Why I’ll Forever Follow the “Rush Hour” Rule When Grocery Shopping (It’s Not the Time You Think)
If you’ve set foot in a grocery store more than even once, you know that some trips are a breeze and others are far from it. As someone who is the grocery shopper for my home and goes to the store at least once, if not a few times, every week, I long for the easy trips — plenty of space to park, few shoppers, short lines at the checkout (if any) — and dread showing up at the store and finding it crowded and chaotic.
As you can imagine, grocery stores have busier times throughout the day, week, and even month. But when are they? And do they vary by store or state? I spoke with three grocery store employees around the country to find out the best — and worst times — to shop. Turns out, they all had similar answers despite being at different stores and in different states.
1. Rush hour might not be when you think.
When I hear “rush hour,” I think morning commute. But the traffic jam in the checkout lane is much more likely to happen around lunch. In fact every person I spoke with agreed that lunch hour is rush hour during the week. Unsurprisingly, stores also draw busier crowds from 3 to 5 p.m. when people stop by for groceries on their way home from work. If you’re shopping on a weekday and have the ability, hit the store in the mornings or late evening to shop crowd-free.
2. People are planning around paydays and food assistance programs.
As prices continue to remain stubbornly high, people are shopping paycheck to paycheck and depending on food assistance programs. According to an employee at a Safeway in Vancouver, Washington, stores are busier whenever payday hits, especially at the end of the month — or when Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) are made available. Keep in mind EBT dates vary by state, district, or territory, but typically occur during the first 10 days of each month.
3. If you shop on the weekends, go Saturday — and early.
If you’ve ever shopped on the weekend, you’ve probably guessed what they all confirmed: Saturdays and Sundays are generally the busiest, in particular from midday onward with Sundays earning the crown for most consistently crowded. (Wednesdays are the least busy.) If you have to shop on the weekend because of your work schedule, that’s okay — go as early in the day as possible, if you want a smoother trip.
4. Holiday mornings are surprisingly busy.
If you think the day of a holiday might be slower because people shop ahead, you’d be wrong. Everyone I asked confirmed that plenty of people save their shopping for the last minute and every holiday is a busier day at the store than usual (unless the store is closed). And that includes major annual events, like the Super Bowl or your town’s annual festival. Always get your shopping done well before the day if you want to avoid the grocery rush — or even during (more on that below).
5. Kickoff time is also “go shop” time.
This may seem obvious, but it is also absolutely worth sharing. Once a celebration is underway, people tend to be anywhere except the snack aisle. For the Super Bowl, there’s always a big rush in the few hours ahead of the game, but then stores are completely cleared out post-coin toss. The same can be said for holidays like Valentine’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, you name it. Once the meal is started in most houses, the stores empty.
How do you avoid crowds at the grocery store? Tell us about it in the comments below.