Thanksgiving 2025: Which Stores Are Open and Which Aren't—Plus Budget-Friendly Meal Deals

Big-box stores and national chains have increasingly opted to give employees Thanksgiving off, but some stores are keeping their doors open with limited hours.

Rudy Blalock

Published: 11/22/2025, 4:33:32 PM EST

Thanksgiving 2025: Which Stores Are Open and Which Aren't—Plus Budget-Friendly Meal Deals — A woman shops for groceries at a Costco store in Alhambra, Calif., on April 28, 2025. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)

Thanksgiving shoppers planning last-minute errands will find most major retailers locked up tight this year, though a handful of grocery chains and restaurants are keeping their doors open with limited hours.

The holiday closures reflect a continuing trend among big-box stores and national chains that have increasingly opted to give employees the day off. But families who need to grab forgotten ingredients or prefer dining out still have options—just fewer of them.

Grocery Stores: A Mixed Bag

Several major supermarket chains will shut down completely on Thursday. ALDI, Costco, Lidl, Publix, Sam's Club, Target, Trader Joe's, and Walmart will all remain closed, according to their company websites. Walmart plans to reopen on Friday for Black Friday shopping.

Other grocery retailers are offering shortened hours for holiday shoppers. Kroger will welcome customers but plans to close early at 5 p.m., according to the company's website. Sprouts will operate from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thanksgiving. Harris Teeter stores will open but close at 2 p.m.

Whole Foods locations are mostly staying open, though shoppers should verify their local store hours online. Family Dollar will run from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., with specific hours available through the store locator.

Dollar General expects most stores to operate on Thursday, but hours differ by location, so customers should call ahead. Walgreens will mostly close except for its 24-hour locations.

Retail Stores Largely Shuttered

Major retail chains are nearly unanimous in their Thanksgiving closures. Best Buy, Belk, BJ's warehouses, Home Depot, Lowe's, Nordstrom, REI, IKEA, Sephora, and Ulta will all stay closed. BJ's announced the closure in an Oct. 30 news release. Best Buy confirmed its closure on the company's website.

T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, and HomeGoods—all under the same corporate umbrella—will also remain dark on Thursday.

Bass Pro Shops stands as the notable exception in the retail sector, planning to operate from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Restaurants: Call Ahead

The restaurant scene presents the most complicated picture for Thanksgiving diners, with hours varying widely even within the same chain.

Several major fast-food and casual dining spots will close entirely. Chick-fil-A, Chili's, Chipotle, Firehouse Subs, Jimmy John's, McAlister's, Olive Garden, Outback Steakhouse, Panera, Raising Cane's, Red Lobster, Shake Shack, Taco Bell, and Zaxby's all plan to give workers the holiday off. Crumbl will also stay closed, according to the company's website.

A handful of chains promise to stay open at all locations. Cracker Barrel will maintain normal operating hours and serve a traditional Thanksgiving meal starting at 11 a.m. Golden Corral will keep all its doors open. Waffle House and Whataburger also plan full operations on Thursday.

All Maggiano’s Little Italy restaurants will remain open and offer a special three-course dine-in menu, as well as carryout options.

For other restaurants, the picture varies. Many Arby's, Buffalo Wild Wings, Burger King, IHOP, Popeyes, Starbucks, and Wendy's locations expect to stay open, but hours depend on individual franchises. Dunkin stores will mostly open, though customers should verify beforehand. McDonald's hours also vary by location, and the chain recommends using its online store locator.

Applebee's may have some locations open, but calling ahead is the safest bet. Pizza Hut expects most stores to close, though some may operate—again, phoning first is advisable. Krispy Kreme will open most locations but plans to close early at 2 p.m. local time.

The Cheesecake Factory will shut down nationwide except for two locations in Maryland and Las Vegas.

Popeyes customers looking for an alternative to cooking can also order a full-sized Cajun turkey from the chain.

Affordable Holiday Meals Still Available

Despite the closures, major grocers have been competing to offer budget-friendly Thanksgiving bundles ahead of the holiday.

Food prices have climbed more than 3 percent since September 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But Walmart, Target, Kroger, ALDI, and Publix have all introduced discounted meal packages designed to ease the financial burden of holiday cooking.

Walmart revamped its Thanksgiving basket to feed 10 people for less than $4 per person. The $39.45 package includes more than 20 items—among them a 13.5-pound Butterball turkey, Stove Top stuffing, fresh potatoes, cranberry sauce, vegetables, and pie crusts—with some products hitting their lowest prices since 2019. Shoppers can order the complete meal online and either pick it up in stores or have it delivered in as little as one hour, according to a company release.

Target lowered its holiday meal deal to under $20 for four people—less than $5 per person—the chain's lowest price ever. The bundle features a frozen Good & Gather turkey up to 10 pounds, russet potatoes, cranberry sauce, Stove Top stuffing mix, Heinz gravy, rolls, and frozen corn. The retailer also brought back its turkey pricing at 79 cents per pound.

ALDI priced its meal for 10 people at $40—even less than its 2024 bundle, according to a company release. The package includes a 14-pound Jennie-O turkey along with stuffing, canned vegetables, sweet potatoes, russet potatoes, rolls, pie crust, and all necessary seasonings. The pricing runs from Oct. 15 through Dec. 24, though costs may vary by location.

Kroger launched two approaches. The Freshgiving meal bundle feeds 10 for less than $4.75 per person using Kroger-brand products and brands like Campbell's. The package features a 14- to 16-pound frozen turkey, turkey stuffing, chicken broth, vegetables, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, potatoes, gravy, rolls, pie crusts, and pumpkin puree, according to a company release.

For those skipping the cooking entirely, Kroger and its Home Chef brand are selling heat-and-serve Family Feast Bundles ranging from $75 for a four- to six-person boneless turkey dinner to $170 for a full spread serving up to 10. Orders require a 24-hour notice until Nov. 25.

Publix, which recently expanded into the Louisville market, offers heat-and-serve Thanksgiving meals ranging from bundles for three people to feasts for up to 15 people. The traditional American Thanksgiving option serving seven to 10 people costs $69.99 and includes a fully cooked 9.5- to 12.5-pound turkey, cornbread dressing, mashed potatoes, cranberry relish, marshmallow dessert, and gravy. The chain also sells pumpkin or sweet potato pies for $6.99. All heat-and-serve orders need 48 hours' advance notice.