Walmart Confirms Plans to Close on Thanksgiving 2023

For the fourth year in a row, Walmart will be closed on Thanksgiving. The Bentonville, Arkansas-based company announced its Thanksgiving hours in October, confirming that Walmart locations nationwide will close their doors and not reopen until Black Friday.

"Once again, we'll be closing our stores for Thanksgiving this year," Walmart's CEO, John Furner, announced in a video shared by Walmart to X (formerly Twitter) on Oct. 9. "Thanksgiving is such a special day during a very busy season. We want you to spend that day at home with family and loved ones. Whether it's eating a great meal, watching some football, or whatever your traditions are. We all have so much to be thankful for this year, and I'm especially thankful for the opportunity to work with you."

Thanksgiving is a special day, and we want our store associates to have the chance to spend it with their families and loved ones. Hear from John Furner about how we're closing Walmart stores on Thanksgiving again this year. pic.twitter.com/fNIONuTn3b

— Walmart Inc. (@WalmartInc) October 9, 2023

The decision to remain closed on Thanksgiving Day 2023 is not a new one. The retail giant first kept its doors closed on the holiday in 2020, a decision that was influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. In a previous press release, the retailer explained, "Closing our stores on Thanksgiving Day is one way we're saying 'thank you' to our teams for their dedication and hard work this year. We hope everyone will take the opportunity to be with their loved ones during what's always a special time." Furner told Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie of Thanksgiving hours in 2022, "it's a thing of the past. All of our associates will be able to spend time with their loved ones this year."

Walmart is far from the only retailer to change tune about maintaining normal operations on major holidays. Perhaps most notably, Target in 2021 announced a permanent decision to keep stores closed on Thanksgiving Day. Target's CEO, Brian Cornell, said in a message to employees, "you don't have to wonder whether this is the last Thanksgiving you'll spend with family and friends for a while, because Thanksgiving store hours are one thing we won't 'get back to' when the pandemic finally subsides."

Other stores, including Dicks' Sporting Goods and Best Buy, have also opted to close its stores and give workers the day off. This year, Costco, Kohl's, TJX Companies, Aldi, and more major retailers will also remain closed Thursday.

Although Walmart will be closed on Turkey Day, shoppers can anticipate arriving early to score those Black Friday deals. Walmart will reopen at 5 a.m. local time on Friday, Nov. 24. To get a glimpse at the superstore's Black Friday ad and massive savings, click here.