Thanksgiving Day 2026 falls on Thursday, November 26. Forgetting a side dish ingredient or running out of something essential on the one day most of the country is cooking at the same time has a way of turning into a small crisis. The good news is that plenty of stores, mostly grocery chains, pharmacies, and convenience stores, still open with shorter hours. The bad news is that most of the big retail names everyone defaults to, Walmart, Target, and Costco among them, will be closed for the day.
The Short Answer
Most major big box, department, and home improvement stores are closed on Thanksgiving Day, a pattern that’s held steady since 2020. Grocery stores are the most reliable category still open, generally with reduced hours, along with pharmacies, gas stations, and convenience stores. Exact hours for 2026 are typically confirmed by individual retailers only a few weeks before the holiday, so the information below reflects the pattern from recent years and should be treated as a strong likely guide rather than a guaranteed schedule.
Major Retailers Closed on Thanksgiving
These retailers have closed on Thanksgiving Day for several years running and are expected to stay closed in 2026.
| Retailer | Category |
| Walmart | Big box |
| Target | Big box |
| Costco | Warehouse club |
| Sam’s Club | Warehouse club |
| Best Buy | Electronics |
| Home Depot | Home improvement |
| Lowe’s | Home improvement |
| Kohl’s | Department store |
| Macy’s | Department store |
| Nordstrom | Department store |
| IKEA | Furniture |
| Hobby Lobby | Crafts |
- Other retailers following the same closed pattern include Ace Hardware, Menards, Crate & Barrel, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Barnes & Noble, Bath & Body Works, Sephora, Ulta, and most mall based clothing retailers.
Grocery Stores Open on Thanksgiving
Grocery stores are by far the most dependable category for Thanksgiving Day shopping, though hours run shorter than usual and vary by location.
| Store | Status | Typical Hours (Based on Recent Years) |
| Kroger | Open | Most locations until around 5 p.m. |
| Safeway | Open | Around 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at many stores |
| Albertsons | Open | Around 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Wegmans | Open | Most locations close by 4 p.m. |
| Whole Foods | Open | Modified hours, varies by location |
| Harris Teeter | Open | Until around 2 p.m. |
| H-E-B | Open | Around 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. |
| Meijer | Open | Around 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Sprouts Farmers Market | Open | Around 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. |
| Publix | Closed | Closed for the full day |
| Trader Joe’s | Closed | Closed for the full day |
| Aldi | Closed | Closed for the full day |
It’s worth calling ahead or checking a specific store’s listing directly, since hours can vary by location even within the same chain, and pharmacy counters inside grocery stores often close earlier than the main store or stay closed for the full day.
Pharmacies and Convenience Stores
- CVS: Most locations open with reduced hours; 24 hour locations keep their normal schedule.
- Walgreens: The majority of stores have closed on Thanksgiving for several years in a row now, with only 24 hour locations remaining open.
- 7-Eleven, Circle K, Wawa, Sheetz, and RaceTrac: Most locations that normally run 24 hours stay open as usual.
- Dollar General: Generally open on Thanksgiving Day.
Clothing and Specialty Retailers
A handful of clothing retailers have kept their doors open in recent years, even as most of the mall closed around them.
- Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Athleta (all under Gap Inc.) have reported many locations staying open on Thanksgiving in recent years, though this can vary by store.
- Most other clothing and department stores, including Macy’s, Kohl’s, and Nordstrom, remain closed.
A Regional Factor Worth Knowing
Shoppers in Maine, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island face an extra wrinkle. These states have so called blue laws that legally require most large retailers to stay closed on Thanksgiving, regardless of what the chain does nationally. A store that’s open in most of the country may still be closed locally in one of these three states.
Restaurants on Thanksgiving
Plenty of restaurants stay open on Thanksgiving, often running a special holiday menu for anyone not cooking at home or looking for a meal out afterward. Coffee chains like Starbucks and Dunkin’ have kept many locations open in past years as well, though hours are typically shorter than a normal day. Calling ahead is the safest bet, since independently owned restaurants are far less predictable than major chains.
How to Confirm Hours Closer to the Date
Since individual store hours aren’t finalized far in advance, the most reliable way to confirm Thanksgiving 2026 hours is to check directly with a specific store a week or two before the holiday, either through the retailer’s website, app, or a quick phone call. The Federal Reserve’s own 2026 holiday schedule confirms Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 2026, as a bank holiday, which is a reliable fixed point even though individual store hours will vary.
Final Thoughts
The simplest way to plan around Thanksgiving 2026 is to assume big box, department, and home improvement stores will be closed, and lean on grocery stores, pharmacies, and convenience stores for anything needed that day. For anything time sensitive, like a pharmacy refill or a specific grocery item, a quick call to the exact store location the week before is worth the two minutes it takes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Walmart open on Thanksgiving 2026?
No. Walmart has stayed closed on Thanksgiving every year since 2020, and that pattern is expected to continue in 2026.
Is Target open on Thanksgiving 2026?
No. Target has remained closed on Thanksgiving Day for several years running and is expected to stay closed in 2026 as well.
Are grocery stores open on Thanksgiving?
Most major grocery chains, including Kroger, Safeway, Albertsons, and Wegmans, typically open with reduced hours on Thanksgiving, often closing in the early to mid afternoon.
Is CVS open on Thanksgiving?
Most CVS locations open with shorter hours on Thanksgiving, while 24 hour locations keep their regular schedule.
Why are so many stores closed on Thanksgiving now?
Many major retailers shifted to closing on Thanksgiving starting in 2020, initially for safety reasons, and have continued the practice since as a way to reduce in store crowding before Black Friday and give employees the day off.
What day is Thanksgiving in 2026?
Thanksgiving 2026 falls on Thursday, November
