Wondering when the closest grocery store opens and closes? Grocery store operating hours vary by retailer, location, and day of the week. Some stay open as late as midnight, while others close early around 8 or 9 PM. Here are details on typical grocery store operating hours and how late stores are open.
Standard Grocery Store Operating Hours
Most grocery stores follow a basic schedule of being open relatively early and closing between 8 PM and midnight. The specific hours depend on several factors:
- Day of week – Stores tend to stay open later on Fridays and weekends to accommodate customers who grocery shop after work.
- Store size – Larger supermarkets and big box stores typically stay open later to generate more revenue from evening shoppers.
- Location – Stores in urban areas tend to stay open later than those in rural or suburban locales.
- Customer demand – Stores adjust their operating hours based on when customers want to do most of their shopping.
For example, a standard grocery store schedule may be:
- Monday – Thursday: 8 AM to 9 PM
- Friday: 8 AM to 10 PM
- Saturday: 8 AM – 9 or 10 PM
- Sunday: 8 or 9 AM to 8 PM
However, some stores close as early as 7 or 8 PM during the week and around 6 or 7 PM on Sundays. Smaller outlets like convenience stores and drugstore chains also tend to have shorter operating hours.
How Late Are Grocery Stores Open?
How Late Are Grocery Stores Open The latest that most grocery stores stay open is between 10 PM and midnight, though some 24-hour retailers like Walmart Supercenters are open all night. Stores that stay open later include:
- Large supermarkets – Stores like Kroger, Publix, Safeway, and Giant often stay open until 10, 11, or midnight.
- Specialty stores – Whole Foods sometimes operates until 10 PM while Trader Joe’s typically closes at 9 PM.
- Warehouse clubs – Costco typically stays open until 8:30 or 9 PM on weekdays and until 8 PM on weekends.
- Drugstores – Select CVS and Walgreens stores stay open until 11 or 12 AM to accommodate pharmacy customers.
- Online retailers – With grocery delivery and pickup options, online stores like Amazon Fresh and Instacart give customers 24/7 access to order groceries.
Though most small grocery stores and specialty markets close by 8 or 9 PM, there are still plenty of options for accessing fresh food and staples well into the night. Checking individual store websites and location information will help you determine accurate opening and closing times for the markets nearest you.
With the growth of e-commerce and demand for nighttime convenience, grocery store operating hours are continuing to expand to match customer lifestyles. Many retailers are now experimenting with later closing times of 10 PM or 11 PM – especially on weekends – to capture more sales from customers who prefer to shop later in the day.
In summary, while typical grocery store hours are 8 AM to 9 PM or later, the latest closing times range from 10 PM to midnight depending on store size, location, and customer demand. The growth of online grocery shopping provides 24/7 access to essentials for customers who prefer to order groceries at their convenience.
Also, Read: How Late is the Closest Grocery Store Open?
