Everybody has experienced needing a specific item from a grocery store just to go there and see it is out of stock. You may need something for a party on the weekend, you may want to cook something special for someone’s birthday, or you simply need some fresh tomatoes. No matter the reason you are looking for something and are wondering when they will have it available. So, how often do grocery stores restock?
Large grocery stores restock items every day, especially items like meat, fish, and fresh produce. However, when it comes to shelf life items they may only be restocked periodically based on demand and availability. Smaller grocery stores do not sell as much food, requiring as little as 1-2 restocking days a week.
If you want to learn more about when certain items are restocked, I will answer a few questions about grocery stores and their restocking schedule in more detail below.
Do Grocery Stores Restock Every Day Of The Week?
How often a grocery store restocks depends on its size, location, and how busy it is, i.e., how much stock they sell daily.
A small grocery store in a rural town will have a different restocking schedule than a Walmart in a big city. Big, busy grocery stores will restock some of their stock daily – but only some departments. Consider a Walmart selling a type of food; if it continues to sell out they will often order more based on the demand. This leads to more restocking of such items.
Things that are generally restocked daily are:
- Fresh vegetables and fruit
- Fresh meat
- Fresh fish
- Milk
- Sandwiches and other deli counter items, e.g., sushi, ready-to-eat salads, and wraps
- Fresh bakery items (some grocery stores have an instore-bakery that bakes fresh food daily)
What Day Of The Week Do Grocery Stores Restock?
No day is the official restock day for every single grocery store. As already mentioned, big grocery stores that sell a lot of stuff every day will restock overnight and every day to avoid empty shelves.
For smaller or less busy stores, you will often find that big restocks of things that aren’t restocked daily happen on Tuesdays and Fridays each week – but it is not a set rule.
The best way to know when your regular grocery store restocks is to ask someone who works there. It is not secret information; if you ask nicely, you will get a useful reply. This may help you get some fresh veggies!
When Do Grocery Stores Restock Meat And Fish?
Fresh meat and fish are products that can spoil quickly. Some meat can last 10-14 days when refrigerated, while fish at a grocery store is only good for 1-3 days. When compared to frozen products and shelf items, fresh meat and fish are restock much more regularly.
Most grocery stores with fresh meat and fish counters will have new stock daily, generally early in the morning. Grocery stores try to avoid wasting meats, so they get used to the local demand and try their best to provide the perfect amount of stock.
Sometimes they do not have enough meat and fish to sell, other times they have too much and this often leads to reduced prices because the meat will spoil if they do not sell it quickly. They would rather discount than throw it away.
Some grocery stores have a fishmonger visit once or twice a week. You will need to know their schedule to know which day you can buy their fresh fish products.
If you do not want to miss those days, you could get a magnetic calendar for your fridge where you can easily jot down important dates for your grocery shop!
When Do Grocery Stores Restock Fresh Produce?
Fresh vegetables and fruit are generally restocked daily. Lettuce, tomatoes, bananas, and apples sell very fast. If you go shopping late in the day, you will often find that certain fresh produce items are out of stock or only less desirable items are still sitting in the crates.
However, you will also be able to find some good deals if you aren’t very particular about what you want to cook. If you want the best selection, it is typically best to shop in the mornings.
When Do Grocery Stores Restock Shelf Items And Non-Food Items?
It depends on the size and volume of sales. A big store that sells a lot each day will have to restock products daily (e.g., things like toilet paper, pasta, and chocolate).
Most supermarkets use automatic inventory management systems that track stock in real-time, so the person responsible for reordering things knows what to reorder and when. It is easy for them to adjust, thanks to these systems.
Smaller stores generally only do big restocks once or twice a week (often on Tuesdays and Fridays). Fridays are common because they get ready for a busy weekend.
If possible, grocery stores will do this type of restocking during the night, early in the mornings, or late in the evenings to avoid disturbing customers too much. I know that Walmart has a standard overnight stocking job at almost all their locations, this is to keep up with their hectic sales.
Restocking Groceries Related Questions
When Do Grocery Stores Restock Online?
If you get your grocery shopping delivered, you most likely have seen products “out of stock” on the website. This can be frustrating, especially when you want to do your online shop well in advance of the actual delivery.
The online version of your grocery store is linked to the store’s inventory management system. This system scans items when they arrive in the store and then again at the till.
This means all of the above about restocking times also applies to the stock shown online, even though it is only sometimes a realistic representation. An online grocery store will typically show restock as soon as they scan and update the items into their inventory system.
With online grocery shopping, it is always a good idea to check your order the day before delivery. So you can see whether something you added is suddenly out of stock (the items do not get reserved for you).
When Is The Best Time To Go Shopping for Food To Save Money?
Suppose you are not very picky when it comes to fresh food. In that case, the late afternoons and evenings are usually a good time to find special deals on certain products, e.g., meat, fish, vegetables, salads, sandwiches, sushi, and other items close to their expiry date.
Grocery stores do not want to throw them away and sell them at a reduced price, so they do not lose any money. To achieve this, they try to tempt customers with great deals on food that needs to be eaten ASAP, often on the same day.
Final Thoughts
A good grocery store will restock regularly and in a way that doesn’t interfere with your shopping experience. You may never see the restocking process, so it’s no wonder you ask how often do grocery stores restock.
Suppose you need more clarification about when your favorite grocery stores restock and are desperate for a certain item. In that case, it doesn’t hurt to find a staff member and ask them, or just call up the location.
If you have a concern about quality, you may want to read some information about grocery store inspections here.
Anyway, knowing your grocery store’s schedule can be very helpful to avoid disappointment in the future – or to plan your grocery shopping trips so that you turn up when the best deals are available.