Good Question: Will Wegmans go back to being open 24 hours?

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Will Wegmans ever return to staying open 24 hours a day?

You probably remember all of the changes that businesses had to make at the onset of COVID-19. Restaurants became take-out only, retailers increased their shipping capabilities, and grocery stores like Wegmans reduced their hours.

Now that the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic appears to be behind us, one of you asked if those hours would go back to what they were pre-COVID. During the height of the pandemic, Wegmans stores in New York began closing at midnight to allow crews more time for overnight cleaning and restocking.

Two local stores, in Gates and Irondequoit, actually reduced their hours before the pandemic in 2019.

In July 2021, we reported that the company was not planning to go back to 24 hours but a lot has changed since then with the pandemic. President Joe Biden announced he will end the COVID-19 emergency declaration this spring. Several of you have recently asked us if Wegmans’ plans have changed.

I reached out to Wegmans officials for an update. I’m told that at this point, Wegmans is not planning on returning to a 24-hour schedule. Wegmans hours will remain 6 a.m. to midnight for the forseeable future.

If you find yourself needing grocery items in the middle of the night, there are a few options for you. Some select CVS locations are open 24 hours, like the one on Monroe Avenue in Brighton, for example. There are also some 711 stores that are open 24 hours a day in our area as well.

If you have a good question, send it to us at goodquestion@whec.com