Walmart stores across the United States will be closed on Thanksgiving Day 2025, continuing a company policy that began in 2020 to give employees the holiday off with their families. Shoppers will instead see stores reopen early on Black Friday, November 28, with extended hours and major promotions both in-store and online.
What Walmart is doing in 2025
Walmart will keep all U.S. locations closed on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 27, 2025, while maintaining normal operating hours on Thanksgiving Eve and reopening early on Black Friday. Most stores are expected to operate from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Wednesday, November 26, then reopen around 5 a.m. or 6 a.m. on Friday, November 28, though exact times can vary by location. Walmart’s website and mobile app will remain available 24/7 through the holiday, allowing customers to place orders even while physical stores are dark.
How and why the policy changed
Walmart first decided to close on Thanksgiving in 2020, a shift from years when the chain was a symbol of nonstop holiday shopping, and has kept that policy in place every year since. The decision was publicly framed as a move to prioritize workers’ time with their families, with CEO John Furner highlighting that associates “deserve to enjoy Thanksgiving at home,” a sentiment the company has repeated as it extends the closure into 2025. Retail analysts note that Walmart’s scale—more than 4,600 U.S. stores following the same major-holiday schedule—helps normalize Thanksgiving closures across the industry, putting pressure on competitors to follow suit.
Impact on shoppers and communities
For shoppers, the biggest practical change is that last‑minute Thanksgiving grocery or pharmacy runs to Walmart are no longer an option, forcing families to plan earlier for food, prescriptions, and household essentials. Some regional grocers and chains will stay open with reduced hours on Thanksgiving—often closing mid‑afternoon—which creates a split landscape where Walmart is closed but smaller competitors capture urgent or forgotten‑item trips. Budget‑conscious households may also feel the closure more sharply, since Walmart is the primary grocery store for many low‑ and middle‑income families who rely on everyday low prices to stretch holiday budgets.
Worker perspectives and expert insight
Labor advocates and many store associates have welcomed the Thanksgiving closure as a rare, guaranteed day off in a sector known for unpredictable schedules and holiday overtime. Workplace experts say the move reflects a broader shift in big‑box retail toward emphasizing employee well‑being and brand reputation, especially after the pandemic pushed companies to reevaluate frontline working conditions. At the same time, economists point out that Walmart can afford the closure because much of the lost in‑store traffic shifts to online orders and is recaptured during Black Friday, which now starts with aggressive early‑morning openings and days of digital deals.
What shoppers should do next
Because hours can vary by region, customers are encouraged to confirm schedules for their local store using Walmart’s Store Finder tool or the Walmart app before making any trip around the holiday. To avoid disruptions, experts recommend that shoppers complete essential grocery and pharmacy runs by the evening of Wednesday, November 26, then use Walmart.com or the app to browse Black Friday promotions and place online orders while stores remain closed on Thanksgiving Day.
