Many people arrive at stores very early on Black Friday, often before sunrise and sometimes even late Thursday night.

Typical arrival time

For major doorbuster deals, eager shoppers often start lining up hours before opening, with some arriving on Thanksgiving evening if a store plans a very early Friday opening. When stores open around 5–6 a.m., a large share of in‑person Black Friday shoppers report beginning their in‑store shopping between about 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. local time.

How many show up in person

In recent years, over 80 million people in the U.S. have shopped in physical stores on Black Friday itself, making it the busiest in‑store shopping day of the Thanksgiving–Cyber Monday period. Many of these shoppers still arrive early in the morning to avoid the worst crowds and to have a better chance at limited‑quantity promotions.