The decision comes after Walmart began closing its doors on the holiday back in 2020 amid 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.”

While Walmart is the first major retailer to announce plans to remain closed on Thanksgiving 2023, other retailers have followed suit in recent years. In 2021, Target’s CEO, Brian Cornell, announced that all Target locations would be closed on the holiday from now on. Cornell explained, “What started as a temporary measure driven by the pandemic is now our new standard – one that recognizes our ability to deliver on our guests’ holiday wishes both within and well beyond store hours.” He added that employees “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.”

While Walmart will be closed on Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, Nov. 23), the retailer has not yet discussed the topic of Black Friday. While the chain will be open on the busy shopping day, the exact hours have not been revealed yet. In recent years, many retailers have begun spreading those Black Friday deals across Thanksgiving week and even throughout November, with many deals also available for online shopping.