Best time of day to go to the supermarket?

[Medstudent12]

I’m stood in a supermarket queue to get in. What is best day/time of day people would recommend?

I work for the nhs and don’t fancy an hour in the queue once a week (I’m lazy) but also on my one day off don’t fancy getting up early to access nhs priority hours when I’m knackered (and from what friends have said they’re just as busy haha).

I know I’ll have to queue and I don’t mind, but was just wondering if there are any times it’s worth avoiding as queues are even worse?

Thanks 😊

[Tinypaws2]

Late afternoon about 3.30/4 seems to be the quietest time around me or just before they close around 8.

[byvirtue]

I went at 7pm straight in, quiet, no queues. I know Aldi is open again until 10pm so I would go some point after 7pm

[TheGreatWave]

I went at 7.30 and had to queue a little, but the time I got out there was no queue.

Some things missing on the shelves though, especially fruit and veg.

[theneverendinglaundry]

I went this morning at 9:30 and there was no queue.

Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays are definitely the busiest days here.

[Singingatmidnight]

Waitrose emailed us to say after 6pm is quietest for them.

[Afternooninthepark]

We’ve been going to Lidl around 7-8pm and it’s very quiet and lots on the shelves.

[AgeLikeWine]

Monday-Thursday are definitely much quieter than Friday-Sunday.

[VenusOfWillendorf]

I've tried going near closing, and found that there was hardly any fruit/veg left. It just meant I had to again the next day, as that was mostly what I needed.

I've found around 3.30/4pm to be OK - they have had time to restock after the morning/lunchtime people have been, but before the people finishing work arrive. I'm wfh, so usually working from 9-5.30, but can take an hour out once a week and just work an hour longer.

[zafferana]

I went yesterday at 10 am and there was a small queue. When I left at 10.30am there was nothing. Went last Monday at 7pm and it was quiet too, but quite a few bare shelves.

[Gingerkittykat]

I'm another one who has found the hour before closing to be quiet with no queues.

[Legoandloldolls]

Later I'm guessing. I went to Aldi yesterday but it was such a packed queue I sat in the 5 for 5 minutes deciding how desperate I was then drove off. I'm going to try at 9pm instead.

[PickAChew]

No queues outside our M&S or sainsburys late morning, today. Mondays are generally quieter than the run up to the weekend.

[PickAChew]

They had everything except flour and garlic in markses, this morni g. I saw someone paralysed by choice at all the different types of rice!

[LudaMusser]

Late, 60-90 minutes before closing. However, Tesco at least have slots just for NHS so you could try that

[SlipperyLizard]

I went to Aldi yesterday at lunch time (1ish) and went straight in. I try to time my visits for when other people might be eating/putting kids to bed etc. Straight after opening time seems to be v busy round here.

Most supermarkets will let NHS workers skip the queue, though, so find one of those near you!

[Hagisonthehill]

I find the NHS ones very busy .
9pm works well,last time I went only a few customers and lots of shelf stackers.The only thing they didn't have was eggs.It was better stocked than it was precovid.

[ritzbiscuits]

My DH is NHS and has been going to Sainsburys at 7am. No queue and straight in, he said there are less than 20 people in the whole store.

To give him a break I went to Aldi one of the evenings, I'd say 80% of fresh fruit/veg was gone, and there were lots of other stock sold out. Complete waste of time and I wouldn't do that again.

However, I think Aldi are allowing people with NHS badges to skip the queue throughout the day. I'd check their website but I found the wording not particularly clear.