The Best (and Worst) Times to Shop at Walmart (2024)

FAQs

The Best (and Worst) Times to Shop at Walmart? ›

Stores are generally busiest in the late morning and early afternoon, so it's better to go in the evening after most customers have finished their weekend shopping. “It depends if you like to shop when it's crowded, or almost empty. Go early as soon as they open so it's less crowded.

Lindsey Chastain, founder and CEO at The Waddle and Cluck, said, “The best time to shop at Walmart is early on weekday mornings, specifically from 7 to 11 a.m. This window allows you to avoid the weekend crowds and take advantage of freshly stocked shelves, markdowns on perishables, a tidy and organized store ...

It starts with the lack of crowds. The fewest shoppers are out at 7 or 8 a.m., giving you a clear path through the store and no lines when checking out.

Wednesday is the best day of the week to go grocery shopping because stores are usually less crowded mid-week. For the freshest items, time your shop for store opening or closing. This increases the likelihood that bakery, deli, and other produce items were recently restocked.

The best time to shop if you want to avoid crowds

If you want to make sure you can take advantage of a freshly stocked store and still avoid the crowds, plan to do your shopping during the week in the late morning or early afternoon.

According to a 2022 survey, in which U.S. consumers who shopped at a convenience store at least once a month were asked at what time of day they usually shop at convenience stores, the most popular time of day was between 4 p.m. and 6:59 p.m., with 37 percent of respondents.

Monday through Thursday are all great days of the week to shop, as long as you go early or midday. Most people tend to stock up for the week on the weekend, leaving the aisles open and free for you to roam easily during the typical 9-5 work day. By evening, you'll find stores become quite crowded.

If You Love a Good Markdown

"Many Walmart locations mark down grocery products like meat on Sunday evenings or Monday mornings," she says. "Check with the department managers in the grocery section of your local Walmart to see what days your store marks down specific food items."

Numerator found that Walmart's typical shopper in the US is a white woman between 60 and 78 years old, who is married and living in the suburbs.

Shop early or late: The most crowded times to shop are midday on weekends and between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays when most people are getting off of work. Shop at 8 a.m. or at 8 p.m. any day, and you'll zip through the aisles and the checkout.

What's the cheapest day to buy groceries? ›

“Reduced prices on soon-to-expired products frequently occur on Wednesdays,” explains Woody. “As the week progresses, grocery stores often start to reduce prices on products that are nearing their expiration date. By shopping on Wednesday, you may be able to find some great deals on these items.”

According to Drive Research, 59% of consumers surveyed do their grocery shopping Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Therefore, waiting until the end of the week or going on the weekend could mean big crowds and less selection.

Sunday night shopping is going to be disappointing, and Monday and Tuesday aren't much better, but by Wednesday the store is tooling up for the weekend. This means you're likely to have your pick of the produce as well as other items being stocked for the weekend rush.

“Generally, weekdays, particularly Tuesday and Wednesday, are the best days to shop at Walmart,” said Tommy Mello, a home service expert and founder of A1 Garage Door Service. “During these days, stores are less crowded, resulting in a more comfortable and efficient shopping experience.

There are no standard days for when stores of this size restock; one store may supply its shelves on Mondays and Thursdays, while another restocks on Tuesdays and Fridays. Restocking days for small grocery stores are not set in stone. Stores gauge the demand from customers and adjust accordingly.

Best Day to Grocery Shop for the Best Quality Meat, Dairy and Seafood. Another plus of shopping on Wednesdays is that the meat, dairy and seafood section should be newly restocked with fresh picks. For the best selection, you'll want to get to these sections as close to opening hours as possible.

“A weekday morning, especially mid-week like Wednesday, is a great time to shop at Walmart,” said Melissa Cid, consumer savings expert for MySavings.com. “You're more likely to encounter a less busy store, stocked shelves and fresh produce and meats.

To make sure your store isn't out of what you want, the best time of day to shop is mid-morning to early afternoon. Many stores stock their fresh produce during this time (non-perishables are usually stocked in the evenings when people are not walking through the aisles).

Originally stated as “Low Prices Every Day,” the term is simply flipped to emphasize that on every day, on every product, Walmart offers low prices. Why not Everyday Low Prices? “Everyday” implies ordinary, common. “Every Day” reinforces the consistency of the pricing strategy.

Walmart offers set schedules – up to 40 hours a week – so full-time associates can work alongside their teammates with the same shifts on the same days each week.