Which Grocery Stores Are Closed For Christmas 2022?
The holidays are a busy time of year and with approximately 10,000 things on everyone's to-do list, it can be easy to forget one last-minute item at the grocery store for Christmas dinner. Maybe it's a can of cranberry sauce or perhaps it's sugar for your Christmas morning coffee because you've been up late baking so many holiday cookies. Whatever it is, you may find yourself on Christmas Eve wondering, "Is the grocery store open?" and the answer may not be the news you're hoping for. Many grocery chains are closed on Christmas Day or have limited hours on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, so depending on where you live, you might want to check your shopping list twice by December 23. In case something comes up at the last minute though, Tasting Table has rounded up a list of which grocery stores will be open and when during the upcoming holiday.
Albertsons
Albertsons, the parent company of grocery chains including Jewel-Osco, Vons, Kings, Shaw's, and Acme, told Tasting Table in a statement that many of its stores will be operating on limited hours for both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. According to the statement, "most stores will be open on Christmas Eve at reduced hours" and "many stores will be closed on Christmas Day." The brand advised that the stores which were remaining open on Christmas Day would mostly be closing by 3 p.m. and suggested that customers check with their local store for specific hours.
Aldi
If Aldi is your go-to for a quick last-minute store run, you might need to check with your local store to find out when you'll be able to make those emergency purchases. According to the chain's FAQ page, stores will be operating with limited hours on Christmas Eve, which you can find by searching for your local store in the Store Locator tool. If you need a last-minute bottle of wine on Christmas Day though, you're going to need to look elsewhere because the discount grocery store chain will be closing all its locations for the holiday.
Amazon Fresh
Amazon Fresh will not be available on Christmas Day. Despite staying open on Thanksgiving, the chain of Amazon-owned physical grocery stores will be closed on Christmas Day according to Winsight Grocery Business. This is also true of the e-commerce giant's Same Day and Fresh delivery services (as well as its non-food delivery services). Guilty Eats explains these will be unavailable on December 25, as Amazon employees are given Christmas Day off.
BJ's Wholesale Club
The East coast-based club store BJ's Wholesale Club is keeping an impressive 16-year streak of not opening on the holidays alive. A press release sent out by the brand prior to Thanksgiving notes that the stores will maintain regular hours on Christmas Eve but will be closed on Christmas Day.
Costco
Hopefully, if you find yourself missing something critical for your Christmas celebration it isn't something that must be bought in bulk, because Costco is not open on Christmas Day. The discount retailer states on its website that it is closed annually on Christmas Day and New Years Day. The chain also notes that some warehouses may have special hours during the holiday season including on Christmas Eve, but shoppers should check their local store for specific details as it varies by location.
H-E-B
H-E-B will be operating its stores with limited hours for Christmas Eve and is closed on Christmas Day. According to the chain's website, all stores will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve for those last minute purchases, though pharmacies will close by 5 p.m. Home deliveries will be available until 6 p.m. while curbside pickup options will be discontinued by 7 p.m. After 8 the stores will be closed until the morning of December 26.
Hy-Vee
Hy-Vee will be operating under reduced holiday hours. As noted on the chain's website "You will have to double check that you have all of your groceries for your holiday dinner ahead of time, as our store hours will change so that our employees can spend their holiday at home with their loved ones." Stores will be closed on Christmas Day and will be closing early at 4 or 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve depending on location. The full list of stores and their holiday closing time is available online.
Kroger
Kroger and its stable of grocery brands including Ralph's, Dillon's, Pick n' Save, Mariano's, and Food 4 Less, will be operating on reduced hours for Christmas Eve according to the company website, opening at 9 a.m. and closing at 9 p.m. The stores will then be closed for the entirety of Christmas Day.
Meijer
If you discover you're missing something critical late on night on Christmas Eve you might be in luck if your local grocery store is a Meijer. According to the chain's FAQ page, stores will operate at their normal hours 6 a.m. until midnight on Christmas Eve, however, after the clock strikes twelve, you need to make due as all locations will be closed for the entirety of Christmas Day.
Publix
According to Publix's FAQ bot, which was consulted by Tasting Table, the chain will be closed on Christmas Day. The website also notes that its stores will close early on Christmas Eve and specific hours are posted at each location for shoppers. The chain notes, "We value our associates and want to provide them time around the holidays to spend with their loved ones."
Safeway
Safeway, the biggest individual brand owned by Albertsons, will also be operating on shortened holiday hours, though the stores may have more extensive hours than some of their sister brands. According to a statement to Tasting Table by Albertsons, most Safeway stores will be open on Christmas Eve with reduced hours, and while many Safeway stores will be closed on Christmas Day, it varies by location, which can be found through the chain's store locator. Some stores open on the holiday will be operating until either 5 or 7 p.m. Shoppers are once again encouraged to contact their local store for specific operating hours.
Sam's Club
Walmart-owned Sam's Club, like its bulk-buying club-store rival Costco, will be closed on Christmas Day. After a month of extended Sunday hours in the lead-up to the holiday, Sam's Club's website notes all of its locations will all close at 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve and will not reopen until December 26.
Sprouts Market
Sprouts Farmers Markets will be open on Christmas Eve for limited hours with the chain's website noting that all of their locations will operate from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. on the 24th. The brand is observing the Christmas Day holiday and will not be opening any of its locations.
Target
Although Target has not officially posted any specific holiday hours on its website or replied to Tasting Table's request for information, GO Banking Rates reports that the big box store will be closed on Christmas Day, and that locations nationwide will be closing early on Christmas Eve, sending employees home by 8 p.m. as it has in previous years.
Trader Joe's
While Trader Joe's is known for its line of fun, seasonal products, you have to make sure you have them in hand by 5 p.m. on December 24th, because after closing early on Christmas Eve, the nautical-themed chain is saying "Mele Kalikimaka" to its Hawaiian shirt-clad employees by giving them the entirety of Christmas Day off.
Walmart
Despite many of its stores being known for keeping round-the-clock hours, Walmart will be taking a break on Christmas Day. As noted by Parade, the big box store has traditionally kept its doors closed on the holiday, and many locations will be closing earlier than usual on Christmas Eve, with some locking up as early as 5 p.m. Check your local store for specific Christmas Eve hours.
Wegmans
Although its website has not been updated to reflect the 2022 calendar, in past years Wegmans has closed early on Christmas Eve and not been open on Christmas Day. The store's 2020 hours, the most up-to-date information on their website, note that stores close at 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve and do not reopen until the morning of December 26.
Whole Foods
Whole Foods has an announcement on its website noting that its stores will be closed on Christmas Day. However, there does not appear to be a uniform policy for Christmas Eve. The brand states that many of its stores are open for "modified" hours on December 24, and that customers should check with their local stores about specific hours for that day as well as for New Years Eve and Day.
Drugstores remain open
Although most major grocery chains will be closed for most if not all of the day on Christmas, there is still one option for many panicking Christmas shoppers. If you run out of some staple foods or beverages, or you realize you need some first aid supplies, GO Banking Rate notes Walgreens and CVS will be open, while The Holiday Schedule reports Rite Aid has Christmas hours, though it is recommended to check ahead of time with your local stores to see if they are operating on truncated hours.