What’s Open on Thanksgiving? Last-Minute Thanksgiving Shopping in Milwaukee 2025

Running low on cranberries? Forgot the butter? Whether you need a full turkey or just a last-minute ingredient, most Milwaukee-area grocery stores remain open on Thanksgiving Day 2025—though with reduced hours. The bottom line: shop early on Wednesday if possible, but you have options Thursday morning. Here's everything you need to plan your shopping strategy.

What's open on Thanksgiving Day (and what isn't)

The biggest change from pre-pandemic years continues: Walmart, Target, Costco, and Aldi are all closed on Thanksgiving Day. However, regional chains and several specialty grocers will keep their doors open Thursday morning, giving last-minute shoppers a lifeline.

Stores open on Thanksgiving Day in Milwaukee:

• Pick 'n Save & Metro Market: Holiday hours include open regular morning hours until 5 PM (latest closing among open stores)

• Meijer: 6 AM–5 PM (full grocery and pharmacy closed)

• Sendik's: 7 AM–2 PM (Nehring's on Downer stays open until 3 PM)

• Whole Foods: Milwaukee location 7 AM–1:30 PM; Wauwatosa 7 AM–1 PM

• Fresh Thyme: 7 AM–2 PM at all Wisconsin locations

• Woodman's: 8 AM–1:45 PM (even 24-hour locations close at 1:45 PM)

• Piggly Wiggly (Fox Bros. locations): 6 AM–3 PM

Stores closed all day Thursday:

• Walmart, Target, Costco, Sam's Club, Aldi, Trader Joe's, Festival Foods, and Menards

Thanksgiving Eve hours: your last best chance

Wednesday, November 26 offers your best opportunity for full selection with normal or extended hours. Most stores stock shelves overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, meaning early morning offers the freshest inventory.

Store Thanksgiving Eve Hours Notes Pick 'n Save 6 AM–10 PM Full selection, digital coupons available Metro Market 6 AM–10/11 PM Extended hours at some locations Sendik's 7 AM–9 PM Premium selection, local favorite Festival Foods 6 AM–10 PM Closed Thursday—plan Wednesday shopping here Meijer 6 AM–Midnight Extended hours, 24-hour gas station Woodman's Regular hours (varies) Menomonee Falls: 6 AM–9:45 PM Trader Joe's 8 AM–9 PM Closed Thursday—last chance Wednesday Aldi 9 AM–6 PM Reduced hours—shop early Whole Foods 8 AM–10 PM Extended Wednesday hours Fresh Thyme 7 AM–9 PM Natural/organic focus Walmart 6 AM–11 PM Closed Thursday Target 8 AM–10 PM Closed Thursday

Important: Aldi's reduced Wednesday hours (9 AM–6 PM) catch many shoppers off guard. If Aldi is your go-to, don't wait until evening.

Best Turkey deals and complete meal bundles

Turkey prices have dropped 3.7% from last year, making 2025 a friendlier year for Thanksgiving budgets. Here are the best deals across Milwaukee-area stores:

Lowest turkey prices:

• Piggly Wiggly: $0.39/lb for Jennie-O frozen turkeys (market-leading price)

• Meijer: $0.49/lb for store-brand turkey (mPerks members get additional savings)

• Pick 'n Save: $0.59/lb with digital coupon and $25 purchase

• Target: $0.79/lb Good & Gather brand

• Walmart: $0.97/lb Butterball (lowest Butterball price since 2019)

Complete meal bundles for families:

Store Serves Price Per Person Piggly Wiggly 10 ~$40 $4.00 Walmart 10 $39.93 $3.99 Aldi 10 $40 $4.00 Pick 'n Save/Kroger 10 ~$47.50 $4.75 Target 4 $20 $5.00

The Kroger Freshgiving Bundle (available at Pick 'n Save and Metro Market) includes 16 items—turkey, stuffing, potatoes, and all traditional sides—for under $50 with same-day pickup or delivery.

Pre-order options worth knowing about

Several stores offer heat-and-serve Thanksgiving meals that require advance ordering. Here are your options:

Sendik's stands out for Milwaukee shoppers with premium meal packages available at order.sendiks.com. Their 2025 lineup includes a new option for just 2 people—perfect for smaller gatherings. Choose from whole cooked turkey, turkey breast, ham, or beef tenderloin with sides like butternut squash bisque and twice-baked potatoes. Pickup at all 13 full-service locations.

Meijer's Deluxe Turkey Dinner (~$60, serves 6–8) includes a pre-baked Butterball turkey with stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, cranberry relish, and King's Hawaiian rolls. Order at the deli counter or call 1-866-518-4293. Recommend ordering at least 24 hours in advance.

Whole Foods offers fully cooked organic turkey dinners starting at $99.99, plus vegetarian and vegan options. Order deadline: November 25. Prime members receive additional savings.

Fresh Thyme has a Holiday Meal Kit serving 6 that includes a Frick's smoked turkey (11.5 lbs), cornbread sausage stuffing, Gruyere garlic mashed potatoes, and several sides. Reserve through the deli department.

North Shore and suburb-specific locations

Milwaukee's North Shore communities have excellent grocery coverage with varied Thanksgiving hours:

Whitefish Bay/Shorewood area:

• Sendik's Whitefish Bay (500 E. Silver Spring Dr.): The original 1949 flagship location, open 7 AM–2 PM Thursday

• Metro Market Shorewood: Until 5 PM Thursday

Glendale:

• Trader Joe's (5600 N. Port Washington Rd.): Milwaukee area's only Trader Joe's—closed Thursday, so shop Wednesday by 9 PM

Mequon/Fox Point:

• Sendik's Mequon: Open 7 AM–2 PM Thursday

• Multiple Pick 'n Save locations with 5 PM closing

Wauwatosa:

• Whole Foods (11100 W. Burleigh St.): 7 AM–1 PM Thursday

• Meijer (11111 W. Burleigh St.): 6 AM–5 PM Thursday—latest closing in the area

• Sendik's Wauwatosa: 7 AM–2 PM Thursday

West Allis/Greenfield:

• Pick 'n Save National Avenue (6760 W. National Ave.): Until 5 PM Thursday

• Fresh Thyme Greenfield: 7 AM–2 PM Thursday

• Festival Foods West Allis: Closed Thursday—Wednesday until 10 PM is your last chance

Oak Creek/South suburbs:

• Meijer Oak Creek (171 W. Town Square Way): 6 AM–5 PM Thursday

• Woodman's Oak Creek (8131 S. Howell Ave.): 8 AM–1:45 PM Thursday (normally 24 hours)

What sells out first versus what you can still find

Grocery veterans and former store employees consistently report the same items disappearing first. Plan accordingly:

Sells out early (shop Monday or Tuesday):

• Pumpkin pie (especially Costco's, which goes incredibly fast)

• Fresh turkeys (limited quantities compared to frozen)

• Chicken broth (critical for gravy and stuffing)

• Stove Top Stuffing brand

• Crispy fried onions for green bean casserole

• Heritage and specialty turkeys from butchers

Usually still available last-minute:

• Frozen turkeys remain in stock longer

• Store-brand versions of popular items

• Canned vegetables and pantry staples

• Alternative proteins like ham or chicken

If your first choice is sold out: No fresh turkey? Frozen works fine—allow 24 hours per 5 pounds for refrigerator thawing. No pumpkin pie? Apple, pecan, or sweet potato pies make excellent substitutes. No crispy onions? French-fried onions or panko breadcrumbs work in a pinch.

The ten most-forgotten Thanksgiving items

According to Meijer data, these items send shoppers scrambling every year. Butter tops the list—Meijer sells more butter on Thanksgiving Eve than any other day of the year. Double-check your list for:

1. Butter

2. Evaporated milk or heavy cream

3. Cranberry sauce

4. Crackers for appetizers

5. Eggs

6. Celery for stuffing

7. Gravy mix or packets

8. Sugar

9. Aluminum foil and storage containers

10. Meat thermometer (Instacart reports a 3,000% increase in thermometer purchases on Thanksgiving Day)

Also commonly forgotten: fresh herbs (sage, thyme, rosemary), dinner rolls, and citrus for zest.

When to shop for the shortest lines

Best times to shop:

• Monday morning at 8 AM: Google Maps data shows this is the least crowded time of the entire Thanksgiving week

• One hour before closing on Monday or Tuesday: Fewer shoppers, reasonable selection

• Wednesday at opening (6–7 AM): Fresh overnight restocking, best selection before crowds arrive

Worst times to avoid:

• Saturday before Thanksgiving, noon–3 PM (busiest grocery shopping hours of the week)

• Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons through evening

• Wednesday after 4 PM (long lines, picked-over shelves)

Thanksgiving Day itself: If you must shop Thursday, arrive right when stores open. Selection diminishes rapidly, and most stores close by early-to-mid afternoon.

Local butchers and specialty shops as your backup plan

If mainstream stores are sold out, Milwaukee's local butchers often have fresh turkeys when chains don't:

Tower Chicken Farm (Wilson Park area): A Milwaukee institution since 1948, Tower offers fresh turkeys, chickens, ducks, geese, and pheasant. Locals consider their turkeys "the absolute best" in the area—worth the trip if you want fresh rather than frozen.

Kettle Range Meat Co. (Milwaukee and Elm Grove): Heritage turkeys from local farms, grass-fed and pastured meats. They offer home delivery within 20 miles. Note: Closed November 27–28, so order and pick up by Wednesday.

Ray's Butcher Shoppe (Greenfield): Fresh turkeys and spiral hams with extended Sunday hours (7:30 AM–4 PM). Often less expensive than competitors for fresh turkey.

Bunzel's Meat Market: Four-generation family butcher with complete turkey dinner packages including sides, rolls, and pies.

Cermak Fresh Market (Miller Park Way and Barclay locations): Open 7 AM–5 PM on Thanksgiving with diverse selection and competitive prices—a good backup when mainstream chains are picked over.

Emergency Thursday options

If you absolutely need something on Thanksgiving afternoon after grocery stores close:

• CVS: Many locations remain open—call ahead to confirm and check pharmacy hours

• Dollar General: 8 AM–10 PM for basic supplies

• Family Dollar: 8 AM–6 PM

• Gas station convenience stores: Limited selection but available for true emergencies

• Online ordering: Walmart and Target websites operate on Thanksgiving; Instacart delivers from many stores until they close

Your Thanksgiving shopping checklist

Before you shop:

• Download store apps (Pick 'n Save, Meijer, Aldi) and load digital coupons

• Verify hours for your specific store location

• Complete your ingredient list by reviewing every recipe

• Double-check the "most-forgotten" list above

At the store:

• Head to meat/turkey section first while selection is best

• Hit produce and dairy next (butter, cream, eggs)

• Grab an extra of anything you might run short on

• Don't forget aluminum foil and storage containers for leftovers

• Pick up a meat thermometer if you don't have one

Conclusion

Milwaukee shoppers have solid options for last-minute Thanksgiving 2025 shopping. Meijer, Pick 'n Save, and Metro Market offer the latest Thursday hours (until 5 PM), making them your best bet for afternoon emergencies. For the best prices, Piggly Wiggly's $0.39/lb turkey and the chain meal bundles under $50 represent excellent value.

The most important takeaway: shop by Wednesday if at all possible. Festival Foods, Walmart, Target, Aldi, and Trader Joe's are all closed Thursday, and even open stores will have depleted inventory by mid-morning. Set your alarm, make your list, and get to the store when doors open. Your Thanksgiving dinner—and your stress level—will thank you.

Store hours are subject to change. For confirmed hours at your specific location, check the store's website or call ahead, especially for independently operated Piggly Wiggly franchises.