COLUMBUS, Ohio — Gathering with family or not, grocery stores are expecting sales to be up and people to be in and out ahead of Thanksgiving.
“At Kroger we know that families are thinking about the holidays differently this year,” said Amy McCormick, the corporate affairs manager at Kroger.
“According to 8451, which is Kroger’s data science and analytics firm, 43% of shoppers state that they plan to celebrate Thanksgiving at home with only those in their immediate household,” McCormick said.
Kroger is enforcing a rule that everyone needs to wear a mask and the front end supervisor, who will be wearing a red vest, will help make sure people are social distancing.
Kroger is operating at 50% capacity but they don't necessarily have someone standing at the front of the store counting
They do monitor capacity on television screens.
Kroger said it will move to queuing outside lines if needed.
Walmart told 10TV it is following similar protocols with mask requirements, plastic barriers at registers, social distancing and routine cleaning.
Walmart said it will not have multiple queue lines but customers will be directed down the main aisles to shop the whole store.
Meijer also has routine cleaning and hand sanitizer stations will be throughout all stores by mid-December.
"Each store will install eight stations near high-traffic travel paths, including entryways, pharmacies, produce areas and check lanes," Meijer said in a statement about the hand sanitizer stations.
Meijer also features social distancing reminders on the floor at registers and the stores require people to wear a mask.
Curbside pickup and delivery options are also available at Kroger, Walmart and Meijer stores.