Introduction: The Holiday Shift in Retail
Thanksgiving Day marks the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season in the United States, traditionally kicking off the frantic dash for gifts and deals. For decades, it was common for major retailers like Walmart to open their doors, sometimes as early as 6 p.m., to give eager shoppers a head start on Black Friday deals.
However, the retail landscape has undergone a significant transformation in recent years. Today, savvy shoppers and retail workers alike are asking the crucial question: Will Walmart be open on November 27, 2025?
The short and definitive answer is No. Walmart has firmly established a new holiday tradition: Walmart stores will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, November 27, 2025. This decision affects all Walmart Supercenters, Discount Stores, and Neighborhood Markets across the country. Understanding this change is essential for planning your shopping and your family time this holiday season.
The Main Answer: Walmart Will Be Closed on Thanksgiving Day (November 27)
To be crystal clear for all customers checking their calendars: November 27, 2025, is Thanksgiving Day, and all Walmart physical store locations will be closed.
This policy officially began in 2020 as a gesture of gratitude to the company’s employees, who had worked tirelessly throughout the year. What started as a one-time change has now become a permanent fixture in Walmart’s holiday operations. The retail giant has chosen to prioritize giving its employees a full day off to spend with their families, a move that has been widely praised by staff and welcomed by consumers who value corporate responsibility.
The decision for a Thanksgiving Day closure means:
- No In-Store Shopping: You will not be able to visit any physical Walmart location for shopping, pharmacy services, or product pickup.
- No Early Black Friday Start: Unlike the old days, there will be no evening opening on November 27 to kick off the Black Friday sales.
- Online is Your Only Option: The only way to shop at Walmart on Thanksgiving Day is through Walmart.com or the mobile app, where the best deals are already waiting.
This simple fact—that Walmart is closed on Thanksgiving Day—is the single most important piece of information for shoppers planning their strategy around the holiday.
Why the Change? A New Focus on Employee Appreciation
The shift away from opening on Thanksgiving represents a fundamental change in the retail sector’s approach to the holidays. For years, the competition to capture early Black Friday sales meant that staff, particularly those working evening shifts, had to cut their own family celebrations short.
Walmart’s decision to close its doors for the entire day is a direct acknowledgment of the hard work and dedication of its associates. By giving employees the holiday off, Walmart is essentially rewarding them with valuable family time, contributing to better work-life balance and higher morale.
This policy aligns Walmart with other major retailers, such as Target and Costco, who have also opted for a full Thanksgiving Day closure. This uniform decision among big-box stores effectively ends the traditional Thanksgiving evening shopping rush, channeling customer demand toward the more manageable avenues of online shopping and the traditional Friday morning opening. For the customer, this means less stress and confusion; for the employee, it means a guaranteed holiday with loved ones.
The Real Event: Black Friday (November 28) and Store Hours
While Walmart is closed on November 27, the real excitement begins the very next day: Black Friday, November 28, 2025. This is when the doors of the physical stores will officially swing open to welcome the crowds seeking doorbuster deals and limited-time offers.
Black Friday Store Opening Time
Walmart’s Black Friday hours can vary slightly by location and year, but generally, expect the stores to open very early.
- Anticipated Opening Time: Most Walmart stores are expected to open at 5:00 a.m. or 6:00 a.m. local time on Friday, November 28, 2025.
It is always advisable to check your local Walmart store hours closer to the date using the Walmart store locator tool. These early morning hours are critical for shoppers aiming to snag the highly coveted, limited-stock items that may not be available online.
The Black Friday Strategy
For the best chance at the biggest savings, savvy shoppers should adopt a two-pronged approach:
- Online Priority (Before Nov 28): Many of the best Black Friday deals and almost all electronic deals are launched online in the week leading up to Thanksgiving. Secure the popular items (TVs, gaming consoles, laptops) from Walmart.com to avoid the in-store rush.
- In-Store Door Busters (November 28): Reserve your physical store visit for specific items that might have better pricing or greater inventory availability only in-store, or for last-minute holiday stocking.
Understanding this clear separation—Closed on the 27th, Open early on the 28th—is key to a successful holiday shopping experience.
Your Thanksgiving Day Shopping Solution: Walmart.com
Since the physical store will be locked up tight on November 27, the digital marketplace becomes your destination for shopping on Thanksgiving Day.
Walmart.com is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
In recent years, Walmart has strategically shifted the bulk of its holiday promotions to the online platform. The company typically rolls out its major “Black Friday Deals” event in phases throughout November, with many of the deepest discounts being live and available on the website before Thanksgiving Day, and definitely throughout the day on the 27th.
Benefits of Shopping Online on November 27:
- Avoid the Crowds: Shop from the comfort of your home, after enjoying your turkey dinner.
- Wider Selection: Online inventory is typically larger than what any single physical store carries.
- Early Access: Often, the most popular deals are accessible online before they hit the physical store shelves.
- Convenient Delivery: You can choose from various fulfillment options, including home delivery or in-store pickup on Black Friday (November 28) or later.
If a must-have item goes on sale on Thanksgiving Day, your only recourse will be to hit the Walmart.com website or app. Be sure to have your payment and shipping information saved for a smooth, quick checkout, as popular items sell out fast!
Conclusion: Plan for Family on the 27th, Deals on the 28th
The question of Will Walmart be open on November 27? has a clear and simple answer: No. Walmart stores are closed all day on Thanksgiving Day 2025 to celebrate and thank their hard-working employees.
For shoppers, this means a mandatory pause on in-person retail therapy. Instead of waiting outside a chilly store, you can spend November 27 enjoying the holiday. Then, prepare to hit the ground running with the full list of savings online at Walmart.com throughout the holiday, or prepare for an early morning visit on Black Friday, November 28, when doors will open for the biggest in-store sales event of the year.
By knowing these key dates—Closed on the 27th, Open early on the 28th—you can optimize your strategy and ensure you don’t miss out on any of the fantastic Walmart Black Friday deals 2025.
Call to Action: To stay ahead of the curve, sign up for Walmart’s email alerts and download the Walmart app to be notified the moment the best online deals go live!
No responses yet