The Best Times To Shop At Trader Joe’s To Avoid Large Crowds – The Takeout

The hold Trader Joe’s has on consumers is unmatched. For many, there’s no fulfillment quite like a grocery bag full of TJ’s goodies. If you’re a newbie and planning on visiting Trader Joe’s for the first time in your life, or you’ve been there a few times but feel overwhelmed by the crowds of shoppers, it’s beneficial to know the quietest times to shop.

If you’re looking for a peaceful shopping experience, avoid weekend shopping and head to Trader Joe’s during the middle of the week — weekday mornings to be precise. The earlier you arrive, the better; lunchtimes can get very busy at Trader Joe’s locations because many people venture into the stores to purchase some of the best Trader Joe’s snacks for lunch. You should also avoid shopping straight after work. This is another time when Trader Joe’s stores get busy during the week.

If you’re a part of the crowd that can’t make it to the store on a weekday morning, you may want to try evening shopping at Trader Joe’s. If you’re doing some shopping around closing time, they’ll eventually lock the front doors, and there will be fewer people in the aisle and in the checkout line. Try not to linger, however, as this clearly means the shopping day has come to a close, and no one wants to be the reason why TJ’s employees don’t get home on time.

Unsurprisingly, most grocery stores are crowded on afternoons and weekends, and Trader Joe’s often stays busy even outside of peak times. Clearly, the lower price points, healthy, inclusive food options, and delightful, seasonal items are enough to keep loyal customers coming back for more. Most chains that experience such demand quickly expand and open as many locations as possible, but not Trader Joe’s.

There are almost 600 Trader Joe’s locations. Before opening more to please the mass of loyal customers, TJ’s ensures each location meets certain criteria. This is to make sure that the new store performs well from its very first day. Population density is important; Trader Joe’s aren’t only located in large cities, but there’s a low chance of finding one in a small, rural town. On an episode of “Inside Trader Joe’s,” Matt Sloan, vice president of marketing at Trader Joe’s, noted that accessibility was also important when deciding where to open a new TJ’s store. (Rest assured, no matter where a new Trader Joe’s is opened, it will always have a very small parking lot.) 

While ensuring that each store pulls its weight, this painstaking process means rapid expansion just isn’t an option for the chain. As such, there’s no point hoping that the chain will open loads of new stores and the crowd at your local TJ’s will thin. Instead, experiment with different shopping times to find the quietest time that works for you. Either that, or just embrace TJ’s crowded shopping experience.