. Finding workers willing to sacrifice their holiday has become increasingly difficult and expensive in a competitive job market. By announcing the closure early, Walmart earns a massive amount of goodwill with its 1.6 million U.S. employees. From a business perspective, it also reduces the overhead costs of keeping those massive buildings powered and staffed on a day when online shopping is booming anyway.
If you look at the numbers, the shift to "Black Friday Deals for Days" has been a massive success. Instead of one big spike, Walmart now sees sustained high-volume traffic throughout the weeks leading up to the holiday. It’s smarter. It’s calmer. And frankly, it’s a lot more humane for the people stocking the shelves.
Planning around the closure: What you need to know
You can't go in on Thursday. Period. But that doesn't mean you're totally out of luck if you’re a procrastinator.
Walmart usually maintains standard operating hours on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Most stores open at 6:00 AM and stay open until 11:00 PM. That Wednesday is statistically one of the busiest shopping days of the year—rivaling the day before Christmas—so if you’re heading in then, expect the parking lot to be a war zone.
- Wednesday is your deadline. If you realize you forgot the heavy cream at 8:00 PM on Wednesday, go then.
- Friday morning is the restart. Most stores will reopen their doors at 6:00 AM on Black Friday.
- The app is your best friend. While the physical doors are locked, the Walmart app and website remain fully operational.
I’ve talked to floor managers who say the "Wednesday Rush" is actually more intense now because people know they have a 24-hour blackout period coming up. The grocery section gets hit the hardest. If you’re looking for specific items like frozen pies or those pre-made dinner rolls, waiting until Wednesday afternoon is a gamble you’ll probably lose.
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The ripple effect across the retail industry
Walmart isn't an island. When the biggest player in the game decides to sit out the holiday, others follow suit. Target quickly matched the move, and now Costco, Best Buy, and Kohl’s have all joined the "Closed on Thanksgiving" club. It’s a rare moment where the retail industry seems to have collectively decided that some things are more important than a few extra hours of physical sales.
However, don't assume every store is closed.
While Walmart store hours on Thanksgiving are non-existent, smaller convenience stores like 7-Eleven or certain pharmacy chains like Walgreens and CVS often stay open with limited hours. Even some grocery-specific chains like ACME or Meijer have been known to keep their doors open until midday for those "emergency" ingredient runs. But for the big-box experience? You're out of luck.
Misconceptions about the "Online" Thanksgiving
A lot of people think that because the store is closed, "Black Friday" doesn't start until Friday. That’s a mistake. Walmart typically launches its biggest online doorbusters on the Monday or Wednesday of Thanksgiving week. By the time the store actually opens on Friday morning, many of the hottest electronics and toys might already be sold out online.
If you're eyeing a specific PlayStation bundle or a high-end kitchen appliance, you should be checking the website on Monday. Don't wait for the physical doors to swing open at 6:00 AM on Friday. By then, the "early bird" shoppers have already finished their checkout via their smartphones while sitting on the couch on Thursday afternoon.
How to handle a Thanksgiving emergency
So, you’ve burnt the rolls. Or the dog knocked the turkey off the counter. Since you know Walmart is a no-go, you need a Plan B.
First, check the local "Express" grocery stores. Smaller independent grocers sometimes stay open until noon. Second, look at delivery apps. Even if Walmart is closed, some local liquor stores or smaller markets might still be active on DoorDash or UberEats, though you'll pay a premium for the convenience.
Honestly, the best strategy is the "Neighbor Method." If you’re just missing one or two ingredients, your neighbors are a much better bet than driving around looking for an open Walmart that doesn't exist. Most people are home, and most people have an extra stick of butter.
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The future of holiday shopping
Is this change permanent? All signs point to yes.
Retail experts like those at GlobalData Retail have noted that the "Thanksgiving Day" shopping experiment was actually starting to see diminishing returns even before the pandemic. The cost of labor, the negative PR of "forcing" people to work, and the rise of robust e-commerce platforms made the decision to close an easy one for Walmart’s board.
We are seeing a return to a more traditional holiday schedule. The 24/7 retail cycle is showing its cracks, and Walmart’s firm stance on Thanksgiving is the loudest crack of all. It’s a shift toward "quality over quantity" in terms of shopping hours.
Actionable steps for your holiday weekend:
- Audit your pantry by Tuesday night. Don't wait for Wednesday to realize you're out of chicken broth.
- Download the Walmart app by Monday. Set up your payment info and shipping address ahead of time so you can snag online deals while the physical stores are closed on Thursday.
- Check your local store’s "Friday" opening time. While 6:00 AM is the standard, some high-volume locations in metropolitan areas might have slightly different schedules. Use the "Store Finder" tool on Walmart.com on Wednesday to confirm.
- Prepare for the "Friday Flip." If you do go in on Friday morning, be aware that the store layout often changes overnight to accommodate massive pallets of sale items. What was the cereal aisle on Wednesday might be the "discounted air fryer" aisle on Friday.
The era of midnight madness at Walmart is over. It’s been replaced by a quiet Thursday and a very busy, digital-first week. Plan for the closure, get your shopping done by Wednesday, and enjoy the fact that you don't have to stand in a cold parking lot at 5:00 PM on a Thursday anymore.
Next Steps for Your Shopping Trip:
- Confirm your specific local store's Wednesday closing time, as some rural locations may close earlier than 11:00 PM.
- Review the "Deals for Days" schedule on the Walmart website to see which items are online-only versus in-store.
- Set a calendar alert for 6:00 AM Friday if you absolutely must have an item that is designated as an "in-store only" special.